In Pursuit of the best face masks (complete with hot drink analogy)

I think I love a face mask more than the average person. I have three that I like for different purposes, but it’s not so much of an either/or situation as an and/and/and situation. I need them all.

The formulas in question are Liz Earle brightening mask, NIOD Mastic Must mask and Nip n Fab Glycolic Instant Fix mask. They are all suitable for different occasions so I’m going to use a slightly confusing hot drink analogy to communicate my point. This may not be strictly necessary, but the idea pleases me. 

So let’s start with with Liz Earle Brightening Treatment Mask. This is like the posh flat white with almond milk. You grab it quickly, it goes straight to your head and it contains lots of nice things. 

The thing that instantly attracted me to this mask is the promise of results in 2 minutes. When you think mask, you think half an hour of your time. But not with Liz Earle; she knows us women are busy. So this is perfect for mornings after you’ve cleansed and just want to pep up your skin pre-make up. I often pop it on and leave it to work whilst brushing my teeth – that way it doesn’t add a single second to my already crammed morning routine. It’s not harsh in any way – there’s no redness – the aloe vera cools and soothes, the camphor oil perks (yes, that's an official term), the witch hazel tones and the white clay purifies. Dream team. 

Next up, NIOD Mastic Must – this calls itself a ‘masque’ which is all very fancy but balanced out by the rustic packaging. Plus, I'm a sucker for some good alliteration. Stick with me on the hot drink analogy; this one is the matcha latte because it requires a little more commitment but really pays off of a morning.

NIOD is under the Deciem umbrella – alongside super value skincare brand The Ordinary who, by the way, are absolutely amazing. I’ll blog separately about them. NIOD is a touch more expensive and describes its products as 'non invasive options in dermal science'. In other words, they take things seriously.

The ‘mastic’ part of the name comes from highly densified sap from greek mastic trees. It’s basically a transparent gum formula that binds to congestion without removing oil and water – i.e. ideal for purifying and shrinking pores without drying out skin. It slathers on smoothly (and smells a little like brown bread - wheaty but not unpleasant) and you leave it on for ten minutes which is often unachievable of a morning. But here's the fun part - after rinsing off with warm water you direct a hairdryer on a moderate heat at your face for 15 seconds. This tightens up pores so it’s another great one for morning as it preps skin wonderfully for make up.

Last, but not least, is the mask equivalent of the hot lemon water and cayenne pepper detox (told you this hot drink thing would all come together). It’s the Nip n Fab Glycolic Instant Fix mask. I reserve this for my night time routine a couple of days a week. I like to use it after the Nip n Fab Glycolic Fix facial pads and scrub (two excellent products I'd highly recommend) and I end up with a bright red face which I slather in serum and oil before going to bed. Sorry husband. 

Glycolic acid is everywhere at the moment and although it sounds highly scientific and slightly terrifying, it basically just exfoliates and resurfaces your skin as well as reducing lines and wrinkles. This mask also contains amino acid which brightens and evens out skin tone. Nip n Fab is a fabulous bead for getting these really potent ingredients in a skin friendly formula which is super good value and readily available at  Superdrug, Boots and even asos.

There we have it. A long one, but hopefully useful. I know I find all three of these masks indispensable in different ways. In fact as I type, I have this one on its way from Beauty Pie - I think I have a problem. The hunt is never over...