Nourishing, relaxing, and the epitome of self-care, face masks bring spa-level skincare right to your beauty fridge. There’s a facial mask out there for every skin concern, from hydrating face masks to AHA-rich varieties that slough away blackheads.
At HPPY Skin we know that there are enough face mask varieties out there for every day of the year, but really, how often should you use face masks? Typically you can use a face mask one to three times a week. However, your face mask use frequency truly depends on the mask, your skin, and your skincare goals.
What Are the Benefits of Face Masks?
Just like serums, face masks are packed with active ingredients to treat and prevent a variety of skin concerns. Whether your goal is rejuvenating, pore-cleansing, brightening, exfoliating, or hydrating, there's a mask for that.
Unlike face serums, though, masks are much more concentrated and potent—they're designed to be removed after giving your skin enough time to absorb their nutrients.
Some face masks can extract impurities like dirt or dead skin cells from the skin, which are then lifted and thrown away along with the mask when you discard it.
How Often Should You Use Face Masks?
When asking, “How often should I use a face mask?” it can help to approach your face mask exploration a bit like a skincare scientist. After all, finding the perfect face mask frequency may require a little experimentation. Be sure to factor in the following variables so you can achieve your ideal outcome:
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Your skin type – Is your normal skin naturally a little dry? Does your T-zone tend to get a little oily? Does your normal skin start to feel uncomfortable after using certain skincare ingredients? The more you learn about your skin, the easier it will be to find a face mask and usage frequency that works for you.
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Mask ingredients – The ingredients list printed on face mask packaging might just be the key to unlocking your favorite skincare products. A little research can help you discover which ingredients do what and how they can impact your skin. For example, some skincare ingredients like aloe vera, your skin may enjoy all day every day. Other ingredients—like a vitamin A-based exfoliant—may be a once-a-week treat due to the potency and risk of disrupting the balance of your skin’s systems. Even hydrating and calming masks can contain skin exfoliants, so be sure to go through the ingredient list carefully. If you can, keep track of the ingredients your skin loves to help support your skincare journey.
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Environment – Climate can make all the difference in your skincare needs. For example, areas that are colder and drier may make your healthy skin thirsty for hydrating masks. But if you live somewhere warm and tropical, your skin may produce excess oil and sweat, which can lead to breakouts and impurities—all of which a clarifying mask can help mitigate.
- Your skincare goals – Different facial masks can help you achieve different results. Depending on the facial mask and your skin type, an increased frequency may help keep your skin on the path to skincare success.
Bottom line? Your skin will be the best judge for how often you should use any face mask, but also consider the type of mask you plan on using. Always ask what purpose does the mask serve for your skin, what ingredients accomplish these results, and how?
Here are the typical types of face masks and the usual frequency at which most people benefit from using them.
Calming Face Masks
You can use calming face masks about three to four times per week.
Calming face masks will likely be rich in anti-inflammatory and gentle ingredients perfect for sensitive skin, such as:
- Manuka honey
- CBD oil
- Centella
- Oatmeal extract
These facial masks usually contain little to no active exfoliants, which means that your skin barrier should remain intact even if you use these masks a few times a week. Thanks to the gentle ingredients, this variety of face masks will likely work for any skin type.
Regardless, be sure to skim through the ingredient list of your mask to screen for potential irritants.
Clarity Face Masks
Depending on your skin type, you can use a clarity mask about one to three times per week.
Recommended for acne-prone and oily skin types, a clarity mask will likely work by gently sloughing off the top layer of dead skin, resulting in a brighter, clearer, and balanced complexion.
To accomplish this, these exfoliating and clarity masks tend to contain powerful exfoliants such as:
- Vitamin C
- Apple cider vinegar
- Glycolic acid
- Salicylic acid
- Fruit enzymes
Clarity masks may be perfect for those with oilier, more acne-prone skin. However, those with naturally dry dehydrated skin might want to stay away from this mask—when overused or used for dry or sensitive skin, exfoliants can irritate and dry out your skin.
For best results, start using these masks once a week and see how your skin reacts. If it can handle a little exfoliation, you can increase your usage up to three times per week.
Rejuvenating Face Masks
You can use rejuvenating face masks three to four times per week.
Rejuvenating masks, like a face mask for wrinkles, are typically composed of ingredients that speed up cell turnover—the process in which the skin sheds older, duller cells and produces fresh, vibrant new cells to help achieve a more youthful complexion.
Ingredients in rejuvenating masks can include:
- Fruit enzymes
- Bakuchiol
- AHA (or alpha-hydroxy acid)
You’ll want to use these masks sparingly. Start with once a week, see how your skin reacts, and then decide if two times a week will be kind for your skin. It can also help to keep an eye on the ingredients list and look for added exfoliants that work to speed up your skin’s turnover—these ingredients can certainly be effective, but they may also disrupt your skin’s health if overused.
When using skincare products packed with ingredients that speed up the renewal process of your skin, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends protecting your skin with SPF during the day.
Hydrating Face Masks
Hydrating face masks, such as our Refresh Mask with Hyaluronic Acid, can be like a delicious drink of water for your skin. You can use hydrating masks about three to four times per week.
Similar to calming masks, hydrating masks are comprised of gentler formulas to replenish your skin barrier. Hydrating face masks will often include moisture-retaining ingredients such as:
- Aloe vera
- Cucumber
- Squalane
- Vitamin E
Gentler varieties of hydrating face masks can be used two to three times a week, but you can up the usage based on your skin’s concerns. For instance, if you typically have dry skin, you might benefit from using hydrating masks more frequently. On the other hand, oily and combination skin types might just need to use their favorite hydrating face masks just once or twice a week.
Healthy Skin Is HPPY Skin
Sourced from nature and free of skin toxins and chemical preservatives, HPPY Skin’s face masks make for a genuine treat for your skin. Using a cold water, high-pressure process that stabilizes and sanitizes our ingredients, HPPY Skin’s face masks give you the highest quality natural formulations at their freshest, so your skin can thrive all year long. Shop HPPY Skin’s range of face masks.
Sources:
AAD. Sunscreen FAQs. https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/sun-protection/sunscreen-patients/sunscreen-faqs#
Healthline. This is how often you should use a face mask. https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/how-often-should-you-use-a-face-mask#when-to-increase-or-decrease
