The Skincare Extras

With winter on its way and the temperatures already below 0 (celsius, not fahrenheit), I thought I would share the skincare products I use on top of my day-to-day items to keep my skin happy.

As you can see, all of the products pictured are masks of some kind. I really do like to pamper and boost my skin with masks, but let's be real, I'm sometimes too lazy to use a mask twice a week, let alone once a week. That's where the REN Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial comes into play. It's a yellowish-green looking gritty gel that smells kind of medicinal that works wonders in a minute. My skin is instantly softer and smoother. I really like that you only need a minute or two to use this product.

For nights where I have time to pamper my skin, I like using sheet masks. I typically get mine from The Face Shop, since they're popping up everywhere in Toronto. Seriously. So it makes it quite convenient to pop into a store and stock up on them. I let them sit on my skin for 15, sometimes 20, minutes and let the serum soak into my skin. My face feels more hydrated and plump, which is needed now that the cold is sucking it dry.

On days where my skin is feeling congested, I prefer using the Aesop Parsley Seed Masque. It's a clay mask that helps to draw out impurities and excess oil and dirt. I like that you can see the oil being drawn out. This is another mask that I leave on for 15-20 minutes and after washing it off, my skin feels clean and smooth, but not dry.

Another mask that I'm loving is the Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask. Whenever there are little bumps that are appearing on my face, this is the one I go to. It's BHA-based, so it provides deeper exfoliation. It's jelly-like in texture with a sweet, floral and herbal scent to it that I really like. The best thing is that it is 100% natural. With this mask, I put on a thin layer, leave it on for 30 minutes (10-15 minutes for those who have more sensitive skin), then wash it off with warm water. It gives me the smoothest feeling skin.

These are some of my favourite masks, but I'm always on the hunt for new ones to try out. What are some of your favourite masks to use?