Skincare Saturday: Mask It.

I've been dreading this post all week. Not because I dislike talking about facials (well some forms creep me out, TMI), but because I decided that I would take photos of my painful face mask in action. First of all, I'm not a big fan of photo's of myself, as you can see by the fact that I do not have 1,000+ photos tagged of me on facebook. Second, photo's of me covered in a green slime that transforms into a mint coloured, chalk textured solution that pulls my skin so tight it dimples isn't exactly confidence boosting. But - for the love of skincare and the love of this blog, I agreed to do it.

By now you all know I love skincare. By now you all know I invest time and money into my skin. What you may not know is I use the cheapest face masks ever. I don't have a ton of experience with different facemasks because I have 2 or 3 that I use all the time, and continue to buy over and over again when they are empty (its rare that I use a product until its empty, and even more rare that I repurchase the same one after it's gone).

A little about facemasks before I lose my dignity. Facemasks are [should be] an important part to your skincare routine and often underestimated. Ideally, a face mask is done once a week - if you have problem skin, more often. I average about 2-3 per week, not only because of my fear of adult acne, but because I love them. Aside from the devil mask, the other ones I use are so refreshing and cool that they actually leave me happy and energized when I take them off. Loser, I know.

Facemasks not only deep clean your skin, but they can help to retain moisture, remove excess oil and blackheads, ease fine lines...it all depends on your skincare concerns and which mask you purchase. Generally, masks come in either clay or gel form, both of which are designed to stay put on your face. If you have very sensitive skin, a gel form may be better than a heavy clay, but I have had no problems using clay masks and I have sensitive skin. Because the masks remain on your face for a period of time (usually about 15 minutes) they clean very deep in to your pores, removing dirt and oil that is trapped under your skin [that means you blackheads]. When the masks are removed or peeled off, the top layer of skin is removed, revealing smoother, tighter, and brighter skin.

To get the most out of your facemask

1. Wash your face as you normally would, removing all makeup
2. Steam your face prior to putting on the mask to open up your pores. Either do the mask right after you shower (your pores will be open from the steam) or steam your face in the sink. I have a steam machine from Target which is awesome, but for free, you can fill your sink 3/4 full of hot hot water. As it fills drape a large towel over the sink to keep the steam in. Shut off the water when the sink is 3/4 full, lift the towel and insert your face [why can I not write this paragraph?]. I place my arms around the sink and rest my forehead near my hands, keeping the towel over my head and sink to keep the steam trapped in and working on my face. If you've never steamed your face before, it's hot and somewhat uncomfortable, but after a good 10 minutes your pores will be nice and open and if you know how to do extractions, you can remove blackheads on your own much easier.
3. Dry your steamed face off [again, this all sounds funky] and put on your mask. Usually a thin, even layer works best
4. Leave the mask on for the required amount of time, usually about 15 minutes until it dries, turns another colour, or is ready to peel off depending on the brand and type of mask
5. Either peel off, or using a warm washcloth rinse the mask off your face, making sure to get all edges around your hairline and chin off [I've been to work one too many times with leftover facemask on my chin, true story.]
6. Enjoy your new skin :)

Ok. Now for my masks. The painful mask I refer to all the time is called Aztec Secret and it's definitely a love/hate relationship. The mask is purchased at the Vitamin Shoppe and comes in powder form which you mix with water or raw apple cider vinegar. I have tried it with only water, only cider vinegar, and half and half, and the latter works best. When mixed with only water, the solution is too thick and clumpy, when mixed with only cider vinegar, it is almost too foamy and messy. Taking a lesson from Goldilocks I tried a mix of both and it was juuuuust right [ps, before editing this post, Goldilocks was Little Red Riding Hood and I had to google it to see that it wasn't correct - apparently my mother never read me fairy tales. Child Sevices. Just Sayin']. This mask is heavy clay, and by the label you can see that it claims to be the most powerful facial on the planet. Oh - you can also see clearly the "feel your face pulsate" on the label and let me tell you, this thing doens't f*ck around. Instead of trying to explain the feeling of this mask, I thought I would take a selection of pictures of the mask process for you to see for yourself. In the side profile pictures, the divots and dimples in my face are not an illusion, the mask pulls so tight that my face looks like paradise for a moguls skier. In additon, near the end of the 15 minute period, the pressure is so tight on my face that it becomes difficult to close my lips and I have a beautiful duck face. I can't believe I'm posting these.

Why do I do it? Well, in not f*cking around, this mask cleans absoutely everything out of your skin. You can only do it at night because once removed, your face is red and a little sunburned-soreness remains for about a half hour - but in the morning, you wake up to clear, bright, and SUPER soft skin. I noticed a big difference after I started using this mask, and I only started using it this summer. My skin never reacted poorly to the cider vinegar either, the smell is a tad tangy, but once the mask starts to dry and pull, that little aroma is the least of your problems. Beauty is pain ladies.

Before risking my skin to the Aztec secret, I used the Queen Helene Mint Julep mask a good 3 times a week for over a year, and I still use it weekly here. I cannot rave enough about this bad boy - its super cheap, lasts forever, smells fantastic, and leaves your face feeling amazing - sort of like every guy's dream woman. You can get this in the US at Meijers, Ulta, and CVS I believe. Queen Helene also makes other masks which I love as well - the Mud Pack Masque and the Grapeseed Peel Masque - again, cheap and awesome. I've only ever been able to find the full line of Queen Helene at Ulta, but Meijers and CVS sell the Mint Julep masque because it's very popular. If you have problem skin and are concerned with breakouts and blackheads, this mask really clears them up. I used it almost every other night when my skin was bad and it really made a difference. A testimonial? When I went for my first facial, I apparently had a shocking number of blackheads (note: I never exfoliated or used face masks). After hearing that, I was in the US and purchased this product, used it regularly, and 8 weeks later at my next facial I had not one single blackhead. WIN. [please note devil kitty is playing a nice game of 'just the tip' in this photo]

Unfortunately for you Canadian ladies - I don't believe these are sold here; however, you can purchase them online. The other option is to be really, really nice to me over the next few weeks because I am heading to Michigan at the end of February and will definitely be stocking up on these items; the idea of me fulfilling your wishlist is a definite possibility. The first option is definitely easier, because I am picky and will charge you interest, but hey - beauty is pain ladies.

Another level of pain? Trying to take photos with devil kitty. Notice the facemasks between his legs. Is this what it's like to have a baby?