Skincare is one of the most complicated aspects of self-care. It suggests many steps, and one of them is applying a face mask. But what exactly can it do for your skin, and how to use a face mask to achieve the best result possible? Let’s dive into the topic together.
What Are Face Masks?
These skincare products are dedicated to addressing specific issues and vary depending on the purpose. They contain active ingredients, which makes them similar to face creams. But they also may contain an additional element or be of a specific texture that adds to the comfort of use and delivers the main effect. For example, exfoliating masks may have a texture similar to face cream, a cleansing mask can have a clay base, and moisturizing ingredients may be soaked in a sheet mask.
What Is the Difference Between a Face Mask and a Face Cream?
We can explain the crucial differences between the mask and cream by displaying them in a comparison table. We distinguish them by the following characteristics:
| Aspect | Mask | Cream |
| Purpose | Specific concerns. | Daily maintenance. |
| Time of application | Let it sit for 5 to 20 minutes (on average), then remove it as recommended. | Massage into the skin for a few minutes. |
| Frequency | 1 to 7 times a week, depending on the purpose and concentration. | Daily use, but may vary depending on the part of the day – morning or evening skin care routine. |
| Active ingredients | High concentration, is needed to address specific concerns. | Moderate concentration to provide cell renovation support and hydration. |
| Texture and formula | Various foundations (like clay or sheet), gel-like, or cream-like. | Smooth gel or creamy texture that gets absorbed by the skin. |
These criteria differentiate masks and creams and explain why the cream is a daily skincare routine while the mask stands separately.
How Do You Apply a Face Mask For the Best Effect?
Masks have a higher concentration of active ingredients, so we see the positive effect when we remove the mask leftovers. Some may think that applying a mask more frequently will bring faster results. This assumption is wrong for the following reasons:
- concentrated components can damage the skin layers if used too often (e.g., in the case of exfoliation assets), make it more sensitive, and cause inflammation;
- the skin cannot absorb high concentrations of components in short intervals, so they become useless if applied too often;
- too frequent usage of masks imbalances the natural skin barrier, pH levels, and other characteristics, which consequently causes more harm than good.
Thus, following the instructions is rather imperative to achieve the desired outcome.
Conclusion
The skincare routine consists of several steps and daily used products, but sometimes, we fall back on mask usage. Compared to daily care with creams, masks are used much less frequently, as they aim to achieve peculiar goals and affect the skin more deeply. One should remember that applying them too often may be ineffective or harmful. Follow the instructions and achieve your dream radiant skin!
