It sounds so obnoxiously cliché, but there really is something about putting on a face mask that makes me feel like I’m at a spa right in my own bedroom. I usually spend the ten minutes I sit with a mask on reading, rather than working or scrolling Instagram, so I’m sure that is a big part of it, but the way my face feels afterwards doesn’t hurt :) It’s the easiest Sunday night ritual that closes my weekend on a relaxing note and helps me wake up with slightly better skin on Monday morning. That said, my skin is too acne-prone for me to be able to try different masks all the time. Instead, I’ve found two that I rotate between, neither of which ever make me break out, and both of which are “clean.” Considering the goal is literally for a mask to soak into your skin, I definitely think this is one place to prioritize safe ingredients. Of course, everyone’s skin is different, but especially if yours sounds similar to mine, I think these are worth a try!

For breakouts: Beautycounter Balancing + Charcoal Mask. This was one of the first masks I started using regularly and it has been a staple in my routine for the last two years. Any time I’m starting to break out, I put this on for ten minutes and it truly seems to keep the breakout at bay–helping to heal what may already be there and preventing anything new from showing up. If you have acne-prone skin too, I highly, highly recommend adding this one to your list! I use it about every other week (sometimes more or less depending on my skin at the time), so the bottle lasts forever–my first tube lasted a year and a half. (Just make sure you use a dark washcloth to wash it off–I kind of ruined one of our light washcloths, whoops.) This one is supposed to be great for oily skin too!

For exfoliating: Summer Fridays Overtime Mask. Between the gorgeous branding and the Clean Seal at Sephora, Summer Fridays quickly caught my attention. A salesperson gave me a very generous sample of Overtime when I inquired about it (three of those little containers!), and I loved it from the first time I used it. It’s formulated with pumpkin, so it smells amazing, and you can really feel the mask slough away dead skin when rubbing it in. You’re supposed to massage this mask into your face for about a minute and then let it sit for ten. I swear, my skin is glowier every morning after I use it!

Are face masks part of your skincare regimen? If so, chime in with your skin type and favorite mask below!