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The 13 Best Face Masks for an At-Home Spa Day, Tested & Aesthetician Approved

Your complexion, but better.

Collage of face masks on a neutral background, including the Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask and Rosen Skincare Smooth Jelly Mask

Byrdie

Face masks tend to skew more toward weekly indulgence than daily skincare prep, but a powerhouse mask delivers a dose of skin-loving goodness when needed. These souped-up formulas provide spa-like pampering at home, perfect for rejuvenating skin after extra-exhausting weeks or long travels. Whether you reach for one weekly, every couple of days, or sporadically after a week of late nights at the office, there’s no denying the benefits of this skin-loving add-on. This extra-pampering skincare step comes in many forms. “There are so many different kinds of masks—clay, cream, sheet—and each one accomplishes something different,” says celebrity aesthetician Taylor Worden. Face masks contain high concentrations of active ingredients that deliver big payoffs (like mega-hydration for a plumper complexion and exfoliating acids for pore reduction, breakout prevention, and glowier results).

With more face masks flooding the beautysphere than ever before, it can be overwhelming (and expensive) to shuffle through the clutter to find the masks worth your time and money. That’s why we tapped a trio of experts, including Worden, alongside two board-certified dermatologists to weigh in on bestsellers we put to the test in our everyday lives. During the six-week test, we evaluated each face mask based on type, application, ingredients, efficacy, benefits, feel, appearance, and skin type compatibility to narrow our list to the best face masks today. Here, browse our lineup of face mask all-stars we swear by. 

What We Like
  • Mess-free pump dispenser

  • Calms redness after one use

  • Noticeable reduction in dark spots

What to Consider
  • Nothing

Key Ingredients: Lactic acid, licorice root, cucumber extract | Benefits: Exfoliates, fades dark spots | Size: 2 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

The simple act of applying this smooth jelly face mask and relaxing with it on feels like a pampering treat to all your senses. And that’s before you peep the noticeable improvements in the look and feel of your skin. The lightweight, jelly texture was easy to spread across our skin and maintained a cool comfort even as it dried. After just one use, it significantly calmed redness and gave our complexion a noticeably healthier glow. After using it consistently once a week for a couple of weeks, we saw a visible reduction in hyperpigmentation, significantly smoother skin texture, and an all-around brighter, refreshed complexion. This mask delivers on all of its claims at an accessible price point, making it a great option for anyone in the market for a reliable weekly skincare treatment.

What We Like
  • Helps soothe dry patches

  • Impressively hydrating formula

  • Visibly plumps skin

What to Consider
  • The delicate rose floral scent may not be for everyone

Key Ingredients: Black rose, vitamin E, shea butter | Benefits: Smooths, illuminates, hydrates | Size: 2 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

This ultra-creamy formula is pillowy-soft and easy to apply. It works wonders for combination skin, addressing both dryness and an oily T-zone, which is a hard combo to tackle in a single tube. With consistent weekly use, we saw a noticeable reduction in dry patches and a more hydrated, plump complexion overall. It is on the heavier side, as it’s loaded with skin-coddling shea butter, so it may not be ideal for those with oily skin. While it's quite expensive, a little dab goes a long way, and the delicate rose scent further elevates the pampering cream mask to feel (and smell) every bit luxurious.

What We Like
  • Gently exfoliates skin

  • Leaves skin noticeably softer

  • Refreshing gel texture

What to Consider
  • The chemical exfoliants may cause tingling

Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, lactic acid, resveratrol | Benefits: Illuminating, exfoliating, calming | Size: 1.8 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

We loved the gel texture and slightly cooling feel of this refreshing face mask. It's easy to apply and mess-free, sans any drippiness, so you can walk around your home and get other things done while all that skin-polishing goodness is at work. It has a blend of AHAs and BHAs chemical exfoliants (in the form of glycolic and lactic acid), which can help with skin cell turnover and shrink the look of pores. While it may cause mild tingling for more sensitive skin types, it didn't dry down to a tight or uncomfortable finish. After 15 minutes of using this mask, we rinsed it away to reveal softer, more hydrated, more radiant skin. The gentle chemical exfoliant takes a few uses to see a noticeable improvement in skin texture, but after consistent weekly use throughout our testing period, our complexions appeared significantly smoother, more refreshed, and glowy

What We Like
  • Provides manual and chemical exfoliation

  • Fine, gritty texture to gently polish skin

  • Visibly improves skin texture

What to Consider
  • Takes a bit of effort to remove

Key Ingredients: Pumpkin enzymes, AHA, aluminum oxide crystals | Benefits: Exfoliating | Size: 5 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

This popular face mask provides dual exfoliation with pumpkin enzymes and AHAs for chemical exfoliation and aluminum oxide crystals for physical exfoliation to buff away dead skin cells gently. The thick, gel-like texture has a fine grit, which makes application easy and ensures the physical exfoliation isn't overly harsh. It also has a delicious pumpkin scent that’s every bit enticing and not the least bit overpowering. Admittedly, the mask takes some getting used to, as it caused a slight burning sensation on first use, but it quickly subsided, and we didn't experience discomfort after that. This formula is powerful, so building up a tolerance can take some time. Start by leaving it on for only three minutes before rinsing it off, and work up to the longer seven-minute treatment time. We found five minutes to be our sweet spot, delivering impressive results without discomfort. Our skin felt softer, smoother, and had a healthy-looking glow that got noticed.

