Few skin saviors rival the best face masks in their efficacy. Packed with potent actives, clays, and hydrating, soothing ingredients, these formulas have the power to improve skin tone, texture, signs of aging, and radiance in a matter of minutes. “While you don’t need to incorporate a face mask into your daily routine, they’re like a power boost for your skin with highly concentrated ingredients,” board-certified physicians associate Paula Brezavscek tells Vogue. “Think of them as skincare’s version of a quick espresso shot.”
Vogue’s Favorite Face Masks
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Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Paul Afrooz agrees. “Once you’re consistent with the your basic skin-care products (think: a cleanser, moisturizer, sunscreen), a targeted mask can really elevate your results,” he explains. “While a face mask can’t fix all of your skin concerns on they’re own, they can give your skin a noticeable boost—especially when you want to look fresh and glowing for an event or the holidays.”
Ahead, nine experts weigh in on everything you need to know about using and choosing the best face mask, along with Vogue’s favorite formulas to shop.
In This Story
- What are face masks?
- How do face masks work?
- What are the benefits of face masks?
- Are face masks worth it?
- How to Choose a Face Mask
- How often should you use face masks?
- How We Tested
- Meet The Experts
Best for Dry Skin: Chanel Hydra Beauty Camellia Repair Mask
- Why We Love It: “Formulated with glycerin, camellia extract, and shea butter, this mask combines humectant hydration with occlusive ingredients that help to replenish moisture,” Dr. Murphy Rose previously said. “It works well for normal to dry skin, though its fragrance may not suit very sensitive types.” The balmy, occlusive texture offers multiple ways to wear it and reap its formula’s benefits: you can leave this pick on overnight, during a 15-minute doom scroll, or through a TV show binge-watching session—you decide how long to indulge.
- Key Ingredients: White camellia wax, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, panthenol, blue ginger, shea butter
- Type: Balmy cream
- Size: 1.7 oz
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Ideal for parched, skin types | Not entirely non-comedogenic, so acne prone skin types best skip |
| Multipurpose: this works as both a quick treatment or on overnight mask |
Best K-Beauty: Biodance Bio-Collagen Real Deep Mask
- Why We Love It: Vogue’s favorite K-beauty collagen mask was a TikTok find—heavily influenced by all the people who wore it on long international flights and only to touch down with an impossibly glowy complexion. “This formula is designed to boost collagen production with a blend of collagen peptides, galactomyces, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide,” board-certified dermatologist Dr. Spearman previously said. Together, these ingredients not only boost hydration but also improve skin elasticity and texture. For best results, the mask is meant to be worn overnight or for at least a few hours. You’ll know when you’ve absorbed the maximum amount of active ingredients when the white bio-cellulose sheets turn transparent. Unlike drippy, fabric-like sheet masks, the hydrogel material here clings effortlessly to skin without causing a mess—so you can get your beauty sleep and wake up with glass skin.
- Editor’s Experience: “I fell in love with this mask at first use. While the application process is cool, what’s most notable is how the combination of low molecular weight collagen, galactomyces, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide delivers deep hydration, while reducing enlarged pores and illuminating the skin after just one use. Yes, I’m still obsessed with it one year later.” —Kiana Murden, beauty editor, shopping
- Key Ingredients: Low-molecular weight collagen peptide, galactomyces, oligo hyaluronic acid, niacinamide
- Type: Hydrogel sheet mask
- Size: 4 masks per package
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Hydrating and antioxidant rich ingredients work well for dry, normal, and aging skin types | Not a quick fix—plan to wear it overnight or for at least a few hours |
| The hydrogel adheres well to skin |
Best Brightening: Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask
- Why We Love It: Interested in a glowing complexion? Look no further than the Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask. Through a blend of pomegranate enzymes, willow bark extract (naturally rich in BHAs), pink clay, and other powerhouse botanicals, this mask aims to rejuvenate dull, textured complexions. Plus, these plant-based exfoliants help to reduce hyperpigmentation. “The Resurfacing Mask was one of the first products we launched,” founder Tata Harper previously told Vogue. “It’s our award-winning best seller and one of my personal favorites. It removes dead skin cells and buildup and leaves you with fresh, glowing skin in just 15 minutes.”
