The Best Cruelty Free Face Masks. Effective Face Mask Ingredients to Look For & The Best Anti Aging Face Masks
The best anti-aging face masks for 2023 don’t just smell and feel good but have carefully curated active ingredients. Do anti aging face masks work? What anti aging face mask ingredients should we look for and how do we choose the right face mask for our skin type? There’s thousands of anti aging facial masks out there you can do at home. So how do we narrow it down and find the best anti aging masks that actually work, are cruelty-free and won’t break the bank?
All of the answers to your anti-aging face mask questions on this episode of Glamour & Gains Podcast.
This post contains affiliate links.
Anti Aging Face masks & Effective Anti Aging Ingredients | Everything you need to know to get the best results
Do Face Masks & Anti-Aging Ingredients Actually Work?
Face masks have long been having their moment from sheet masks, to liquid, to peel off. I was always kind of on the fence about them and even spa facials as they felt very superficial and I never felt the benefits.
But times and ingredients brands use have changed and companies are stepping up their game in a competitive market. After a long break from injectables, I couldn’t find anything that rivaled the results so my vanity had me going back to masking. I’ve now got the face mask bug too, especially when it comes to hydrating anti aging face masks.
I’m always up for trying new masks but I definitely have my favorites.
The best anti aging masks 2023
I’ve chosen these as they’re the ones I’ve tried, that I see results with and are cruelty-free.
Foreo UFO Anti Aging Face Masks
This is a quick, easy and mess free way to do facials at home. I feel like it works much better than most masks as it uses different color LED lights and heat and cooling settings. These settings are different for each of their masks you use in order to activate the ingredients and increase their absorption.
The Foreo UFO device is a little pricey but it works out to about the same cost as going to the spa for a facial twice.
Image Skincare Anti Aging Skin Care Line
My Mum introduced me to Image Skincare and it has some of the most effective clinical level ingredients I’ve come across. Drop me a comment below if you have others to share with me.
My favorite is their I Mask Firming Transformation mask as the 3 things I look for in a mask for my personal skin concerns are:
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Hydration
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Firming and minimizing appearance of fine lines
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Reduces redness and evens skin tone
How do you know which face masks are right for your skin type?
So how do you know which ones are right for your skin type? Specifically aging skin? Let me start by saying there’s no miracle mask that’s going to turn back time. But heck yes, there are masks out there that will help reduce fine lines, pores, dehydrated skin, and dullness.
Unavoidable aging (unless you’re Elizabeth Hurley who always looks perfect), the drying effect of weather or air con, damaging sun and pollution, lack of sleep and stress all work against us and create dull, blotchy, wrinkled skin-thanks mother nature! However, mother nature is also our best friend and natures medicine cabinet is incredible.
The first thing you’re going to want to look into, after you’ve ensured it’s cruelty-free (because that’s what I’m all about) are the ingredients to help you determine which one is right for your skin.
There are so many different kinds of ingredients and quality of ingredients but in good anti-aging face masks you’ll find a lot of the same ones.
After you’ve hydrated from the inside, you’re going to want to hydrate on the outside too. Otherwise it doesn’t matter what you cover your face in, actual dehydration is going to cause those fine lines, so drink up.
Facials and injectables aren’t possible for everyone, whether it’s time or finances. This is where facial masks are a quick answer as well as great for in between regular facials. But don’t think you’re one and done, the results are temporary and you need to do them as frequently as the directions on the mask suggest.
I try to do hydrating anti aging face masks twice a week, based on what my skin’s craving as it’s an easy nutrient delivery system.
How is a face mask better than our regular moisturizer?
Face masks work better than our daily moisturizer for many reasons and aren’t just a trend. The extended application time along with the inner warmth generated by your skin opens the pores and makes the penetration of nutrients into the skin more efficient. Which helps as normally our skin has a natural protective barrier of fats that creates a nice smooth waterproof layer to keep the moisture in and foreign substances out.
Some facials are also multitaskers meant to also exfoliate, clarify and unclog pores. My favorite face mask for clearing up the occasional pimple is Image Skincare I Mask purifying probiotic mask. This works fast thankfully as I think most of us are super paranoid about spots when we get them.
Pro face mask tip: If you have dry skin and want to treat a spot, use the mask just on the break out and not your entire face.
Some facial masks contain antioxidants to protect against free radicals, others hydrate dry skin by holding water in the skin, making it softer and more flexible.
What anti-aging ingredients should you look for in face masks?
Effective Anti-Aging Ingredients to Look For
1. Antioxidants
You know antioxidants work and to look for them but how do they work? These help nourish & strengthen your skin, reduce signs of aging like fine lines and wrinkles, correct uneven skin tones and revitalize your skin’s overall appearance. Which is why they’re in a lot of the best anti aging masks.