What We Like
  • Leaves skin noticeably hydrated and plumped

  • Lightweight-texture

  • Cooling gel consistency

What to Consider
  • Doesn't produce noticeable long-lasting results

Key Ingredients: Snail mucin, hyaluronic acid, centella asiatica, licorice root | Benefits: Hydrates, illuminates, targets dark spots | Size: 3.4 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Yes, we know the thought of rubbing snail guts on your face may sound gross, but trust us on this one, it’s worth looking past the yuck factor to experience the skin-polishing results. This refreshing face mask is formulated with 95% snail mucin, a natural source of hyaluronic acid and glycerin that effectively plumps the skin and delivers heavy-duty moisturizing benefits. We adore this one because of its lightweight gel consistency and cooling feel that instantly calms any trace of redness or irritation upon contact. It's a pretty affordable product considering all the high-end, skin-loving magic inside the jar, and it impressively hydrates our skin, leaving us with a glowy, toned complexion. The overall user experience was enjoyable, though we didn't see a noticeable difference in pore size or dark spots until we continued twice-weekly treatments for two weeks.

What We Like
  • Helps calm redness with calendula and aloe vera

  • Lightweight, cream-gel texture

  • Leaves skin extra hydrated

What to Consider
  • The cream gel takes some extra effort to rinse off

Key Ingredients: Calendula extract, aloe vera | Benefits: Soothes, hydrates | Size: 3.4 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

If your skin looks or feels irritated, red, itchy, or flakey, this exceptionally soothing face mask delivers pampering relief. The formula contains a double dose of healing powers compliments of calendula extract, which comes from the native Mediterranean plant celebrated for its healing properties, and aloe vera which calms inflammation and is basically the world’s go-to skin soother. The mask has a creamy gel texture that feels incredibly soft as you apply it and produces a subtle yet satisfying cooling sensation that feels especially soothing on stressed skin. This mask was like a blanket of healing comfort for our stressed-out skin and left it looking healthier and more hydrated after just one use. With every use, skin got smoother, plumper, and glowier, and while we didn’t notice long-lasting results, this quick-fix moisture boost provided instant calming relief and refreshed complexion when we needed it most.

What We Like
  • Unclogs and minimizes appearance of pores

  • Provides physical and chemical exfoliation

  • Leaves skin looking glowy

What to Consider
  • Initial feeling on skin can be a bit harsh

Key Ingredients: Papaya enzymes, lactic acid, salicylic acid | Benefits: Exfoliates, helps clear pores | Size: 0.5–5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Chances are, you've heard of this treatment mask—or at least seen it on social media, and with good reason. It's been a longtime player in the exfoliation category, praised for its impressively effective formula, and we can attest it lives up to the hype. The formula boasts a blend of fruit enzymes, lactic acid, and salicylic acid to provide chemical exfoliation alongside silica, which provides a gritty physical buff to slough away dead skin cells. The result is an impeccably polished complexion that feels baby-soft and glows instantly brighter with a refreshed youthfulness restored to the skin.

The brand warns users of some tingling and initial redness when first using the product, and while we did experience some stinging upon first application, these sensations didn't last long. The formula worked wonders at removing dead skin cell buildup and visibly improving the appearance of pores for a more polished and even-looking complexion and super glowy finish.

What We Like
  • Doubles as a scrub or detoxifying mask

  • Leaves skin brighter and more even

  • Visibly reduces appearance of pores

What to Consider
  • Gritty particles could be slightly abrasive on sensitive skin

Key Ingredients: Turmeric, mineral powder, aspen bark | Benefits: Illuminates, exfoliates, helps fade dark spots | Size: 1–3.4 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Multitasking products earn extra points in our book, and this exfoliating mask is one that delivers on all of its promises. It has the gritty texture of a gentle skin-buffing scrub and works as a treatment mask that you can leave on for two minutes before washing off. The formula contains turmeric to help brighten your complexion and target hyperpigmentation, mineral powder for gentle physical exfoliation, and aspen bark (a naturally occurring BHA) for chemical exfoliation. The granules in this gritty brown paste are on the finer side, which makes for a gentle massaging buff versus an abrasive, irritating polish as you rub it onto your face. It spread easily over skin and was thick enough to stay in place without being a drippy, goopy mess.  After rinsing it off, we were extremely impressed by how even and radiant our skin looked—our pores appeared smaller, dead skin cells were removed, and our complexions looked refreshed and healthier overall. While the grit factor was on the finer side, those with sensitive skin might still find it too abrasive.

