I’m a self-confessed serial masker. I bloody love putting on a face mask, sticking on an episode of Friends and letting the formula do its thing. Whether I want to fight blackheads, soothe irritation or give my skin a serious shot of hydration, I know that I can find the answer in one of my many masks. As we start approaching no-foundation season, it’s time to up my masking game and get my skin looking tiptop. These are the skin-saving masks that I just can’t seem to get enough of…

NEUTROGENA® Hydrogel Recovery Masks and Mask Pods

I’ve had a bit of a love-hate relationship with sheet masks since they burst onto the scene a few years ago. A revolutionary skincare trend taken straight from Korea, sheet masks have made masking a fuss-free experience but I’ve struggled to find the perfect sheet. Some are far too ‘wet’, making the process messy and sloppy. Some are too big, leaving more product in my hair than on my face. Some simply don’t fit my face, leaving next to no mask on my nose (which is one of my main problem areas). However, Neutrogena’s latest launch uses hydrogel instead of the typical ‘sheet’. If you loved the Lancome Advanced Génifique Hydrogel Melting Sheet Mask (I certainly did), then these sachets are sure to please you and, at just £3.50 a pop, they’ll please your bank balance too.  Split into two parts, they can be perfectly moulded to my clearly abnormally shaped face. In just 15 minutes, they deliver the equivalent of a whole 30ml bottle of serum and my skin seriously thanks me for it. The best bit is that the formulas also come in travel-friendly pods so that you don’t have to be that nutter on the plane in a sheet mask – win!

SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Masque

Trust me when I say that this stuff is worth the pennies. If you have sensitive, irritated skin that refuses to behave itself, I urge you to give this soothing miracle worker a go. I suffer quite severely with redness if I’ve been out all day in the Great British weather/wind. As soon as I’m home, I take my makeup off, cleanse and apply a thick layer of this green goo and then let it work its magic for 15 mins. With botanical extracts and a load of Hyaluronic Acid, it cools, soothes and smooths like nothing else.

Fresh Black Tea Firming Overnight Mask

I have to admit, I don’t use this one as a ‘firming’ mask. I slather it on when my skin is desperately in need of hydration. After my nightly skincare regime, I apply a really thick layer, tie my hair back, give it an hour, tissue off a little bit of excess and then hit the hay. In the morning, I wake up a little greasier than normal but after cleansing, my skin is plump, juicy and full of life. More than anything, the smell is GORGE.

True North De-Stressed Mask 6.1

This small red tube might be the newest addition to my hero mask collection but that doesn’t mean it’s any less deserving of its place. True North is a new brand to me (more on that in an upcoming blog post) but to cut to the chase, it’s a Scandi brand that focuses on simplicity and science. The aim of the game is to calm and de-stress the skin and my goodness does this mask deliver. Whenever my skin is looking a bit dull, I apply this for 10 minutes and wash it off afterwards (instructions say to tissue off but I hate the feel of leave-on masks). It delivers a glow and just makes me look SO much healthier.

The Body Shop British Rose Fresh Plumping Mask

Speaking of glow…

This 100% vegan pot of magic is one of my all-time faves. With seriously sensitive skin, I tend to struggle with natural rose (and natural anything for that matter), but this just seems to work. It’s cooling, refreshing and smells bleedin’ beautiful. The best bit is that you only have to leave it on for around 5 minutes for it to make a difference. I apply in the morning straight after a cleanse and it makes my skin glowy and juicy and means my makeup doesn’t have to work as hard.

Beauty Pie Super Pore-Detox Black Clay Mask

If you’re looking to bust some grime out of those pores, look no further. This clay mask means business as it combines glycolic, salicylic and lactic acids with kaolin clay to rid you pores of nastiness. But it’s not for the faint-hearted. It tingles, yes, which some might deem to be only irritating your skin. All I can say is, don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. It’s the only thing that even comes close to sorting my blackheads.

Oskia Renaissance Mask

With MSM, AHAs and Papaya Enzymes, this balmy mask really works to exfoliate and boost radiance with minimal irritation. If you’ve given the cult Renaissance cleanser a go and loved it as much as I do, then you should definitely consider adding this to your basket. Slightly rose-scented, when you massage this balm into the skin it gives you a real sense of spa-like luxury. After 10 minutes, skin feels deeply cleansed, pores appear smaller and my face is left baby-soft.

Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask

I think of this one as more of a really intense moisturiser than I do a mask but it’s absolutely brill either way. A thick layer of this before I hit the hay guarantees a fully rejuvenated complexion come morning. Not only is it jam-packed with moisturising ingredients, it also contains Japanese Seaweed with works to repair your skin’s natural barrier to prevent any further dryness or irritation. It’s a real miracle worker.

Let me know if you think I missing something on this list – I’m always on the hunt for a new mask!