face mask - dry skin

Thirsty skin? Us, too, big-time – so we’re always particularly interested in complexion-quenching face masks, for a fast burst of moisture. 

We had several excellent entries for 2023, poised to offer your complexion the relief of deep moisturisation and nourishment. (In our book, nothing boosts moisture levels as fast as 15 minutes spent relaxing with a face mask.) Listen carefully, when using you may even hear your skin drinking these in…!

For a wider range of options, do check out the face masks suitable for ALL skin types – including dry – here…

GOLD (JOINT) AWARD and BEST NATURAL Jurlique Hydrating Mask

From the Aussie naturals brand of whom we’ve been fans for – gulp – three decades, an ultra-rich, silkily creamy mask powered by their radiance-boosting blend of calendula, marshmallow root extracts, lavender and roses, totalling 98% natural ingredients. They use their signature Jurlique rose, cultivated on their farm in the Adelaide hills. Jurlique have been on quite a sustainability journey in the past few years, truly going back to their roots; this tube can be recycled in store via TerraCycle, while the FSC-certified carton can be placed on the kerbside with your regular cardboard recycling. Designed to replenish, soften and restore glow, the mask is left on for 10 minutes, then massaged into skin, once or twice a week. (If you choose, you can also leave it to sink in overnight.)

£41 for 100ml - click to buy 

OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:

‘The best face mask I've ever tried – a facial in a tube! I really liked this; it felt nice and light when applied, leaving skin really soft and plumper, revitalised and refreshed. A pleasant smell and really lovely texture’ • ‘Each time, I found that it gave a lovely boost to my skin; it improved moisturisation levels and made my skin look brighter. I used this on mornings when my skin felt taut or when I felt tired and sluggish; it helped brighten and moisturise my skin for the rest of the day’ • ‘I loved this hydrating mask and looked forward to using it every week; lovely consistency and smells fabulous – light, rosy, gentle, calming. When putting it on, I felt I was doing my skin the world of good’ • ‘A beautiful-smelling face mask that is ideal to apply at night – it moisturises skin while you sleep and delivers a lovely uplifting scent just as you're about to go to drop off. You wake to a better-looking and nicer-feeling face!’ • ‘I think the benefits are ongoing; my skin is less dry overall since using it, feels healthier – more 'dewy' and less dried out’ • ‘No comparison to my normal product; this feels different – satiny, luxurious-feeling; it sinks in rather than feeling tight and uncomfortable, delivering younger-looking skin’ • ‘An absolute joy to use as either a treatment or to sleep in overnight, leaving my skin looking pampered and healthy, calm, less red, plump and well care-for.’

£41 for 100ml - click to buy 

GOLD (JOINT) AWARD ARK Skincare Hydration Injection Mask

ARK is a British brand whose formulas are ‘free from parabens, SLS, mineral oil, denatured alcohol, formaldehyde, and artificial colours and fragrances’ – but what they DO pack into this mask is vitamin A (for suppleness) vitamin B5 (hydration and smoothness), hyaluronic acid, vitamin E (for antioxidant protection). For dry skins and/or tired, stressed-looking complexion, use once or twice a week – they recommend leaving it on for longer, depending on how old you are! That’s five minutes if you’re in your teens and twenties, 10 minutes for thirty- and fortysomethings, and 20 minutes for 50+. ARK recently partnered with Greenspark to measure the brand’s carbon emissions and offsets them – in just eight months, they’d saved 3,422 tonnes of CO2 and planted 1,187 trees.

£36 for 75ml - click to buy 

OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:

‘Skin really hydrated and so soft and smooth. My skin felt plumper with less obvious wrinkles, after use’ • ‘My daughter said my skin felt really soft the morning after using this mask. It definitely feels instantly hydrated; I would absolutely recommend’ • ‘I think you may finally have found "the one" for me: lovely lightweight face mask that leaves skin feeling beautiful and fresh’ • ‘This face mask is so fresh and light that I often use it more than weekly, without any side-effects. It doesn’t dry my skin to the point of feeling my face has cracked; instead, it leaves it feeling like holiday skin, fresh and silky, whenever I want’ • ‘Such a beautifully subtle fragrance, not overpowering at all. People have started to say that my skin looks glowing and I have been wearing much less make-up (something I’ve never been confident to do)’ • ‘Skin looks hydrated and moisturised, with a more even tone; if I left it on overnight, my skin had a glow and felt my skin was restored to good health, by morning’ • ‘A mask for tired skin to give it a much-needed boost. The morning of a wedding, I looked tired and  my skin looked dodgy, with spots threatening to appear, so I put this on for 20 minutes. My skin looked so much fresher and gave me some radiance (and confidence); next day, no signs of the spots. A great emergency mask to freshen up your skin, and feels like a treat to use.’