- Key Ingredients: Pomegrante enzymes, white willow bark, pink clay, beet root extract, olive oil, caleldnula, arnica
- Type: Gel
- Size: 1 fl oz
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Formulated with 100% clean ingredients | Some find this a bit drying |
| Works well for improving hyperpigmentation and skin texture |
Best for Sensitive Skin: SkinCeuticals Biocellulose Restorative Mask
- Why We Love It: SkinCeuticals’ biocellulose sheet masks are a favorite of board-certified dermatologist Dr. Lian Mack. “This formula provides intense and immediate hydration resulting in a calming, soothing effect,” Dr. Mack says. Fellow board-certified dermatologist Dr. Blair Murphy-Rose agrees, adding it’s an excellent choice to infuse hydration and help heal post-procedural skin. Here, the sheet masks keep their ingredients as simple as possible: just biocellulose fibers infused with water. That means even the most reactive of skin types can reap the soothing benefits without any fear of irritation. Just smooth it across your visage, let it sit for 15 minutes, and go.
- Key Ingredients: Impregnated biocellulose fibers, water
- *Type: Biocellulose sheet mask
- Size: 6 masks
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Soothing, simple ingredients safe for sensitive skin | One of the priciest treatments on our list |
| Instantly hydrates very dry skin types |
Best Overnight Mask: Bouncy and Firm Sleeping Mask
- Why We Love It: It’s no secret that K-Beauty brands excel at fun and innovative product textures. Case in point, Laneige’s Bouncy and Firm Sleeping Mask. True to its name, it boasts a bouncy, whipped, decadent dessert-like texture. Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Dara Spearman previously shared her penchant for this fluffy formula, sharing how it helps to boost skin barrier and leaves behind an instantly dewy finish—that’s all thanks to a blend of peony and collagen complex, green tea probiotic lysate, hyaluronic acid, and peptides.
- Editor’s Experience: “I flip and flop all night while I sleep, so the idea of wearing an overnight face mask just sounds messy. Laniege’s sleeping mask, however, feels more like a whipped moisturizer. It absorbs into skin, leaving behind a glowy sheen, rather than sitting on top of your face like a thick emollient. It’s especially helpful in the winter when my skin leans more dry—in the morning, my face is soft and supple (and my pillows aren’t a messy disaster).” —Conçetta Ciarlo, beauty shopping writer
- Key Ingredients: Peony and collagen complex, peptides, green tea probiotic lysate, hyaluronic acids, hydro-melt glow capsules
- Type: Whipped, gel-mousse
- Size: 2.0 fl oz/60 ml
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Clean and hydrating formula | Sensitive skin types may not be fond of the floral scent |
| Whipped texture adds a fun, sensorial experience |
Best for Instant Radiance: 111Skin Rose Gold Brightening Facial Treatment Mask
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- Why We Love It: Enriched with colloidal gold, peptides, and rose damask, 111Skin promises to tighten, plump, and smooth skin. Perfect for a quick pick-me-up to awaken fatigued skin, it’s no surprise some of the industry’s most acclaimed facialists and makeup artists (like Danuta Mieloch, esthetician and founder of Rescue Spa in New York City, and Georgie Eisdell) are keen to recommend it to their clientele. Just leave the hydrogel mask on for 20 minutes to experience an instant glow-up.
- Editor’s Experience: “This ingredient list is as impressive as they come. Colloidal gold and peptides make easy work out of transforming dull complexions. To wit, it s my go-to treatment before a big event or full glam. It s the ultimate skin pick-me-up.” —Kiana Murden, beauty editor, shopping
- Key Ingredients: Rose extract, colloidal gold, pomegranate seed cell culture, peptides, glycerin, allantoin, silk amino acid, hydrolyzed collagen
- Type: Hydrogel sheet mask
- Size: 5 masks
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Contains rose extract and other soothing botanical ingredients | One of the priciest treatments on our list |
| Antioxidant-rich formula imparts a brightening effect |
Best for Enlarged Pores: Kiehl’s Rare Earth Deep Pore Minimizing Cleansing Clay Mask
- Why We Love It: “Kiehl’s Rare Earth Deep Pore Minimizing Cleansing Clay Mask uses kaolin clay to draw out oil and blackheads from your pores and minimize their appearance,” board-certified dermatologist Dr. Chris Tomassian tells Vogue, who says this is great for all skin types. And though it is powered by two types of clay (kaolin and bentonite), it manages to keep skin balanced with aloe vera, glycerin, and allantoin. As a pro tip, it’s best to apply it to targeted areas of your face (think breakouts or your T-zone) where your skin is most congested. Slather it onto damp skin and let it sit for 10 minutes before rinsing.
