Spring is a time to wear less make-up but that can be a headache for acne sufferers.
Laura Enfield rounds up the best blemish fighting masks to get your skin ready for the big reveal.
Tata Harper’s new Purifying Mask is a lovely pastel pink colour and smells like spicy ginger so slathering it on your face is a joy. It is designed to fight air pollution which can cause acne and also be as aging to the skin as UV rays. An intense treatment, perfect for those who live or work in urban areas in particular, it contains 23 ingredients such as prickly pear oil and broccoli extract to purge impurities from the surface of the skin. It can be left on for up to 30 minutes so you get that lovely pampered feeling and soft, radiant skin. £48, tataharperskincare.com
One of the few beauty company’s cerified organic by the Soil Association, Neal’s Yard Palmarosa Purifying Facial Mask has a kaolin base designed to help balance oily skin and unblock pores. Palmarosa’s antibacterial properties will help fight break-outs without drying the skin out. The range includes a wash, toner, polish, moisturiser and mattifier. £26.50, nealsyardremedies.com
Aesop launched its Blue Chamomile Facial Hydrating Masque in October for normal to dry skin. Gel rather than clay based, it has a lightweight texture and can be left on for up to 30 minutes and used twice a week. Spot busting ingredients include Witch Hazel, Rosemary and Lavendar, and Niacinamide helps fight the signs of aging. £33, aesop.com
A good way to fight blemishes is to remove any dead skin that might clog up pores. Champneys Skin Resurfacing Mask is designed to gently exfoliate and brighten skin using fruit acids of bilberry and sugar cane. Salicylic acid and vitamin E to help smooth lines and shea butter and jojoba oil leave skin feeling soft and soothed. £15, champneys.com
Bee Good's new NectaPerfecta Beautifying Mask uses fruit derived AHAs to gently exfoliate, waxes including bee and jojoba to plump up lines, propolis and bisabolol to calm and balance and vitamin E-rich oils and honey. £39.95, beegood.co.uk
This Medik8 ClayMask Pore Refining Mask contains bentonite and kaolin and has a rich, creamy texture, packed with vitamin E, cranberry juice and willow bark extract that draws out impurities. It absorbs into the skin more readily than some clay masks but does not dry as tightly and can be removed easily by wiping with a flannel. £27, dermacaredirect.co.uk
Former model turned beauty brand leader May Lindstrom has created The Problem Solver mask to stimulate the elimination of toxins and help clear clogged pores. Using it is an almost spiritual experience. The gold and black pot holds a jet black powder that transforms into a soft mousse when mixed with water. This can be left on for up to 45 minutes and you can expect a slight tingling as the antioxidant-rich raw cacao, reparative bamboo charcoal and circulatory-boosting spices get to work. £72, maylindstrom.com, cultbeauty.co.uk
Aurelia’s Refine & Polish Miracle Balm smells and looks gorgeous. But it is more than just a pretty on the surface. It is also two powerful products in one. Massage it gently into skin and the rice bran refining beads will dislodge dry skin cells. Leave it layered on skin for five minutes and the plant enzymes will target dead surface cells. It turns into a milky fluid on contact with water making it easy to wipe off revealing a glowing, softened complexion. £57, aureliaskincare.com
Some acne sufferers have a low percentage of linoleic acid in their sebum. Willow Beauty’s Hydrating Gel Super Mask contains barbary fig oil which contains more linoleic acid and antioxidant vitamin E than argan oil. This is combined with detoxifying burdock root, anti-inflammatory marigold essence, regenerative marshmallow root, soothing rose and revitalising orange blossom essence. The gel is extremely lightweight and dries on the skin meaning you can pop it on while you are doing chores or getting ready to go out. £48, willowbeautyproducts.co.uk
Mud masks are well known for their skin clearing properties but Yes To have also harnessed the power of fruit for their Tomatoes Clearing Facial Mask. Rich in vitamin C, which can help eliminate acne and brighten skin, tomatoes are also naturally acidic providing an astringent effect. The range also includes a scrub, cleanser, moisturiser and repair treatment and is available from Boots. £11.99, yesto.co.uk
Sisley’s Tropical Resins Range is designed specifically to tackle acne. The Creamy Face Mask contains zinc, recognised by dermatologists for helping beat breakouts. It also contains rosemary to cleanse, iris to soften, burdock to purify, myrrh to soothe and kaolin to absorb excess oil and impurities. £74.50, sisley-paris.com
The 08 Clarifying Mask from Juliette Armand’s Element range is recommended for acne prone teens and men. It looks no nonesense and is made with Normaseb, a complex of amino acids such as glutamic acid, metheonin, cystin and vitamins, designed to combat excessive sebum and remove oiliness and shine without causing dryness. Canadian Willowherb and manuka oil help inhibit acne-causing bacteria. £23.95, probeautyproducts.co.uk
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