I have had very oily and acne prone skin for many years. This is been a personal battle of mine for what feels like forever, and was the reason I became obsessed with skincare and all things beauty and fashion related. After much research and trial and error I found a skincare routine that works for me, but a few years ago I discovered the magical powers of face masks, and it was this discovery that really helped get my skin to the clarity it has today. Unfortunately I still have oily skin, large pores, and more blemishes than I want to deal with, but when compared to my skin a few years ago it has completely transformed, and I have face masks to thank for that. Like with any other type of product I discover I became obsessed, so in other words I own far more masks than is strictly necessary. In this post I will talk about my top 5 face masks, most are meant for oily and acne prone skin, but some work for any skin type. I hope you enjoy!

If you are looking for an intense treatment mask Glamglow is a great company to look into. They have masks for purifying, hydrating, brightening, and so much more. One of my favorites is their YouthMud Tinglexfoliate Treatment. I decided to purchase the small container ($19 for .5 oz) as opposed to the full size ($69 for 1.7 oz), because 1. it is cheaper and 2. It doesn’t dry out before I finish the product. Because I own so many masks I rarely use the same product more than once or twice a month, and with the large container, the mask would always dry out before I finished the product, making the $69 a ridiculous amount to spend on a mask that I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the entirety of.

YouthMud is an excellent exfoliating mask that is very intense, and probably is not the best for drier skin. Something I love about Glamglow mud masks is that when first applied it dries matte, but as time progresses the mask draws oil out of the pores and creates a bubble that sits on top of the skin. I will admit this looks disgusting but I like that it gives you a visual representation of the amount of oil in your pores (even after cleansing). You will be very surprised by the amount of oil this mask is able to draw out, and equally amazed by the results of this exfoliant. With the help of this mask your skin will be smoother, clearer, and far less oily.

I bought this mask during Sephora’s Black Friday $10 deal. This came with two other mini versions of Origins’ best selling masks. Out of the three, Clear Improvements ($25 for 3.4 oz) is definitely my favorite. It is a charcoal mask, and if you didn’t already know charcoal acts like an oil magnet, making it a perfect ingredient in skincare for those with oily skin. This mask does an excellent job at extracting oil from the skin but is far less intense than Glamglow masks, making this better for sensitive skin and for more frequent use.
Another Origins mask that I adore is Out of Trouble ($25 for 3.4 oz). This is a white clay mask that helps with acne prone skin, and it has a nice cooling effect that makes it very comfortable to wear. Whenever my acne starts to flare I put this on and by morning my breakouts are greatly reduced. Peter Thomas Roth’s Irish Moor Mud Mask is probably my favorite mask. It is a black mud mask (yes, yet another mud mask), but it sets itself apart from the rest because 1. it has no scent 2. it is purifying yet also moisturizing and 3. it clears my acne and makes my skin glow. Because it doesn’t dry out my skin I wear this quite frequently (1-2 times a week), and although it is $58 it comes in a 5 oz container, making this far more cost effective than Glamglow. I highly recommend this mask to everyone no matter your skin concerns.

My final favorite mask is Philosophy’s Oxygen Peel ($59 for 10 uses). This comes in a kit that is reminiscent of chemistry class. I’ve written about this mask before (read here), but never wrote a review. Very simply this mask eliminates ALL of my skin’s redness, and this is no small feat. This mask can be used once a week (which I never fail to do) and will detoxify, brighten, and clarify your skin. You will be very surprised by the clarity of your skin after just one use.