- Key Ingredients: Kaolin clay, aloe vera, bentonite clay, allantoin, glycerin
- Type: Clay
- Size: 4.2 fl oz / 125 mL
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| The formulas blend of clays helps to draw out impurities from congested pores | Sensitive skin types may experience a tingling sensation |
| Helps to reduce oiliness overtime |
Best Drugstore: Neutrogena Hydro Boost 100% Hydrogel Mask
- Why We Love It: Fans of Neutrogena’s affordable Hydro Boost moisturizer can now enjoy the same hydration in gel sheet mask form for an instant hydration boost. This deeply moisturizing treatment delivers intense nourishment over a 30-minute application, making it ideal for thirsty, dehydrated skin. The allergy-tested formula works well for sensitive skin types, and its convenient packaging makes it perfect for travel or on-the-go refreshment. And at under $40 for a pack of 12, there’s no reason not to stock up.
- Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, hydrogenated castor oil
- Type: Hydrogel sheet mask
- Size: 12 masks
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Affordable price point | Castor oil featured in the mask is non-comedogenic |
| Provides instant hydration, and works well as skin prep |
Best Exfoliating: Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask Enzymatic Dermal Resurfacer
- Why We Love It: To treat enlarged pores, occasional breakouts, and dull skin, Dr. Mack recommends this Peter Thomas Roth mask. “This contains pumpkin enzymes to help resurface the skin and AHAs to help chemically exfoliate the skin resulting in smoother, brighter skin,” she says. There are also aluminum oxide crystals to gently polish the skin’s surface. Due to the potent enzymes, it’s important not to overdo it with this pick—leave it on for three to seven minutes, and wash off thoroughly.
- Key Ingredients: Pumpkin enzyme, AHA, aluminum oxide crystals
- Type: Gel-cream with physical exfoliants
- Size: 150 mL / 5 fl oz
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Combines chemical and physical exfoliation methods | Sensitive skin types may find the dual-exfoliation irritating |
| Gel-cream texture feels pleasant on the skin |
Best Cooling: Lesse Bioactive Face Mask
- Why We Love It: Like Lesse’s entire ethos, this pick is fueled by bioactive ingredients. Their face mask is a multi-hyphenate formula that decongests pores, fades dark spots, and soothes skin with a blend of charcoal, organic flame tree, flavonoids, vitamin C, and aloe. The result is a thin yet clarifying treatment. Just a tablespoon of product goes a long way to reveal brighter, clearer skin.
- Editor’s Note: “I’ve loved Lesse’s Bioactive Face Mask from the moment it touched my face. The mask feels almost cooling to skin—important for those interested in sensorial benefits.”—Kiana Murden, beauty editor, shopping
- Key Ingredients: Charcoal, rare flame tree, aloe leaf juice, calendula flower extract, glycerine, mango seed butter, cocoa seed butter, rosemary leaf oil
- Type: Creamy clay
- Size: 2 fl oz / 60 mL
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Formulated with high-quality, organic ingredients | Charcoal-based mask require a damp cloth and gentle touch to remove without irritation |
| Treats multiple skin concerns at once |
For Acne-Prone Skin: Biologique Recherche Masque Vivant
- Why We Love It: As someone with oily-skewing, acne-prone skin, I cannot tell you how many facialists have recommended me Biologique Recherche’s Masque Vivant. But why do the pros love it so much? “This contains vitamin B, which is like the energy vitamin for the skin,” says Mieloch. “It gives your skin brightness, [purifies] pores, and targets acne.” And to treat oil and shine, this is also enriched with live yeast extracts and lactic acid to regulate sebum production and reduce breakouts over time. For what it’s worth, Masque Vivant is known for its unique beer-like smell courtesy of the fermented yeast; so, this is best for someone who doesn’t mind a scent.
- Editor’s Note: “Masque Vivant is memorable, and not just for its scent. ”—Kiana Murden, beauty editor, shopping
- Key Ingredients: Fermented yeast extract, kaolin, cucumber fruit extract, lactic acid, glycerin
- Type: Gel-cream
- Size: 3.4 oz / 100 mL
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Clarifying formula works well on inflamed, acne-prone skin | Some dislike the naturally-fermented scent |
Everything You Need To Know
What are face masks?
“Face masks are skin treatments intended to be left on for a duration of time to deliver concentrated ingredients to the skin,” explains Dr. Murphy-Rose. These treatments arrive in various forms—creams, gels, clays and sheet-like materials. Of the latter, the best sheet masks are typically crafted from biocellulose, hydrogel, or fabric and soaked in nourishing ingredients that treat the skin as soon as the its placed on the face.
How do face masks work?
“Think about a face mask like putting water on a sponge—your skin is the sponge and the mask is the water,” details aesthetic nurse practioner Katie Mann. “The mask is going to fill up the sponge (your skin) with hydration until it’s at max capacity.”
What are the benefits of face masks?
