When I had acne-prone skin as a teenager, a good face mask to soak up oil was necessary in my routine. While my skin has gotten clearer as I’ve gotten older (you were right, mom) I still love to indulge in a pore-tightening, detoxifying, deep-cleansing mask every once in a while. With Pinterest, I’ve even been known to DIY a mask from my kitchen! In order to make sure you are getting the most out of your face mask, follow these 10 steps recommended by the experts at Cherie.
1. Remove all makeup. Make sure you have a truly clean slate before applying your face mask. If makeup is in the way, you won’t get the benefits of the mask.
2. Read the instructions. Make sure you thoroughly read the individual instructions of each mask. Some need to be put on dry skin, some on wet. Some take 10 minutes, some take 30. Follow the instructions as they are written.
3. Do a test spot. Especially if you have sensitive skin, it’s a good idea to do a test spot before covering your whole face. Choose a spot on your arm or a small spot along your jaw line and follow the instructions. If no reaction occurs within a couple hours, you’ll be fine.
4. Exfoliate. It’s s good idea to exfoliate your skin to make sure your pores are clear before applying the mask. This ensures dead skin cells aren’t in the way.
5. Open your pores. Try steaming your face a bit before applying the mask. If you take a hot shower before you do it, the work is done for you. Otherwise, boil some water and hold your face over the pot for a couple minutes.
6. Apply evenly. Make sure you’re applying evenly and generously with the mask. You want to make sure your entire face gets equal attention and all the benefits can be had from the mask.
7. Leave on for the right amount of time. Most masks need a certain amount of time for skin to absorb the benefits from the cream. That said, they also really don’t need much more time than that. There is almost no benefit from leaving masks on longer than the recommended time.
8. Pat dry. Rinse with lukewarm water (or do whatever the instructions tell you to do) and then gently pat dry with a towel. Don’t rub at your skin, says StyleCaster. You’ll irritate it.
9. Let your skin breathe. Wait at least 10 minutes before applying any spot treatments or moisturizers.
10. Relax. A face mask is a relaxing activity you should enjoy! Sit back, have a cup of tea and read a magazine or catch up on your favorite TV show.