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Congested skin, blackheads, dullness, fine lines; there’s hardly any skin problem that exfoliation can’t solve. But it’s easy to over-exfoliate the skin when done with daily serums or toners, which can lead to irritation. For that reason, exfoliating face masks can be a safer alternative to daily exfoliants.
Additionally, exfoliating face masks are more beginner-friendly and a great way to get your skin familiarized with the process. We’ve rounded up the best exfoliating face masks for every skin type and concern. But to help you get the best results, first see how they benefit your skin and how to use them.
What Does an Exfoliating Face Mask Do?
An exfoliating face mask draws out any impurities from the surface of the skin to reveal smoother and brighter skin.
The best ones contain chemical exfoliants like glycolic acid or salicylic acid. They dissolve the bond between the dead skin cells and shed them off.
As a result, they brighten the complexion, even out the skin tone, and reduce blemishes. They also get rid of stubborn dry patches and flaky skin.
Exfoliation also treats and prevents milia, which are tiny bumps on the skin. They form as a result of the build-up of dead skin cells trapped underneath the skin. By removing the dead skin cells, exfoliating masks eliminate milia.
Last but not least, exfoliating face masks normalize your skin turnover as a long-term anti-aging benefit. As a result, you get plumper skin with less visible wrinkles.
How To Choose an Exfoliating Mask
Exfoliating face masks come in different forms and textures. For best results, you need to choose depending on your skin type.
For example, if you have oily skin and are prone to acne, go for exfoliating masks in clay form. And look for chemical exfoliants like salicylic acid. Clay will balance excess oil and mattify your complexion while the acids exfoliate.
If you have dry skin, an exfoliating mask made with clay can cause dryness. In that case, look for something creamy, which will eliminate dryness.
If you have sensitive skin, you can try exfoliating masks either made with enzymes or acids but in lower concentrations.
The Best Exfoliating Masks
Below are the best exfoliating face masks to improve your complexion on all possible levels. Delivered in gel form or clay, enhanced with hydroxy acids or enzymes, you’re guaranteed to find an exfoliating face mask for your skin type below.
1. SkinCeuticals Clarifying Clay Masque
This one is an amazing exfoliating face mask for oily and acne-prone skin. The mask contains both clay and chemical exfoliants to renew oily skin. While clay absorbs excess oil and mattifies the complexion, 2% fruit acids, rich in glycolic and lactic acids, exfoliate.
The mask detoxifies the skin and resurfaces a healthier and clearer layer. Additional soothing botanicals provide anti-inflammatory benefits to calm acne-prone skin.
Base: Clay
Ingredients: Fruit extracts rich in lactic, glycolic, and malic acids
Key Benefits: Balances oil production, mattifies
Skin Type: Oily, acne-prone
Size: 2.4 oz/60 ml
2. Herbivore Prism 20% AHA + 5% BHA Exfoliating Glow Facial
This one packs a blend of alpha-hydroxy acids. Glycolic, lactic, and tartaric acids are all naturally derived to smooth the skin texture and exfoliate surface dead cells. 5% salicylic acid derived from willow bark helps with clogged and enlarged pores and gets rid of blackheads.
The mask has a gel base that goes on and off easily and doesn’t leave the skin tight or dry afterward. It’s a fantastic exfoliating face mask to increase radiance and get a more even-toned complexion.
Base: Gel
Ingredients: Fruit extracts rich in glycolic, tartaric, and malic acids, willow bark extract
Key Benefits: Gently exfoliates without drying
Skin Type: Normal, dry, combination, oily
Size: 1.7 oz/50 ml
Good To Know: Vegan, cruelty-free
3. Tata Harper Resurfacing BHA Glow Mask
The super-light exfoliating mask contains naturally-derived salicylic acid to clear up congested skin. The mask is also formulated with clay, which is already a winner for oily/combination skin to balance the complexion.
While pink clay draws out impurities from the skin, natural salicylic acid unclogs pores and reduces inflammation to prevent future blemishes. The natural exfoliating mask has a light base and leaves the skin looking smoother, brighter, and clearer.
Base: Gel
Ingredients: Willow bark extract, enzymes, clay, aloe
Key Benefits: Unclogs pores, clears up skin
Skin Type: All skin types
Size: 1 oz/30 ml
Good To Know: Vegan, cruelty-free
4. Ole Henriksen PHAT Glow Facial Mask
This exfoliating face mask is made with a polyhydroxy acid, namely gluconolactone. Contrary to glycolic or salicylic acid, gluconolactone is way gentler on the skin. It works on the surface level to slurp up dead skin cells. And it additionally hydrates and plumps the skin.
The exfoliating face mask has a clay base to help with congestion and blemishes. The skin-friendly PHA mask gently resurfaces the skin without irritating or causing full-blown redness. It leaves the skin soft and pure, making it one of the best exfoliating face masks for people with sensitive skin.
