My Favorite Hair and Face Masks
If you would have told me five (okay—even one) years ago that I would be obsessed with hair and face masks, I probably would have laughed at you. One more step in the shower? Another obstacle in getting into my warm, cozy bed during my evening routine? No. Thank. You.
But then I started breaking out like a pubescent teenager, and I noticed my hair was not as soft as it once was (and, admittedly, I found quite a few split ends). I decided just washing my face and using a good conditioner wasn't going to be enough. If we want our hair and skin to stand the test of time, we have to take care of it now, especially given all of the stressors we put on our hair (blow dryers, straighteners, curling irons) and skin (everyday oils, sweat, dirty makeup brushes, sun exposure).
I have been experimenting with a few hair and face masks, and I have found a few that I think work very well for me. Beauty regimens are all about experimenting, but I think I'll stick with these for a while.
HAIR
Living Proof Restore Mask Treatment. I use this twice a week, and it says you should use it as a replacement of your conditioner, but I actually still condition. You can decide what works best for your hair. I love this because I feel like it really does nourish each strand from root to tip as advertised. My hair is so incredibly soft after I use this mask and it smells great, too. Tip: store it outside of the shower. It helps keep the product at 100 percent.
SKIN
Origins Original Skin Retexturizing Mask with Rose Clay. Not all Origins products have worked for me, but these masks sure do. I love this one when my skin is in pretty good shape but I want to give it a little nourishment and lift, and it's also great when you don't have a ton of time because you only need to leave it on for 10 minutes. It also smells amazing. Rose clay? Yes, please.
This is what I use when I have those annoying blackheads that like to pop up at the most inopportune moments. This charcoal mask is meant to dig deep into pores to clear them out and revive your skin, and I really feel like it works. You may look crazy for about 30 minutes, but all in the name of good skin! I also love these Origins masks because of the price point. This bottle will last you a while if you're using the it at the recommended frequency.
Extra tips from someone (me) who is not an expert but has seen positive results with these practices:
1. Always wash your face with cool water. Always. Hot water is bad for your skin. It dries your skin out, while cool water hydrates it.
2. Give your hair a cold rinse before getting out of the shower. I'm not going to sit here and tell you to take cold showers all the time (unless that's your cup of tea). I couldn't do it. BUT, I always give my hair a cold rinse at the end of my showers. Just as with our skin, cold water is hydrating for our hair.
3. Don't pull on your skin when washing and applying moisturizer. This is hard, I know, because sometimes we're trying to move quickly as we remove our makeup, wash our face and apply moisturizer. However, pulling at your skin and forcefully applying face wash, makeup remover and moisturizer just adds to fine lines and, for lack of a better word, saggy skin. Be gentle in your application and massage the product in circles. And, of course, dab your face dry, don't rub.
4. For those zits that pop up at the worst time and you only have a few days to get rid of them, Exuviance Spot Treatment Gel will be your best friend. And, it lasts forever. I had my little bottle for a full year.
What masks do you love? Have any tips to add to my list? Let me know!
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