Love for your Skin

I associate February with Valentine’s day, but also with self-love and self-care. Whether single or coupled, it’s easy to fall into a pattern of always putting others first and taking care of yourself last. So in the spirit of self care, I’m pampering my skin with treats to help it look its best both from the inside and the outside.  

Two small indulgences for me are fresh strawberries that are a touch unripe (I like them sour!) and sheet masks. A healthy snack like strawberries is great for your skin, full of vitamins and antioxidants which are credited as having great anti-aging properties. And they’re delicious! Similarly with sheet masks, I feel like I can’t go wrong. I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad sheet mask experience, although I do notice slight differences in effect. Generally, my favorite type are the “pearl” masks for brightening. The one I’ve got right now is by Pure Smile, which I purchased from a Japanese grocery store for about $1.50 but is also available on Amazon for $9.80 which is quite a price difference. However I also found the same the Pure Smile pearl mask with slightly different packaging for sale in a pack of 8 masks for $8.50. I'm not sure what the difference between the two listings is but 8 for $8.50 is definitely more affordable than 1 for $9.80!

This mask contains both hyaluronic acid and collagen, which are both wonderful at plumping and hydrating the skin. Personally I find this mask effective and doing both, and it's very comfortable to wear. I usually do sheet masks at night, and I do notice an increase in skin brightness and radiance the morning after I’ve used this particular mask. I wake up looking better than I do when I got to bed without using a sheet mask! 

I also really enjoy the Sephora Collection Face Mask- Pearl, although at $6 apiece they’re not the most cost effective option. In order to get the maximum benefit out of sheet masks, it’s important to use them regularly, so I tend to go for a lower cost-per-use mask. While some do give me a noticeably better plumping and smoothing effect (the Sephora pearl is honestly my current all time favorite) I do prefer to spend my money on cheaper masks that I can apply more often. 

I’ve been using sheet masks for quite a while now, but because I don’t stick to any one particular brand or type I can’t vouch for the absolute efficacy of any one mask. However, I can unreservedly say that sheet masks are a step in my beauty routine that I enjoy very much and I think they’re worth the investment of a little extra effort! I think the next sheet masks I'll try out when I run out my current stash are these from The Face Shop, sold by Amazon as a pack of 15 for $14. I've heard of the Face Shop before and the reviews seem pretty good, so at less that $1 per sheet mask that sounds like a bargain to me! 

**This post is not sponsored. The Sephora link I provide is to show where I specifically buy the Sephora pearl masks. The Amazon links may earn me a small commission if you purchase, but there is absolutely no difference in the cost to you.**