“Incorporating face masks into your regimen has many benefits,” says Dr. Mack. “Depending on the mask and the desired outcome, masks can improve exfoliation, unclog pores, hydrate, create a mattifying effect, or reduce inflammation.” Per Mann, if you have dry skin and fine lines, look for something with glycerin or hyaluronic acid to hydrate your skin a plump it up a bit. “Peptides and growth factors are also amazing for anti-aging!” Those with acne, on the other hand, can benefit from clay masks or formulas featuring salicylic acid or sulfur—well-researched blemish-clearing agents. “If you need brightening, a vitamin C mask can be helpful.”
Keep in mind that face masks for skin care are not quite necessities but rather supplemental. As Tomassian puts it, “Face masks are definitely not a must in a skin-care routine but can be a great addition to an existing routine to help further target a specific concern.” Mieloch, agrees—emphasizing that because our skin constantly changes, we must treat it accordingly each day.
Are face masks worth it?
All of our experts agree that face masks are a worthy add to a skin-care regimen, so long as you choose one with ingredients that are right for your skin concerns. That said, board-certified cosmetic dermatologist Dr. Divya Shokeen reminds us to keep realistic expectations.
“Face masks are great as addition, but they’re not a replacement for your core routine (cleanser, moisturizer, sunscreen, targeted treatments). They’re especially helpful when your skin needs a hydration boost, such as a long plane ride, during breakouts, dryness flares, irritation, or when preparing for an event,” Dr. Shokeen explains. “[Face masks] are not essential for everyone and won’t fix chronic skin issues on their own, but they can improve the skin’s appearance and comfort when chosen correctly.”
How to Choose a Face Mask
So, how exactly do you discern which face mask is best for you? “In general, face masks are higher concentrations of ingredients that you likely use in your routine already, so focus on the ingredient you want to highlight,” says Dr. Tomassian. Formulations aside, Dr. Mack says how the mask feels on the skin is equally important. “The mask should feel hydrating and should easily spread across the skin when stretched.”
Of course, that doesn’t even cover mask formats: theres face masks in jars, squeeze tubes, hydrogel sheet masks soaked in product, and more. All that aside, Brezavscek reminds us to not get too caught up in product hype, and get specific about what ingredients can be supportive to your specific routine—she breaks things gown further below:
- Acne-Prone and Oily Skin: Brezavscek recommends focusing on clarifying ingredients, such as AHAs, BHAs, or clay. Though she warns against overdoing it with potent ingredients, causing further irritation.
- Dry Skin: “Parched complexions love hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and ceramides,” she explains.
- Mature Skin: “Aging skin benefits from antioxidants, peptides, and gentle exfoliants,” says Brezavscek, noting these ingredients help to boost cellular turnover, reducing fine lines and overall brightness.
- Sensitive Skin: Brezavscek advises keeping ingredient lists simple and calming—think colloidal oatmel and glycerin—relying on hydrating ingredients and formulas free of fragrance.
How often should you use face masks?
“Depending on your treatment goals and the type of mask, you could use them once or twice weekly to once a month or less!” Dr. Murphy-Rose instructs. “Gentle hydrating masks could be used daily while some stronger exfoliating masks, for example, should be used only monthly.”
How We Tested
When we test and review a product, we take a holistic approach to deliver well-rounded product recommendations. First, we lean on Vogue’s vast network of experts—from board-certified dermatologists to celebrity estheticians—to gain professional acumen on the industry’s standout products, ones these specialists would actually use on their clients. We pair their expertise with our editorial best practices to curate the thoughtful edits you read on our site.
As it relates to face masks, we selected the best based on the following characteristics: ingredients, mask type, treatment time, and the skin care concerns they address. To do this, we paired our own personal tests of each formula with expert guidance and reviewer insights to determine which we would recommend to you.
Meet The Experts
- Dr. Paul Afrooz is a board-certified and award-winning plastic surgeon in Coral Gables, Florida.
- Paula Brezavscek PA-C is a board-certified physicians associate and founder of Azala Skin Clinic.
- Dr. Lian Mack is a New York-based, board-certified dermatologist.
- Katie Mann DNP, FNP-C is an aesthetic nurse practitioner and founder of Curated Medical Spa in Scottsdale, AZ.
- Danuta Mieloch is an acclaimed esthetician and founder of Rescue Spa and skin-care line Danucera.
- Dr. Blair Murphy-Rose, MD, FAAD, is a board-certified dermatologist seeing patients in New York and the Hamptons; she’s also the founder of Skincare Junkie.
- Dr. Divya Shokeen is a California-based, board-certified dermatologist at the Ocean Skin and Vein Institute.
- Dr. Chris Tomassian is a Los Angeles–based and board-certified dermatologist and founder of The Dermatology Collective.
