Masks and Patches
Masks and Patches — how to choose
A mask is a concentrated version of a step you already do, held against the skin long enough to matter. That is the whole mechanism — contact time.
Which is why the format changes the result more than the ingredient list does. A twenty-minute sheet mask and a three-hour collagen film containing similar ingredients will not do the same thing.
Types
Sheet masks — a cotton or hydrogel sheet soaked in essence. Twenty minutes, then remove and press in what remains. Do not leave them on longer: once the sheet dries it starts pulling moisture back out of your skin.
Collagen film masks — the Biodance kind. These work over three hours or overnight, turning transparent as they dissolve into the skin rather than drying out. Different mechanism, noticeably different result.
Wash-off masks — clay for oil absorption, gel for hydration. Fifteen to twenty minutes, then rinse. Clay masks are best used only where you need them: drying on the cheeks, useful on the T-zone.
Eye patches — hydrogel, twenty minutes under the eyes. Keep them in the fridge; cold makes a visible difference on puffiness.
How often
Hydrating masks can be used daily if you want. Exfoliating or clay masks, once or twice a week. More is not better with anything containing acids.
When they are worth it
Masks are not a routine — they are what you add before an event, after a flight, or during a week when your skin looks flat. A good daily routine does more for your skin than any mask, but a mask does more in twenty minutes than a routine can.
Frequently asked
Should I rinse after a sheet mask?
No. Press the remaining essence in and follow with cream to seal it.
Can I leave a sheet mask on overnight?
No. It dries out and reverses. Collagen film masks are the exception — they are designed for it.
Before or after serum?
After toner, before serum and cream. The mask is a treatment step.
Do masks actually do anything lasting?
Hydration effects last a day or two. Nothing about a mask is permanent — the value is in how skin looks tomorrow morning, which is a real and useful thing to buy.