What We Like
  • Doesn't burn or tingle

  • Luxe, creamy texture

  • Leaves skin glowy thanks to two types of vitamin C

What to Consider
  • Continued use needed for long-lasting results

Key Ingredients: Japanese beautyberry, vitamin C, fruit enzymes | Benefits: Illuminates, gently exfoliates, helps fade dark spots | Size: 1.7 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Like many skincare actives, vitamin C can be sensitizing, especially for sensitive skin types, but that was not the case with this mask. We tried it out on sensitive skin, and it didn't sting or burn a bit, which was a welcome surprise given our typically reactive complexion tends to tingle with similar vitamin-C spiked products. In fact, the decadent mask inside this pretty purple jar felt every bit luxurious, with a thick, creamy texture that felt buttery smooth as we applied it to the skin. This formula contains two types of vitamin C, plus a cocktail of fruit enzymes (including mild AHAs derived from apple, grapefruit, orange, lemon, and lime) to exfoliate and brighten skin gently. And brighten it does! We noticed an immediate improvement in the radiance of our complexion, with a noticeable glowiness that had colleagues asking if we did anything different to our skin. While the glowy effects were apparent, they didn't seem to last long. Still, it calmed redness and soothed dry patches thanks to all the added hydration.

What We Like
  • Pillowy soft, gel-cream consistency

  • Deeply hydrating

  • Smooths appearance of pores and fine lines

What to Consider
  • Leaves a minor tacky feeling on the skin

Key Ingredients: Niacinamide, panthenol, beta-glucan, shea butter | Benefits: Smooths, hydrates, illuminates | Size: 0.85–5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

You’ll know this mask is something special from the first dab. It has a seriously unique texture that feels silky like a gel but also rich like a cream and is every bit as pillowy, soft, and cushioned as your favorite moisturizer. It spreads like butter as you apply it to skin, so a tiny bit goes a long way, extending the life of the small jar. The standout overnight formula contains niacinamide (vitamin B3) to help even out skin texture, soak up oil, and reduce the appearance of pores, and it worked remarkably well to soothe and hydrate our parched skin and coddle dry patches while we snoozed. We even noticed considerable plumping, which helped smooth the appearance of fine lines and left our skin softer and more even when we woke up in the morning. Even more, this mask blurred the look of enlarged pores and left us with a more radiant complexion by morning. It did have a slightly tacky feel, but it wasn't uncomfortable, and it helped the product stay on our face instead of rubbing off on our pillowcases or sheets.

What We Like
  • Chemical exfoliation addresses multiple concerns

  • Noticeable results

  • Hygienic airtight container

What to Consider
  • May be too intense for sensitive skin

Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid | Benefits: Exfoliates, improves texture, unclogs pores | Size: 0.5–1.7 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you're dealing with uneven texture, dullness, blackheads, discoloration, dark spots, or just about any other less-than-desirable skin concern, 20 minutes with this Byrdie favorite will revive your skin –and mood. The powerful formula uses a blend of skin-polishing acids (like glycolic, tartaric, lactic, citric, and salicylic acids) that effectively slough away dead skin cells on the outermost layer of your skin to reveal a smoother texture and more even complexion. This resurfacing mask also improves uneven texture and gives dull complexions a glowy boost while unclogging pores and elevating elasticity. We also appreciate the airtight container, which keeps all those powerful actives, well, active, and doesn’t require you dipping your fingers into a tub of product. Just be mindful that this formula is a powerhouse, and the impressive results are thanks to powerful ingredients at work. That said, it can be too strong for sensitive skin types, so make sure you perform a patch test before slathering it all over your skin.

Photos of person’s face before and after using Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial AHA + BHA Mask

Byrdie

What We Like
  • Fun to use

  • Tightens and improves elasticity

  • Dermatologist-recommended

What to Consider
  • Single-use kit

Key Ingredients: Beta-glucan, peptides, botanicals, antioxidants | Benefits: Smooths, illuminates, tightens | Size: 1 use | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This creative take on an at-home face mask lets you play the role of at-home aesthetician. The single-use mask comes with an ampoule of lifting serum that you empty and mix into the gel pack, then apply over the face using the application brush included. The powerful Hanacure All-In-One Mask is formulated with the brand’s proprietary Octolift technology that gives skin a noticeably lifted and tightened appearance after one use. "It's a fun peel to use and will leave the skin feeling tighter, thanks to effective peptides and antioxidants," says dermatologist Dr. Claire Wolinsky, M.D. Part of the joy in using this nifty mask is that, as it dries, it crinkles onto your skin and makes you look temporarily—for lack of better term—worse. (Just peek at the thousands of people posting "during" photos of this alarming crinkle effect on Instagram.) You can easily peel the mask off after the 15-minute treatment to reveal a smoother, plumper-looking complexion that will get noticed. We just wish there were more masks included in the kit, considering the price.

