The superhero masks you need to fight dullness

by Carolina Malis  

Baby it’s cold outside… wait, too soon to start with the Christmas’s references? Anyway it is getting colder by the day and my skin is not happy. I’m drinking tons of water, applying at least 3 layers of toner, going for thicker moisturizers but nothing seems to get rid of my current skin condition: dullness (or how I call it on a daily basis: Ay, Ay, Ay, where did my dewy skin go?). 

Toner is usually my preferred weapon to fight this during summer and it works quite well. I just focus on applying many layers of it and then I keep on spraying mist toners throughout the day and I’m usually fine, but that’s just not enough for Fall and Winter. So, how do I keep my skin from getting opaque during the cold season? 2 things, I stay away from products with alcohol (though that's something I do all year round but I pay special attention to it during these months) and I mask my life away.

Now, it’s not that I don’t mask during summer of course, duh, but it’s the type of masks what changes. While during the hot months I go for light, hydrating and calming masks, as the weather gets colder I prefer to go for thicker, heavier cream-like masks and firming or strong-ingredients sheet masks. That’s why this week I’m sharing with you 3 of my favorite ones from Neogen that not only keep dullness at bay but also are very very fun to use.

 

RE:P Bio Fresh Mask with Real Vitality Herbs

First things first: it’s pink. Now that important things have been exposed we can continue. When looking for a good, creamy clay mask I try to go for the ones that will not only remove toxins trapped on my pores but also hydrate and calm down my skin. So, what’s in this one that makes it a winner? Real fresh rose and jasmine flowers plus natural herbs (that you can feel, smell and see on the jar) to bring life back to dull skin while getting rid of excess sebum, and Kaolin, a form of mineral clay that brings impurities out so you get baby-like skin in matter of minutes. This one I like to use it once every two weeks to re-energize my skin. Extra points because it’s 100% vegan.

  

NEOGEN  Acure 3D Lifting Wrinkle Neck Mask

I always remember my grandma telling me you can find out someone’s age by looking at their necks, but Oh, poor neck we seem to always forget about it. At the very beginning of my skincare journey I never took care of my neck. Only thing I used to do was layering a little moisturizing on it as a way to get rid of the excess product on my hands when applying it on my face. Not good, Carolina. Not good.

So, when did things change? I went to a skincare store and started trying on foundations to match my color when one of the girls at the store comes to me and says: this is so weird. Your face is lighter than your neck, it’s usually the other way around. We start talking about possible reasons and we get to the answer: I was taking care of my face but my neck was long forgotten, that’s why it looked darker, dryer and even more wrinkly (is that a word?).

Since that day I started using neck cream and masks, and as of today I can say my neck and face match colors finally. This 3D lifting neck mask is soaked on lifting, anti-wrinkle, brightening powers, targeting all those annoying lines and opaque look our neck can get. (In case you were wondering, those magic powers are called Peptides, Niacinamide and Adenosine). Think of this neck mask as a lifting session without having to succumb under the powers of Botox, AKA, what anti-aging dreams are made of.

  

NEOGEN Super Hydra Aqua Capsule Mask

Confession time: I love skincare no matter how it looks but I would be lying to you and myself if I say I’m not obsessed with products that require for you to mix things together ‘cause I am. This sheet mask needs for you to do a few things before applying it: first, snap the Ampoule capsule on top to release the nano-sized hyaluronic acid trapped in it to very very deeply hydrate your skin - plus the mask comes already pre-soaked with ceramides, avocado oil, witch-hazel and mushrooms extract to bring plump, moist and dewy skin back from wherever it was hiding.

Next, place the sheet mask (still sealed) over a flat surface and rub rub rub so the essence spreads and absorbs into the mask. Just now open, unfold, apply and enjoy!

My favorite 3 things about this mask? It manages to reduce redness very fast, it keeps my skin hydrated for longer time and it covers my chin (task not many masks accomplish). For me, this is my Sunday-Morning-binge-watching-Friends-and-I’ll-probably-won’t-apply-makeup-afterwards mask.

 

Do you have a favorite? Or is there any other mask you consider a superhero for this time of the year? Let us know in the comments!