Face masks come in an exciting variety of formulas, ingredients, and extracts—each with its own unique application processes and benefits. It can feel like you’re a kid in a candy shop as you peruse the skin care aisle of your local beauty shop.

And while it can be wonderful to choose from so many different face mask skin care options, you may find your head spinning from the numerous labels—brightening, hydrating, exfoliating, smoothing, correcting—oh my!

Out of all those choices you might be wondering how to choose a face mask that is just right for you. If you’re not sure where to start, your skin type is a helpful indicator as to which mask can provide the best nourishment for your skin.

From oily to dry, we’ve got everything you need to find the best face masks for skin treatment and transformation.

Face Masks for Balanced to Dry Skin

When it comes to finding the best face mask for dry skin, finding a hydrating face mask is key. Because your skin does not retain as much moisture as other types, you may experience:¹

• A feeling of tightness, especially when you smile or stretch your skin

• Fine lines, particularly in the thin, delicate skin around your forehead and eyes

• A rougher texture, often due to flakiness or irritation

Even if your skin is not very dry and you experience fewer of the above symptoms, it can benefit from a hydrating face mask, you’re less prone to losing moisture, meaning you’ll experience fewer of the above symptoms. That being said, both skin types can benefit from a hydrating face mask.

There are numerous benefits of face mask skin care that locks in moisture, including:²

1. More effective protection from external elements, including environmental stressors
   
   
2. Healthier-looking skin, which is more likely to achieve that beautiful, radiant glow!

Hydrating Masks

If you’re searching for a gentle, effective way to introduce moisture into your skincare routine, look no further than the face mask.

When you want to give your skin a concentrated dose of moisture, a face mask can be the perfect addition to your routine. But don’t stop there. For the perfect skincare routine, use our Evercalm Ultra Comforting Rescue Mask to help hydrate, calm, soothe, and moisturize the spots that need it the most. As a matter of fact, this mask has been clinically proven to significantly calm and soothe skin after 30 minutes.

Face Masks for Oily Skin

If you keep around a stash of oil blotting sheets and use them on the regular, chances are you’re at the other end of the spectrum. Oily skin types produce excess sebum³ that can result in the following symptoms:⁴

• Enlarged-looking pores, due to the oil and dirt settling in them
  
  
• Comedones, including blackheads, whiteheads, and other blemishes
  
  
• A shiny appearance
  
  

One of the best face masks for oily skin should have exfoliating properties, helping to remove the excess oil and dirt. Exfoliation comes with the following benefits:⁵

• Clearer-looking skin, which can decrease the likelihood of new blemishes forming
  
  
• A Brighter-looking skin tone, removing the shininess and leaving a beautiful glow
  
  

Rebalancing Masks

If you have oily skin, consider using the following face masks to return your complexion to its natural glow:

• Clay masks – Often coming in a jar or a bottle, clay masks can help remove oil, sweat, and grime.⁶ They are a gentle, natural option and provide a light exfoliation. Add the Clearcalm Invisible Pores Detox Mask to your routine to help draw out impurities and detox the skin. This mask will also help visibly reduce and refine the appearance of pores and blackheads and combat the appearance of oiliness.
  
  

• Charcoal masks – These masks come in a variety of forms. Similar to clay, activated charcoal is used to help remove impurities, such as dirt and dust, from the skin.⁷ Because of the peeling properties of charcoal masks, make sure not to leave them on for too long as they may dry out your skin.
  
  
• Concentrated active ingredients – Beyond options for exfoliating, certain active ingredients in concentrated doses may help prevent blemishes that are more common among oily skin types.
  
  

Face Masks for Sensitive Skin

If you feel your skin tingling after a day out in the sun, you might have a sunburn—or you just might have sensitive skin. Common symptoms of sensitive skin include:⁴

• Redness, particularly around the cheeks, forehead, and chin

• Irritation, such as itchy or burning sensations

• Flakiness, since dry skin and sensitive skin often go hand in hand as they’re both easily affected by environmental stressors and environmental stressors⁸

With sensitive skin, an important step is to understand your triggers,⁴ which can be incredibly diverse and may change over time. Some elements that may affect your sensitive skin include:

• Environmental factors, such as weather and temperature changes or a drop in air quality

• Increased stress levels, due to an important event or time crunch

• Hormonal changes, for example, during pregnancy
  
  

Soothing Masks

If you feel you have a skin concern or that your skin is suffering from irritation, don’t despair yet! A face mask might just be your best bet.

