Face masks have gone from a once-in-a-while treat to an essential component of a well-rounded skin-care routine, which means you probably want to keep more than one in your beauty arsenal. And luckily, the drugstore beauty market is now more impressive than ever, which means you no longer have to spend $60 for a mask that's actually effective. In fact, many of the best drugstore face masks rival the formulas you'd find in high-end stores, and are created to target every imaginable type of skin concern. Below, you'll find a guide to choosing the best face mask for your skin type.
If you're interested in a face mask that will keep your skin hydrated and soft, hyaluronic acid is one of the most beneficial ingredients on the market for combatting dryness. But on the opposite end of the spectrum, if you're trying to regulate oil production and keep pimples from popping up, you'll want to try a formula that contains ingredients like sulfur, charcoal, clay, salicylic acid, or tea tree oil. There are also masks created to soothe and calm skin, which can be great for treating inflammation and redness. If that's what you're after, try a mask with honey or aloe vera.
Then, there's the application method. There are sheet masks, which are great for travel, and overnight masks, for people who prefer a product that works its magic as you sleep. Then, you have your traditional creamy clay masks, which are great for DIY spa days (and also handily double as spot treatments).
Scroll on to discover five of the best drugstore face masks to try now.
01Best Sleeping Mask
If you love a good hydrating mask, Neutrogena's Hydrating Overnight Gel Mask is a must-have. Designed to be applied at night as the last step in your skin care routine, the gel-cream formula deeply moisturizes skin as you sleep, so you wake up glowing. Plus, this mask comes in a set of 12 individual pods, making it easy to travel with. Many Amazon reviewers even noted that each pod lasts for several uses. "Love this product, and one pod lasts three nights," writes one user, adding, "I have super sensitive skin and found this to be very hydrating with no irritation."
02Best Clay Mask
L'Oréal released a whole line of clay masks to treat oily skin and breakouts, each of which works slightly differently. The Pure Clay Clear & Comfort Face Mask aids in reducing oil, fighting off acne, and calming redness using a blend of detoxifying and hydrating ingredients. The 10-minute mask combines three types of clay — kaolin, Moroccan lava, and montmorillonite — to draw out dirt, oil, and other pore-clogging debris. And because clay masks can be a bit drying, L’Oréal included glycerin and seaweed to help keep skin comfortable and soft.
03Best Soothing Face Mask
This mask is just as indulgent as it sounds with its creamy texture and cooling sensation when applied to your face (try storing it in the fridge for the ultimate soothing treat). While Bliss Mint Chip Mania Face Mask uses bentonite clay to draw out impurities, it also contains several soothing and nourishing ingredients like aloe vera, peppermint leaf extract, and shea butter, which Bliss formulated into "chocolate chip" pieces that melt into skin when you massage the mask on your face prior to rinsing off.
Designed to be used on dry skin, the mask only needs 10 to 15 minutes to work its magic. Bliss' products are also cruelty-free, and made without questionable ingredients like parabens, phthalates, sulfates, and formaldehyde.
04Best Sheet Mask
Another travel-friendly option, sheet masks are easy to pack for vacay or even whip out on the plane for a mid-flight pick-me-up. Garnier SkinActive The Super Hydrating Mask-Mattifying is a water-based face mask that's free of mineral oil, parabens, and petrolatum. While it has mattifying effects that oily skin types can benefit from, the true stars of the ingredients list are hyaluronic acid and antioxidant-rich green tea extract, which hydrate skin and soothe inflammation, respectively.
After 15 minutes, remove the mask, and instead of rinsing off, pat any remaining serum onto your face and neck to maximize the moisturizing benefits. "My face felt super hydrated and not sticky afterwards," wrote one Amazon reviewer. "I have rosacea and my skin is pretty sensitive, but it feels really great after using this."
05Best Variety Pack
If you're a firm believer in the more masks the merrier, Nügg makes adding to your collection easy with their All Time Glow set. Included are four of the brand's best-selling face masks (exfoliating, detoxifying, revitalizing, and hydrating), each packaged in travel-friendly, single-use pods. No matter which one you go for, you can feel good knowing that the 93% naturally-derived formulas are Leaping Bunny-certified cruelty-free and free of petrochemicals, sulfates, parabens, and synthetic fragrance and color. All about smooth skin over glowy skin? Then try out nügg's Hello Smooth set instead.
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