£36 for 75ml - click to buy 

SILVER AWARD Dr Organic Guava Gel Face Mask

We are pleased to have an affordable option to recommend in this category, from an accessibly-priced and naturals brand. The ‘organic’ here refers to the organic guava fruit extract, from a tropical fruit that’s naturally high in vitamin C, helping to brighten dull skin. Other moisturising, skin-plumping ingredients are coconut oil, sunflower seed oil, sweet almond oil and glycerine. Dr Organic tell us that they are partnering with the charity Ocean Generation, ‘donating 5% from the profits of the sales of multi-use masks to the charity which campaigns for a reduction in plastic waste in our oceans.’ A little extra feel-good factor to enjoy, as you lie back for 10 minutes and let this sink in.

£9.99 for 50ml - click to buy 

OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:

‘I loved this product. Simple and easy to use, didn’t feel gimmicky at all and really worked; it glided on, is fresh smelling but not overpowering and doesn’t feel sticky’ • ‘You can get on with other stuff while it works its magic and then quickly rinse off to leave your skin looking radiant for the rest of the day’ • ‘Definitely left skin brighter and more radiant. I often use the mask if I am going out to give my skin a quick moisturising boost and definitely feel my skin looks brighter and more radiant after using every time. I also used it in the mornings if I felt and looked particularly tired after not sleeping well or if I was feeling stressed, and it definitely boosted my complexion for the day’ • ‘Although I know I should, I don't tend to use masks all that often because I find them a bit faffy and time-consuming. This, though, was so easy to use and I didn’t have to watch the clock in case I left it on for too long. I loved that it left my skin feeling hydrated instead of taut and dried out. On top of that, this face mask also smelt tropical and fruity, so I found it a real treat to use’ • ‘My skin still looked brighter the day after using the mask. There was definitely a cumulative benefit to using this regularly; after a few weeks, my skin looked slightly more radiant than usual’ • ‘My mum asked if I'd been sleeping well, as I looked “well-rested!”

£9.99 for 50ml - click to buy 

BRONZE AWARD  PIXI Rose Remedy Mask

It would be tempting to be seduced by the cute, yoghurt-y shaped pot for this face mask alone – but our testers are asked to cast aside design considerations, save where it comes to delivery systems or functionality. However, this does rather beg you to dip in and scoop out the rich, rose-scented mask, to slather onto skin in a generous, even layer, for a mega skin drink. Key botanicals are moisturising/restorative rosehip oil deeply nourishing argan, healing cica (anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory), plus turmeric, for antioxidant protection. Tissue off after 10 minutes, recommend PIXI, who have an impressive number of skincare and make-up winners, in 2023.

£20 for 300ml - click to buy 

OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:

‘A fabulous mask which leaves skin feeling smooth and hydrated – I didn’t feel like I needed to use moisturiser after using this, as my skin feels so moisturised’ • ‘Compared to some of my other masks (notably sheet ones) it was a lot nicer and easier to use. Skin felt very nourished, and as promised on the tub it was refreshing’ • ‘Nice, generous tub size was – plenty of product in there. My skin felt great, nourished and soft. I swear my make-up looked better too! I only needed a teeny tiny amount of concealer and felt less red on my cheeks too (I do have quite rosy cheeks which can be a bit blotchy from time to time)’ • ‘Lovely and cooling on the skin – really very pleasant. My skin looked brighter, dewy and refreshed, as if I’d been on a nice walk’ • ‘Great for hydrating your skin and would be good for a holiday when you've been to the beach and your skin feels tight’ • ‘I would say the improvements from using this mask last for a day or two, leaving the skin feeling plumped and moisturised. I noticed I didn't need as much night moisturiser as usual, so I think this mask was adding nourishment to my skin’ • ‘I left it on a little longer than required – 20 minutes.  I came up to the office (scared my husband) and carried on working. I liked the fact that I could easily move around while wearing the mask, and I’d say that for the next 24 hours my skin looked nourished and moisturised.’

£20 for 300ml - click to buy