It is important to not only know how to use face mask skincare but to also look for a mask with calming and soothing properties that’s intended to reduce the appearance of redness. Because dryness can exacerbate skin sensitivity, find one with hydrating elements as well such as our Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask. This is the perfect, gentle exfoliating mask that will help to even out any texture on your skin and help to reduce pigmentation and fine lines, while leaving your skin feeling softer and looking smoother.

Beyond this, ensure you don’t use masks too frequently. It’s important to have a set face mask routine to enjoy the benefits over time, but don’t overdo it. Excessive use can remove protective oils from the skin. This is particularly important for sensitive skin types, who may only want to break out the face mask once a week.⁹

Face Masks for Combination Skin

If you don’t belong strictly in any of the above categories, you may have combination skin, which refers to a blend of various skin types. Common signs of combination skin include:

• Certain oily areas, especially along the forehead, nose and chin, mixed with signs of dryness such as flaking⁴
  
  
• A shiny texture or enlarged pores, similar to oily skin types¹⁰
  
  
• Sensitivity and redness in certain areas of the face, reminiscent of dry skin types¹⁰

Variety Masks

The best face mask for combination skin ultimately depends on your needs. Because your skin might exhibit the waxiness of an oily skin type and the flakiness of a dry skin type, you must find a face mask that’s suited to your unique skin type.

When it comes to combination skin, there’s no one-size-fits-all face mask.

As such, consider the following when customizing your face mask skincare routine:

• Opt for both a gentle, soothing face mask or a gentle exfoliating clay mask. But only use a mask once a week to avoid excess oiliness or dryness.

• Maintain a regular exfoliating routine, applying a clay mask primarily to your T-zone, while incorporating hydrating masks on an occasional basis when you need a moisture boost.

• Use a gentle overnight mask two times a week to wake up with a fresh complexion, increasing or decreasing the frequency with seasonal changes.

When sketching out your perfect face mask schedule, keep these tips and trips in mind:

• Be open to a varied routine – Maybe you prefer a hydrating mask in the winter months and a clay mask twice a week during the summer. Or maybe multi-masking—that is, using different masks for different areas of the face—is your secret sauce. Since combination skin comes with a greater likelihood for variation, be ready to change your routine or mix and match different skincare for combination skin options depending on the state of your skin.
  
  

• Trial and error is your friend – It’s tempting to stick with the first product that seems to work, but when it comes to combination skin, going slowly and testing out products before making them fixtures in your skincare routine is important. Start small and over time, you’ll find those trusty go-to face masks that keep you glowing year-round.

REN Skincare: A Radiant Glow for All Skin Types

When curating your skincare routine, your skin type plays a vital role in which products you should use. If you experience dry skin, lock in moisture with a hydrating mask. If you experience oily skin, find a face mask that helps rebalance the skin. Sensitive skin, on the other hand, benefits from face masks that calm and nourish your skin.

REN Skincare has face masks tailored for you and your unique skin type. Whatever your unique needs, REN Skincare can help you find your glow. Formulated with natural ingredients, our gentle skincare products bring out only the best.

About the Author:

Camille Poggi is a doctor in Pharmacy (PharmD.) and is passionate about skincare and how the skin works in general. She specializes in the cosmetic industry and worked for renowned companies in France like L’Oréal and Chanel before moving to London. After being a training manager for 4 years, Camille is at ease with explaining how products work in the skin and how to adapt her speech according to the audience.

She joined REN in January 2020 as International Training Manager and moved to the Research & Development team earlier this year to be the new Scientific Education Manager. A tailored-made role where she assesses and leads all technical communication and ensures scientific compliance is always met. She’s also involved in new product development from the earliest stages. Finding a way to create sustainable skincare products and making sure the message is properly delivered and understood is definitely a big challenge but also her favorite part working for REN.

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