Hello, my name is Dawn and I’m a face mask addict. In fact, I’ve been masking every single day without fail since 2014 (barring extenuating circumstances… like surgery). This revelation might have gotten me a few curious stares in the past, but daily masking has become an acceptable – and even expected – norm among skincare aficionados in recent years.
My masking journey initially started with a general obsession with Korean beauty back in 2014. This was a few years after the Hallyu wave hit our shores and everyone increasingly binge watched K-dramas, or at least knew someone who did. But beyond enjoying the storylines of these shows, I found myself drawn to the seemingly flawless complexions of the actors and actresses on screen. As a beauty writer at that time, it didn’t take me long to discover the famed 10-step Korean skincare routine, which includes masking. I also learned about the “one day, one pack” method, which is essentially using one sheet mask a day. I decided to give it a shot, but instead of sticking solely to sheet masks, I rotated among the different face masks in my beauty arsenal.
In the beginning, I committed to using a face mask daily for a week out of curiosity. But then I saw the results, so I continued for a month, which turned into a year, and after that I just never stopped. My skin looked healthier and had a natural glow to it. I was even getting compliments on my complexion, something which had never happened before this.
The key to daily masking
If you’re wondering if masking daily is fine, don’t worry. Face masks are designed to deliver a concentrated amount of beneficial skincare ingredients to either hydrate, nourish, exfoliate, or deep cleanse your skin in a short amount of time. The key to reaping the maximum benefits from doing so is to vary the type of mask you use daily.
For instance, even if you have an acne-prone complexion, don’t slather on a purifying clay mask a few days in a row as it may be too harsh on skin and cause irritation. Instead, alternate clay masks with hydrating sheet masks, brightening wash-off masks, and so on, depending on what your complexion needs for that day. As a general rule, I use deep cleansing masks on days when I work out, nourishing sleeping masks on stressful or hectic days, calming or hydrating sheet masks if I’ve been out in the sun, and brightening wash-off masks every other day to maintain a glow.
The face masks in my weekly masking schedule
In a week, my typical masking schedule looks something like this: