If you’ve ever wandered down the skin care aisle of Sephora, you’ve probably spotted some absurdly priced skin care products. And while yes, there are plenty of overpriced face masks that are absolute garbage, there ARE some costly face masks that are actually worth your hard-earned coin. So whether you’re looking to moisturize your dry, flaky skin; brighten your dull, post-binge drinking complexion; or firm up those fine lines, we’ve rounded up the best expensive masks, and some of their cheaper dupes, for when you’re ready to take masking seriously and graduate from those generic brand masks that you only throw on when you’re having a girl’s night in.
To Lift And Firm
Splurge: La Mer The Lifting and Firming Mask
Though painfully expensive (like most of La Mer’s products), their lifting and firming leave-on cream mask will literally make you look like you got a face-lift, minus the recovery time and…ya know, the whole surgery aspect. The mask uses La Mer’s exclusive Miracle Broth, which is a serum strength formula that works in synergy with the skin’s natural renewal process to refine, treat, and firm up the face and neck.
Save: Bio-Miracle Anti-Aging and Moisturizing Face Mask, Vitamin C
If you aren’t already using Vitamin C on your skin, then you need to start. The antioxidant not only stimulates collagen production to give a lifting effect, but it also acts as a preventative to protect skin from aging free radicals. In other words, cop this five-pack of Bio-Miracle’s Vitamin C sheet masks for a cheaper alternative to lifting and firming your face and neck.
To Clean Your Pores
Splurge: Glamglow Super Mud Clearing Treatment
If you’re one of those people who constantly passes out drunk with their makeup still on, Glamglow’s Super Mud Clearing Treatment should become a staple in your beauty cabinet. In just one use the mask clears and purifies skin to get rid of impurities and blackheads and makes skin brighter and smoother so you can instantly reverse the damage of sleeping with your makeup on… at least until next weekend.
Save: Sephora Mud Mask Purifying & Mattifying
Sephora’s Mud Mask also does a good job of ridding your face of impurities and excess oils and leaves your skin with a matte finish without making it super dry. And at $10, you’ll have a clear complexion and can still afford all those new bathing suits you have saved in your shopping cart.
To Exfoliate
Splurge: Drunk Elephant’s T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial
If I had to choose only one skin care product to use for the rest of eternity, it would hands down be Drunk Elephant’s T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial. The exfoliating face mask is perfect for any skin type, and as the name suggests, it leaves your skin looking and feeling like you just got a facial. It’s worth every penny. It exfoliates, clarifies, dramatically improves texture, and literally leaves you with a glowing complexion. Like all of Drunk Elephant’s products, Babyfacial is made with only clean ingredients, meaning you won’t find silicones, chemical sunscreens, dyes, perfumes, or any other stuff that you shouldn’t be putting on your skin.
Save: L’Oréal Exfoliating & Refining, Pure-Clay Mask
If you’re not going to take my word for splurging on Drunk Elephant’s Babyfacial, then at least do yourself a favor and grab L’Oréal’s Pure-Clay Exfoliating mask next time you’re in your local drugstore. The mask uses red algae (in addition to three detoxifying clays) to exfoliate, unclog and tighten pores. What’s more? The mask’s red hue makes for a fun, non-basic self-love Sunday selfie.
To Hydrate
Splurge: SK-II Facial Treatment Mask
Sk-II’s Facial Treatment Mask is here to prove that not all sheet masks are the same. Applying the facial treatment is kind of like immersing your skin in really expensive water that leaves your face as hydrated as possible. It loads the skin with Pitera—a fusion of vitamins, amino acids, minerals, and some other stuff—that helps to refine texture and address dryness, large pores, and an uneven skin tone. Basically, if you want the best of the best when it comes to sheet masks, Sk-II’s is your answer.
Save: Dr. Jart Dermask Water Jet Vital Hydra Solution
Dr. Jart’s $6 Vital Hydra Solution sheet mask is made with fine cellulose fiber to deeply penetrate (the skin) and give you a longer lasting hydration—which is more than you can say for your ex-boyfriend.
To Brighten
Splurge: Peter Thomas Roth 24k Gold Mask
Nothing says luxury like applying a face mask that is dripping in actual 24k gold just to brighten your skin. Peter Thomas Roth’s 24K Gold Mask is infused with real gold to help improve the appearance of skin firmness and leave you with an opulent glow. After using this mask just once, you’ll not only notice an insane difference in your complexion, but you also won’t ever want to go back to any other peasant face masks.
Save: Mario Badescu Rose Hips Mask
All right, if you can’t fathom paying 80 bucks to immerse your face in 24 karat gold in the name of skin care, then Mario Badescu’s Rose Hips Mask is your next best option to take your dull, hungover complexion to bright and glowy in just one use. While it isn’t full of luxurious ingredients, it is packed with rose hip oil and rose hips extract to brighten your lackluster complexion. And I mean, if you can’t afford gold, roses are a close second, right?
Images: Amazon (5); Dr. Jart; L’Oréal; Drunk Elephant; Sephora; Glamglow
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