What We Like
  • Stays in place

  • Addresses multiple skin concerns including fine lines

  • Leaves skin smoother and more radiant

What to Consider
  • Leaves skin feeling slightly tacky

Key Ingredients: Vitamin C, copper peptide, phospholipids | Benefits: Improves texture, addresses dullness | Size: 1 or 6 masks | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Sheet masks are great single-use skincare treatments, but they can be frustrating to use since they're typically one-size-fits...hardly anyone, sigh. While many slip and slide around on your face, this one stays put until you're ready to take it off. It comes in two pieces, which makes it easy to apply and nestle into all the nooks and crannies around your nose, lips, and eyes, comfortably conforming to any face shape. The mask is loaded with potent skincare ingredients like vitamin C ester, copper tripeptide, and phospholipids that blanket skin in healing, soothing goodness without dripping off.  After letting the mask baste on skin for about 20 minutes, you can remove the sheet mask and massage any excess product around the face and neck. The results: smoother, tighter, plumper, and more radiant skin that looks refreshed and beautiful. It can, however, leave skin feeling a little sticky right after you take it off.

What to Consider When Buying a Face Mask

  • Skin Type and Concern: It’s important to know your skin type and any specific concerns you'd like to address to help determine which type of face mask is best for you. For instance, if your skin is sensitive or dehydrated, you might look for a soothing, hydrating formula. If you're battling breakouts, an absorbent, pore-clearing mask may be the best choice.
  • Ingredients: You should also pay attention to the ingredients list, as this will give you clues as to what a mask can accomplish and help you find products that will work best for your skin type and skin concerns. "Popular ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and botanicals can help soothe and restore the skin barrier," says Dr. Wolinsky. Dermatologist Dr. Diane Madfes, M.D., says people with sensitive skin should avoid masks containing fragrance, as it could be a potential irritant. For dry skin, she recommends hydrating formulas. 
  • Type and Application: Face masks come in various forms. There are single-use sheet masks, which are pre-soaked, individually wrapped, and designed to be placed directly on the face for a short period of time. You'll also find options that come in tubes, tubs, and airtight containers that are applied directly to your face using finders or a skincare brush. These work more like face lotions or moisturizers, except they're often meant to be rinsed off after a short period. If you're tight on time, look for an overnight option to up the ante on your beauty sleep. 

How We Tested Face Masks

We believe in using the products we recommend, so we prioritize testing them in real life and in our NYC-based lab.


Face Masks Tested: 22

Testing Period: 2 Weeks

Methodology: Face masks were tested at home in our everyday lives. Each face mask was tested on a variety of skin types.

Factors Considered: Efficacy, feel, application, and appearance.


FAQ
  • Do dermatologists recommend face masks?

    When used correctly, Dr. Madfes says face masks can benefit the skin. "Face masks give a little extra attention to one's facial regimen," she tells Byrdie. "The benefit of masks is to achieve a higher concentration of actives." So, if you're struggling with a specific concern, like dryness or dark spots, a face mask designed to target the issue can give you the skincare boost you need.

Meet Our Experts

For this story, team Byrdie interviewed the following experts to gather more insights.

  • Taylor Worden is a New York-based celebrity esthetician and the founder of Taylor Worden Skin.
  • Dr. Diane Madfes, M.D., FAAD, of Madfes Dermatology & Aesthetics Group, is a New York City-based board-certified dermatologist.
  • Dr. Claire Wolinsky, M.D., is a New York dermatologist specializing in facial rejuvenation.

Why Trust Byrdie

Alyssa Kaplan is an associate editor for Byrdie, specializing in cosmetics. She contributed to a previous version of this article, tested dozens of face masks, and consulted experts to help come up with this list. 

Lindsay Colameo Peragallo is a veteran beauty writer and editor with over a decade of experience contributing to top beauty, wellness, and lifestyle outlets. For this piece, she combined her firsthand product knowledge to add expertise and refreshed insights to help guide readers on finding the best face masks to meet their needs. 

Updated by Jill DiDonato
Edited by Ally Hirschlag
Article Sources
Byrdie takes every opportunity to use high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
  1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32308795/

  2. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4740760/

  3. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2225411014000078

  4. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5172479/

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