Every other night, I always do a skincare face mask. It’s the easiest and fastest way to feel relaxed and to give your face a break from everything it goes through every day.

Not all masks are whipped up the same. Some are for hydration, others are for clarifying, while some suck out the dirt clogging your pores.

If you ask my friends, I usually first recommend Kiehl’s Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Mask. It’s important to use a mask that gets all the dirt out before anything else. This is to make sure you’re not just piling on your skincare products onto dead skin. Clear pores best absorb your toners and serums. What’s special about Kiehl’s mask is the use of Amazonian White Clay. The ingredient draws out impurities while smoothing and refining skin. It has aloe vera to help soothe the skin.

Another effective cleansing mask is African Botanics Mineral Cleansing Mask. It labels itself as the “ultimate detoxifying treatment mask that tones, nourishes and refreshes fatigued skin.” It contains potent ingredients such as marula, baobab and African bush plants that moisturize, strengthen, brighten, firm and refine the skin.

Copper and magnesium in the tub help purify the skin. It also has African Resurrection Plant and Globularia Cordifolia Plant Stem Cells to help skin tissue regeneration. Pick it up from Net-A-Porter.

From Sephora.ph, I like the Sand & Sky Australian Pink Clay Pore Refining Mask. You may have seen its ads on social media. And I can tell you it’s not all hype and the build-up is earned. Pink Australian clay is lauded for detoxifying pores and for quelling oiliness. You may get a pimple or two after your use, but that’s only because it’s getting all the gunk out. I also like that the tub comes with small applicator brush so you can keep the mask free of outside impurities.

After you choose your cleansing mask, you can splurge on masks that give that glass-skin effect. If you’re feeling extra fancy, get the Dr. Barbara Sturm Face Mask. This product has high claims of intensive moisture and hydration via aloe vera and chamomile. It also has innovative antioxidant purslane to protect cell membranes and activates skin’s antioxidant system. Buy this via Cult Beauty.

You can also opt for the Herbivore Botanicals Brighten Pineapple Enzyme + Gemstone Instant Glow Mask. It’s unique as it uses micronized Brazilian tourmaline gemstone, pineapple, and papaya enzymes to resurface gently and exfoliate the skin. You can get this and other Herbivore Botanicals via Sephora.ph

You also will like the Charlotte Tilbury Goddess Skin Clay Mask. This promises dewy skin. It has Bionymph Peptide to improve skin smoothness. Frangipani flower extracts have calming and moisturizing benefits plus a delicate sweet floral fragrance. To top it off there are essential oils that hydrate, and Vitamin C has brightening effect on the skin.