My Favorite Drugstore Facial Masks

 

This past month or so I found myself cycling through a facial mask obsession phase. I’m notorious for buying them, using them for a few weeks, and then forgetting about them. So after rummaging through my beauty cabinet one night I found a few I never gave a fair chance and decided to stick around for the actual results this time.

The two masks my combination skin seemed to favor most were the Alba Botanica Hawaiian Papaya Enzyme Facial Mask and the classic drugstore beauty buy Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask. I’ve been using both interchangeably and have begun to remember how much I loved these two when I first purchased them. So if you’ve seen one or both around and have been wondering whether or not to try them out read on..

 


Alba Botanica Hawaiian Papaya Enzyme Facial Mask

I’ll start off by saying that this mask is excellent for all skin types, I myself have combination skin which tends to be a little on the oily side. It does an excellent job of making my skin feel refreshed and smooth afterwards and only takes a mere 5 minutes to do its job, which is great because time is one thing that steers me away from wearing facial masks. The papaya enzymes are great at gently exfoliating without leaving your skin dry or tight feeling afterwards. I also really like that the mask doesn’t dry on your face which can tend to result in a cakey, crackling mess that’s a pain to wash off.

What really keeps me coming back for more though is the fact that I can actually see results. Sometimes seeing really is believing, especially in regards to beauty products. I tend to get a hint of hyperpigmentation after a blemish clears regardless of whether or not I mess around with it which unfortunately is very common for people with my skin complexion. But after using this mask 2 or 3 times a week I can really see an improvement in the blemish scars and my skin starts looking smoother and more even. I’ve read that products with  fruit enzymes are a great alternative to those with glycolic and alpha hydroxy acids which can irritate sensitive skin, though they do work a bit faster. I’ve also heard of others using this all over their body on places with dry skin, acne or ingrown hairs in order to speed up the exfoliation process in that area. I can’t speak first hand on that though.

The final verdict.. I will no doubt be purchasing this again once I run out. I love pretty much everything about it, I say pretty much since the smell was a little over bearing when I first started using it. And it’s definitely a plus that the ingredients are 100% vegetarian with no animal testing involved. Lastly, as a heads up I will say that while reading other people’s reviews on this product that some experienced a tingling sensation while using this mask (nothing severe), so if that is something you don’t like I wouldn’t purchase this. Although I have never experienced any type of tingling.

  • Ingredients: Aqueous extracts of laminaria digitata (kelp) and carica papaya (papaya), certified organic aloe barbadensis juice, vegetable glycerin, papain, bromelain, cucurbita pepo (pumpkin) seed, zingiber zerumbet (awapuhi), vanilla planifolia and ananas sativus (pineapple) extracts, panthenol (pro-vitamin B5), polysorbate 20, xanthan gum, benzyl alcohol, phenoxyethanol, ethylhexylglycerin, chlorophyll and botanical fragrance.

Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque

Now I know there are so many reviews on this mask that most of you probably are already familiar with it, but I decided to write about it anyways and I’ll make it quick. I’d say this mask is best for combination and oily skin as it can leave the skin feeling slightly tight afterwards but seeing that it’s geared for those with acne and blackheads that’s probably who’s using it in the first place. I tend to use this in the midst of a breakout as the zinc oxide and sulfur in it are great ingredients for shrinking pores and blemishes. I almost immediately notice results within the first day or so in the size of the blemish and it’s also great for reducing the hyperpigmentation I mentioned earlier before it even sets it.

The final verdict.. I plan on keeping this one around as well since it is very effective for its price which is around $3. The only downfall I find in the product is that you must keep it on for 15 to 20 minutes (OK so that really isn’t that bad) and it can sometimes be a little messy, but nothing serious. I sometimes find mint green residue in my hairline later in the day from not washing it fully off my face so I tend to save this for nights when I’m sitting at home.

  • Ingredients: Distilled Water, Kaolin, Bentonite, Glycerin, Zinc Oxide, Propylene Glycol, Sulfur, Chromium Oxide Greens, Fragrance, Methylparaben
There are a ton of other great facial masks out there that I’m dying to try, any of your favorites that you would suggest?
xoxo,
Mariana


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