If we can mask away all our skin concerns then life would have been perfect. Well, it is perfect because masks can solve many of your skin concerns. But then the next key would be to pick the right formulation to treat your skin concerns. We’re covering the whole story on which ingredient can solve your skin concern and what are the dos’ and don’ts of masking. Keep scrolling to know what to shop for your skin concern!
What does a mask do?
A face mask is a hero product in your skincare that can alone prove to be a game-changer for your targeted skin concern. There is a face mask to cover up all your concerns in a shorter span. So a face mask is anything that penetrates your skin quickly and intensely to give you your dream skin in a week or two depending on the product composition. A lot depends on the composition and that is why every skin concern has a particular face mask to deliver the right results. A face mask can have multiple benefits as per the mask you pick but let us list down some common benefits that masks offer-
- Intense nourishment
- Cleanses and purifies your pores
- Improve the efficiency of the skincare after its usage
We have a detailed guide on face masks and their benefits here.
How to pick the right mask for your skin concern?
It is very much important to fight your skin concern with the right product. Do you expect oranges from an apple tree? Just like that one cannot expect results from a wrong product. Some of the most common skin concerns can be dealt with masking if you use it right. To make things simpler, we’ve picked the common skin concerns that can be targeted by our hero brand- FCL. It is backed by science and is raved by many for its effective results without any side effects. Let’s look at how FCL can solve some of your skin concerns-
1. Skin concern: Acne & Scars
Be it hormonal, heredity, diet, lifestyle, pollution. The ones who are acne-prone know the pain they suffer every time something goes slightly wrong in their life.
There are multiple treatment methods for this concern but nothing works like a multi-functional face mask in just 20 minutes. A face mask with ingredients like Kojic Acid, AHAs, BHAs, Vitamin C, etc can help one reduce the scars and unclog the pores to help with acne and scars.
Sublime recommends FCL PBA Face Mask that has Kojic Acid to brighten your skin, Hyaluronic Acid to hydrate, AHA and Lactobionic Acid to fight acne and brighten your skin. We trust this mask to do its job a day before every big event.
2. Skin concern: Dulling
Due to external stressors like free radicals that are released from your screen radiation, pollution, etc, your skin can lose moisture and turn dull. So to prevent your skin from such stressors, you need a good dose of Antioxidants that are present in Vitamins like A, B, C, E, etc. A good dose of Vitamins to your skin can revive your skin, brighten, and help bring back the balance to your skin to leave you with young and smooth skin.
Sublime recommends FCL Multivitamin Face Mask. It has Vitamin B3, B5, F, C, and E to energise and bring balance to your skin.
3. Skin concern: Sun-damaged skin
Sun-damaged skin may see hyperpigmentation, tanning, redness, dryness, flaking, etc. To tackle this in the initial stage, you must first aim to soothe and hydrate your skin and then focus on reducing the freckles or tan. The kind of ingredients that you must look for in a face mask are soothing, healing and exfoliating ingredients but the mask shouldn’t be highly concentrated in exfoliants since that can further damage tanned skin. On a side note, tanning is never a good idea. Sun rays are harmful enough to cause skin cancer and hence we want you to always stay armed with good sunscreen, a hat or a scarf.
Sublime recommends FCL De Tan Mask that has Lactokine to soothe your skin, Bentonite to detoxify and heal your skin and AHAs to exfoliate the dead skin. If you have an active life then your skin is going to thank you for getting this mask!
For sunscreen, we love their FCL Non Greasy Broad Spectrum SPF 80 Lotion which sits perfectly on your body without making it greasy and has SPF 80.
4. Skin concern: Enlarged pores and ageing
Enlarged pores and ageing have one thing in common- lack of moisture. Your cell structure is supported by the hydration and moisture that it draws from the surrounding. If your cells lose moisture then it will look worse than a deflated balloon. The key to young and smooth skin is hydration and moisturisation. If your skin is showing early signs of ageing then a mask with intense hydration can rescue your skin in just 20 minutes.
Sublime recommends FCL Hydrating Mask. This mask not just contains Hyaluronic Acid but also AHAs that are known to be humectants and help to hydrate and exfoliate your skin. We can’t get enough of this mask!
How often should one opt for masking and who can opt for masking?
Masking is for anyone who wants healthy skin. However, one must use face masks in the right way. Face masks are specific to your skin concern and hence should be used only once or twice a week. Face masks can also be used as a spot treatment since they’re rich in active ingredients.
Face masks are also very specific to the skin type since not all ingredients can suit all skin types. This is not the case with FCL’s face masks since they’re formulated to suit all skin types.
What are the dos and don’ts of masking?
Masking is easy and convenient since you can do it anytime on your off day. It instantly lights up your face but it can go wrong for you if you don’t use it in the right way. Here are some dos’ and don’ts to keep in mind-
Dos'
1. Use it religiously
Who is guilty of being infrequent with face masking? We used to belong to that group, once upon a time. But if you want to really see the goodness and worth of your money from a face mask, be religious. It cannot be used just on SOS days. You must apply it every weekend or twice a week, depending on your outdoor exposure, frequency of makeup application, skincare routine.
2. Pat dry later
Face masks aren’t meant to be washed off by rubbing or vigorously scratching your skin. Your skin has just undergone treatment and it needs your kindness now. So gently damp your face, and let the mask be washed off by just lukewarm or cold water. While washing it off, be gentle. Once it is washed off, dab a dry towel to dry it. The key is to be gentle because face masks may contain many active ingredients after which your skin can be irritated if you’re harsh with it.
3. Wash off the clay masks when they're semi-dry
Clay masks can dry off your skin since they contain ingredients which are meant to pull out all the dirt from your pores. While clay masks work excellent for clogged pores and dull skin, it can dry your skin if you let it completely dry on your skin. With clay masks, ensure to wash it off when it is semi-dry. Wash it by splashing water and not rubbing it off your skin to prevent irritation.
Don’ts
1. Do not keep it on for too long
Nothing good ever came out by rebelling against the skincare rules. Face masks are a rich treatment to target your skin concern and there is a reason that the formulation is called a face mask and not a serum. It is because they are very concentrated and must be exposed to your skin for only 15-20 minutes. Keeping it on for too long can weaken your skin barrier, thereby introducing newer problems for your skin.
2. Do not overdo it
By using it too frequently you’re weakening or even damaging your skin barrier. This can lead to redness, irritation, increased photosensitivity and dryness. You can use it once a week and if it is just a hydrating mask then probably twice a week since hydrating masks would contain lesser active ingredients.
3. Do not opt for just about any DIY masks
We’ve seen a substantial amount of content that shows how lemon and baking soda can be used as a face mask. Run away from such tips for the sake of your skin health. No, not everything that you eat can be put on your skin topically. You may use Honey, Turmeric, Rose Water, etc on your skin because they’re gentle and can suit all skin types. Something like Curd, Aloe Vera, Gram flour, or Coffee are subjective to the skin type and so it is advised to not apply them without patch testing. However, ingredients like lemon, baking soda, toothpaste, etc are a strict no-no. It gets complicated as to what can be safely applied on your skin and hence, we believe in sticking to well-formulated masks like the ones we’ve recommended above.
Keynotes
Mask is a product that is formulated with a rich concoction of treatment ingredients that can address your skin concern and provide results in a few uses. It is important to use the right mask for your skin concerns to not land up with more skin concerns. Masks play an important role in reviving your skin from time to time and we love the masks that are scientifically backed to deliver results!
- Divya Salvi
