Lazy Skin Care: A Face Mask for When You Can’t Be Bothered With Face Masks

PHOTO: ISTOCK

Lazy Skin Care: A Face Mask for When You Can’t Be Bothered With Face Masks

by Imogen Dewey

Sep 20, 2016

Face masks are a brilliant idea in theory. They call to mind elegant ladies in towel turbans, and cucumbers on eyes. Ladies who have their shit together enough to put expensive mud on their faces for 15 minutes in the pursuit of perfect pores.

But honestly, who has the time?

Enter: the splash mask.

It's exactly what it sounds like—a face mask you can splash on in the shower. And it only takes 15 seconds, or if you're feeling especially committed, 30.

What is a splash mask and what does it do?

Splash masks come to your bathroom cupboard via Korea, based on traditional skincare methods that involved splashing the face with flour-infused or rice-water. They combine the powers of a few key ingredients:

Botanical extracts: high in antioxidants, to nourish and brighten your skin.
Lactic acid: a super-effective exfoliant, which will clear your skin, as well as help with signs of aging.
Glycerin: a humectant (a.k.a water stasher) that soothes your skin and creates a protective barrier to lock in moisture.

Overall, the effect is basically plumped-up, dewy dream skin. We're sold.

How do you use it?

You have two options. We won't judge.

The slightly-more-committed way: Mix a capful of the fluid into a basin of water. Splash your face for 15-30 seconds, patting the water mix into your skin. Then gently pat your skin dry (this helps the goodies in the mask absorb into your skin, so it's fine to leave your face feeling slightly damp.

The quick, easy way: Take your bottle into the shower. Fill half a cap with fluid, and pat all over your face for five-10 seconds. Then, do the same with shower water. Then you're done! Seriously.