Antioxidants to look for include: Vitamin C, retinol/Vitamin A (be careful using these in the sun and always use SPF, preferably SPF 50. I only use products with this in during the winter), Vitamin E, Coenzyme Q10, resveratrol, Niacinamide, flavonoids, Polyphenals, Glutathione and Pepper Berry extract.
If you haven’t come across Pepper Berry extract yet, here’s what Vogue had to say about it:
It protects the skin from UV damage, which is important in winter as we all get lax with our SPF routine in the cooler months, opening us up to potential sun damage…it’s also anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal, making it an effective treatment for acne and blemishes. Vogue
All of these are powerful antioxidants with anti-inflammatory, anti-acne and skin conditioning properties, that support Vitamin C and collagen production.
2. Sensitive skin/gentler exfoliation
If you’re skins more sensitive you might want to look for gentler exfoliation methods such as jojoba beads which gently polish away dullness for improved texture, tightness and tone. They’re made from a liquid wax which is bio-degradable and sustainable.
Worried it won’t be enough? Jojoba beads are still tough enough to remove dead skin cells but gentle enough not to harm the skin. Exfoliation prepares your skin to be able to better absorb all the benefits of your skincare products.
3. Hyaluronic Acid
Everyone’s heard of Hyaluronic Acid. It works by helping your skin retain water as it retains less moisture as you age as well as helping to protect your skin, attract and hold moisture. Remember to always use with a moisturizer and not on its own as it can actually draw water out of your skin and not into it if you do that.
4. Toners
I’m not talking about the product toners but astringent ingredients like rosewater, chamomile, and witch hazel which can help tighten pores and make your skin feel soft and smooth.
5. Green Tea
Drink it, apply it, this wonder leaf helps reduce redness, fight free radicals & environmental stressors that contribute to aging.
6. Omega-3s
Omega 3 Fatty acids provide nourishment to your stressed, weather-beaten skin and help retain a plump and youthful appearance. Bring it on!
7. AHAs
Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) are great for dull skin as they help exfoliate dead skin cells which mean a brighter complexion. Some common AHAs include glycolic acid, lactic acid, and malic acid. Regular exfoliation can reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles and improve the clarity, tone and radiance of your complexion.
8. Plant Stem Cells
This medical growth component helps repair skin; specifically collagen and elastin as well as proteins. As we age our collagen production decreases so this ingredient is in the spotlight right now. Some face masks that contain plant stem cells include The Eden Instant Lift face mask and Peter Thomas Roth Rose Stem Cell Bio-Repair Gel Mask.
The Eden Instant Lift Face Mask Is the Ultimate Wrinkle Reducer and Stem Cell Therapy Sheet Mask- Created By Celebrity Facialist Joanna Vargas – USA Made, cruelty-free, botanical based ingredients.
Peter Thomas Roth Rose Stem Cell Bio-Repair Gel Mask
9. Honey
A great natural anti-aging skin care product. Throughout centuries, legendary beauties like Cleopatra have used raw honey as part of their beauty regimes to keep them looking youthful. A natural healing agent that also contains antioxidants and flavonoids. Honey is also a great natural moisturizer for dry and parched skin; who knew? It’s not just yummy on toast!
How To Use Anti-Aging Face Masks
A lot of masks have similar instructions for use, but not all of them will be the same. Make sure to refer to the packaging that came with your mask for specific instructions.
Current Favorite Anti-Aging Face Mask
The one I’m hooked on right now is Image Skincare I MASK firming transformation mask which comes with specific applicators that keep dirty fingers out of your product and stops product from getting under your nails. I’m all for keeping it clean.
It claims to support the skin’s ability to resist stress that causes visible signs of aging, energizes and invigorates dull skin, softens the look of lines, diminishes dullness and improves the look of texture, tightness and tone.
What I like about this mask is that besides noticing it tightening and hydrating from the first use it’s also mess free which I wasn’t expecting considering the blue color! I haven’t found a peel off mask I like as I find them drying and I don’t like how they tug on my skin when I remove them.
But hey, if you have a peel off mask that you feel doesn’t do this let me know. I love learning and trying new things in this fast changing space.
This anti aging mask also contains the key ingredients we talked about:
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Anti-oxidant: Pepper Berry Extract
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Gentle Exfoliator: Jojoba beads
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Hyaluronic acid
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Plus: Purifying Volcanic clays, Kaolin and an Oxygenating complex
Other Anti-Aging Face Mask and Beauty Articles
How to get the most out of your botox and filler
How to Get Glowing Skin : Nutrition, Workout, Skincare & Stress Reduction Tips!
Skincare tips and essentials for Summer including my favorite cruelty-free anti aging mask for 2020!
Disclaimer: I received complimentary Image face masks but was not asked to do anything in return. All opinions are my own through my own testing.
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