Base: Clay
Ingredients: Gluconolactone, niacinamide, vitamin B5
Key Benefits: Smoothes skin texture without irritation
Skin Type: All skin types
Size: 1.7 oz/50 ml
Good To Know: Vegan, cruelty-free
5. Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow AHA Night Treatment
This nightly sleep mask is perfect if you prefer an exfoliating mask that doubles as a leave-on treatment too. The nourishing Korean jelly mask is made with a combination of AHAs like glycolic and lactic acids.
Besides, it has nourishing watermelon extract as well as hydrating hyaluronic acid. The overnight exfoliating mask is super gentle on the skin and can even be your new anti-aging night cream. It reveals your smoothest and brightest skin overnight.
Base: Gel
Ingredients: Glycolic acid, lactic acid, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, watermelon extract
Key Benefits: Works overnight to gently resurface skin
Skin Type: Normal, dry, combination, oily
Size: 2.2 oz/60 ml
Good To Know: Vegan, cruelty-free
6. REN Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask
Combining chemical exfoliants with enzymes, the mask smooths the look of textured skin and polishes the complexion. Glycolic acid and lactic acids remove the dead skin cells to revive lackluster skin.
They help with scarring, hyperpigmentation, and flaky skin as well. Papaya enzymes polish the complexion and eliminate congestion. The mask leaves the skin renewed, refreshed, and more radiant than ever.
Base: Gel
Ingredients: Lactic acid, enzymes
Key Benefits: Lightly exfoliates to brighten dull skin
Skin Type: Normal, dry, combination, oily
Size: 1.7 oz/50 ml
Good To Know: Cruelty-free
7. Youth To The People Yerba Mate Resurfacing Energy Facial
And speaking of enzymes, this one gives you the benefit of physical exfoliation minus the scratchy granules that can irritate your skin. The exfoliating mask contains papaya enzymes as well as lactic acid to lift off dead skin cells and revitalize the skin.
For gentle physical exfoliation, it packs bamboo extract to smooth out the skin texture without irritating it. Plus, it’s brimming with energizing caffeine and brightening niacinamide to leave your skin glowy.
Base: Cream
Ingredients: Enzymes, lactic acid, niacinamide, caffeine
Key Benefits: Provides chemical, and physical exfoliation
Skin Type: All skin types
Size: 2 oz/59 ml
Good To Know: Vegan, cruelty-free
8. Pixi GLOW Glycolic Boost
Combining the comforting feeling of a sheet mask with the glow-boosting effects of glycolic acid, this one is pretty unique. The sheet mask infuses the skin with the resurfacing AHA as well as several botanicals to bring back your glow. Energizing ginseng, anti-inflammatory witch hazel, soothing aloe, and hydrating cucumber leave the skin nourished, brighter, and healthier.
You get to peel off dead skin cells and increase skin turnover without irritating or drying your skin out. The mask is pretty affordable and each pack contains 3 exfoliating sheet masks.
Base: Sheet
Ingredients: Glycolic acid, ginseng extract, aloe, green tea
Key Benefits: Infuses the skin with serum, tightens, brightens
Skin Type: All skin types
Size: 3 sheets
Good To Know: Cruelty-free
9. Caudalie Vinoperfect Brightening Glycolic Peel Mask
This is a glycolic acid mask enriched with papaya enzymes. Combining that with a skin-hugging, creamy base, the mask minimizes irritation and dryness, making it the best exfoliating face mask for dry skin.
So it doesn’t dry down hard or turn into a cement-like texture on the skin. The brightening mask is excellent for reducing hyperpigmentation, fading scarring, and softening the look of wrinkles without damaging your skin.
Base: Cream
Ingredients: Glycolic acid, lactic acid, enzymes
Key Benefits: Exfoliates without damaging skin barrier, brightens
Skin Type: Normal, dry, combination, oily
Size: 2.5 oz/75 ml
Good To Know: Vegan, cruelty-free
This concludes our round-up of the best exfoliating masks. If you’re not sure how to use one, keep reading.
How to Use an Exfoliating Face Mask
The most important thing to remember here is to check the instructions on the products. But as a general rule of thumb, use your exfoliating face mask on clean and dry skin.
Depending on the product, leave the mask on for 10-15 minutes and rinse it off. As exfoliation can be drying, follow with your moisturizer to replenish the skin.
If you have very sensitive skin, you can try leaving the product on for about 5 minutes to avoid irritation. Additionally, you can try using your exfoliating mask as a spot treatment. Apply the mask on problematic areas like clogged pores on the cheeks, nose, or chin.
How Often to Use an Exfoliating Mask
Depending on your skin’s tolerance, you can use an exfoliating mask 1-3 times a week. If you need more than that, a face mask is going to be a waste of money.
In that case, go for daily serums, toners, or exfoliating pads. Additionally, remember to use sunscreen daily as chemical exfoliants make the skin more prone to sunburn.
Read Next: The Best At-Home Multi-Acid Peels
