How To Use Powder Face Masks
I recently popped to TwistBe’s* store in Kamppi district, Helsinki, and had a long chat with Kati, one of the wonderful founders. We chatted lengthy about the store concept and how curated their product lines are, and one brand that I kept seeing in the shop was BYBI*. I’m a fan of this “Instagram chic” British eco brand, but Kati mentioned that some customers shy away from the powder masks, such as BYBI’s Detox Mask. I thought how to powder face masks would be a great idea for a blog post, so here it comes!
What Are Powder Face Masks And How To Use Them?
I like to categorize face masks in five main types
1. Balm/oil-based masks: like Josh Rosebrook Advanced Hydration Mask (review here)
2. Exfoliating or enzymatic masks, for example the Evolve or Tata Harper ones
3. Hydrating masks; wash-off (read more here) and sheet masks (reviews)
4. PRE-MIXED masks that use clays, such as Mahalo The Petal mask (review here and here)
5. MIX-IT-YOURSELF masks, which we’re talking about today!
These masks that come in powder forms are often clay, charcoal, seed powders or some flour-based concoctions that you mix (‘activate’) with a liquid, such as water, aloe vera or honey. This might sound complicated, too much effort or messy, but trust me on this – it’s not. You’re not baking a complex cake here, you’re just mixing a ~2 teaspoons of powder with 3-4 drops of liquid. If it’s too thick - add more liquid. If it’s too runny - add more powder! Simple as that.
Why Should I Choose A Powder Mask?
I think there are two main benefits: you get to customize your mask and it’s very cost-effective. Sometimes you might want to use your clay-based mask with water for drawing out impurities or exfoliate, on another occasion you might want to choose honey or aloe for a more gentle, hydrating mask session.
Powder masks stay good for a very long periods of time as they have no water or other ingredients that tend to go off quickly. If you’re concerned of preservatives, there usually is none. You can easily travel with a small amount of the powder, no cabin restrictions on an airplane. Beauty brands also tend to be very generous with the amount of mask powder you get: luxury brands like May Lindstrom or de Mamiel tend to be very pricey, but you get a ton of product when you choose a powder mask over pre-mixed one. Get one to share!
Thirdly, I personally enjoy it a lot. I put my hair up and feel like I’m doing something kind yet beneficial for myself and my skin. If you want to make this a full self-care ritual, maybe pour the powder in a special dish, such as a ceramic cup or even a beautiful soy sauce plate and use a face mask brush to mix and apply the mask. You don’t even need to purchase a special brush if you have an old paddle foundation brush.
Some Powder Masks to Try:
I haven’t tried all of these as I still have plenty of de Mamiel Brightening Cleanse and Exfoliate left and I am definitely going to repurchase. It’s amazing, but pretty strong and intense, so I listed alternatives. BYBI is a safe bet for your first powder mask if you’re unsure, but I’ve heard wonderful things about Leahlani! (Note: some of these websites have marked the product as ml vs g, but they are all powder)
BYBI the Detox Dust 60ml / €28.9 on TwistBe (FI)*
May Lindstrom The Clean Dirt Cleansing Clay 200ml / €74 on Jolie (FI)*
May Lindstrom The Problem Solver Correcting Masque 250ml / €105 on Jolie (FI)*
Isla Apothecary Skin Purifying Mud 85g / €38 on Jolie (FI)*
Leahlani Kokoleka Detox Face Mask 100ml / €72 on Jolie (FI)*
Leahlani Kalima Cleansing Powder 100ml / €53 on Jolie (FI)*
de Mamiel Brightening Cleanse and Exfoliate 70g / £45 on Cult Beauty*
Have you tried powder masks? What’s your favorite?
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