For the Joy of Sheet Masks

On some level, I feel that my skin owes sheet masks a life debt. It was not too long ago (well, not too long ago in just-turned-34 time, it was actually around 30) that I was a casual user of moisturizer and sunscreen, and an incredibly reluctant user of cleanser. To be fair, I’m still a reluctant user of cleanser — I still haven’t found my holy grail. It really took me finding glycolic acid, which helped me fight back my seborrheic dermatitis, to REALLY get me into skincare. But I always loved sheet masks for the indulgent self-care aspect of them.

Why I Love Sheet Masks

Sheet masks are a great intro to skincare precisely because they’re indulgent. Buying skincare can be tough — figuring out what your skin type is, what your skincare concerns are and what ingredients and products are right for it is a whole thing. A whole thing that I love, to be sure, but I acknowledge I’m an odd duck. Buying skincare can also be expensive, even if you’re just trying to stick to the cleanser-moisturizer-sunscreen trifecta at drugstore prices. Buying skincare can, to put it plainly, feel like a chore. But sheet masks? Never a chore. Okay, maybe sometimes a chore — if I had a dollar for every time I’ve struggled to unfold one, I could buy several more sheet masks.

When the hype around 10-step Korean skincare routines hit the Western market, many people felt that they needed to be doing a sheet mask every day. You absolutely don’t. Arguably, you shouldn’t — get yourself a serum that treats your skin concerns, which you’ll be able to use every day or even every routine. But if you’re shopping around for what ingredients you might like, or are just desperate for some hydration, I truly recommend getting yourself some sheet masks. You can buy boxes of 10, which frequently bring the price-per-mask down to around $2 USD. You can also buy mixed sets so you can try ingredients like ascorbic acid, collagen, and more, without investing in a bottle of serum.

I have set myself a completely arbitrary goal of using one every day in the month of December. The calendar attached is my progress so far, and I’m pleased to say that I’m nailing it, even during my trip out-of-town for my birthday. The sheet masks really helped in the forced air at the hotel, and helped my skin recover from my birthday facial. I find that using a sheet mask really forces me to just sit and be, which has been a bit of a struggle due to how busy this month has been, but simultaneously that much more necessary.

How To Use Sheet Masks

You can use sheet masks in your AM or PM routine, but I generally recommend PM as some sheet masks (looking at you, my beloved MediHeal NMF masks) can pill.

Sheet masks go during the serum step of your routine, so post-toner (if you tone) and before your moisturizer. If you have oily skin or live in a tropical climate, you may actually be able to get away with sheet masks as your last step — I certainly could in my pre-diligent-cleansing days.

I usually use my water-based serums before my sheet masks. The whole point of a sheet mask, in addition to all those glorious milliliters of serum, is the mask itself holding in that hydration. So why not have it help the penetration of your water-based serums, too?

If you have a beard, flip up the bottom half of the sheet mask onto your nose. Otherwise the mask will slide down as you hang out talking and eating. (Do other people not talk and eat while masking? Just me?). You can use the extra ampoule in the packet or the mask to smooth into your beard area afterwards.

Take off your sheet mask before it dries. Since the principle point of sheet masks is hydration, letting all that hydration evaporate can defeat the purpose. Each sheet mask should have a range of how long you can have it on your skin. If you have sensitive skin, opt towards the shorter amount. In general, you probably don’t want the mask on your skin for more than 20 minutes.

There’s usually some extra ampoule in the packet (not so much for cheaper sheet masks, like Tonymoly, alas), as well as in the mask itself. This is great for your neck, chest, hands and arms, or to smooth into your face skin after removing the sheet mask (especially if you’re bearded and had to miss that area). Personally, I love using my Nuface after a sheet mask with all the extra ampoule. I do recommend using that extra ampoule right away — sheet masks are designed as single-use items that don’t have to deal with sun or air exposure.