The 15 Best Sheet Masks to Quench Your Thirsty Pores
Apply, selfie, peel.
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As much as we love a trip to the spa, treatments can be both pricey and time-consuming. Luckily, there's another at-home option available for when you can't pencil in a facial appointment with a professional: sheet masks. The best sheet masks are easy to use, affordable, and chock-full of skin-quenching ingredients. Plus, they feel amazing — especially on parched skin types.
Whether your skin is suffering from breakouts or dullness — or you just want an enhanced glow before a big event — there's a sheet mask out there for just about every skin concern. If you're not sure where to start (given that there are literally thousands of types available), we have you covered with this fail-safe list of 15 of our most-loved sheet masks of all time.
The Best Sheet Masks
- Best Overall: Dr. Jart+ Cryo Rubber Masks
- Contains Collagen: Eve Hansen Collagen Sheet Mask (5-Pack)
- Best Variety: Innisfree My Real Squeeze Mask Face Sheet Masks (12-Pack)
- Intensely Hydrating: Tatcha Luminous Deep Hydration Lifting Mask
- Skin Calming: Avène A-oxitive Sos Antioxidant Sheet Mask
- Red Carpet Glow: Joanna Vargas Eden Instant Lift Mask
- Pricey, But Worth It: SK-II Pitera Facial Treatment Mask (6-Pack)
- Best for Sensitive Skin: SkinCeuticals Biocellulose Restorative Mask (6-Pack)
- Best for the Under-Eye Area: Doctor Babor HYDRO RX 3D Hydro Gel Eye Pads
- Best Bang for Your Buck: Tonymoly I'm Real Sheet Masks
- Plumps Fine Lines: Lancôme Advanced Génifique Hydrogel Melting Mask
- Most Fun to Use: Glamglow Bubblesheet Oxygenating Deep Cleanse Mask
- Best for Turning Back the Clock: LA MER The Hydrating Facial Mask (6-Pack)
- K-Beauty Favorite: Too Cool for School Egg Cream Sheet Mask
- Lasts Up to Three Times: Charlotte Tilbury Instant Magic Facial Dry Sheet Mask
What to Consider
Do Sheet Masks Really Work?
Yes, sheet masks are an extremely effective way for your skin to soak up a high concentration of active ingredients, according to board-certified dermatologist Dr. Michele Green, M.D. “The sheet mask maximizes the absorption of these important skincare ingredients by prolonging the amount of time that they are interacting with the skin,” she says. However, the effects of sheet masks are temporary, notes board-certified dermatologist Dr. Diane Madfes, M.D., FAAD, who says she likes to meditate while rocking a sheet mask.
They're also safe to use after a professional micro-needling, just as long as they don't contain harsher ingredients like vitamin C or alpha hydroxy acids, which can potentially irritate your sensitive skin post-treatment, explains the New York-based doctor.
Can Anyone Use a Sheet mask?
“Anyone can use sheet masks, even if they have no skin concerns,” says board-certified dermatologist Dr. Elizabeth Damstetter, M.D., of Reserve Dermatology & Aesthetics. “Masks can provide you with a meaningful sense of self-care, alongside breathing techniques and meditation.”
Can I Use a Sheet Mask Every Day?
The skincare experts we consulted say it's not necessary to use a sheet mask every day.
Celebrity aesthetician Joshua Ross of SkinLab suggests using sheet masks twice a week during the winter, and once a week throughout the rest of the year. If you're unsure where to start, start slow with once a week, and adjust based on how your skin reacts to the sheet mask.
Also, if you feel really compelled to use sheet masks daily, be sure to avoid options made with exfoliating ingredients like alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs). Otherwise, you risk irritating your skin, cautions Green.
The Best Ingredients for Sheet Masks:
You can shop smartly by checking out the ingredient label of your favorite sheet masks to ensure you won't have irritation or an allergic reaction. Here, Madfes reveals her favorite sheet mask ingredients, based on common skin concerns:
- Dry skin: Hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, and glycerin will help rehydrate dry skin.
- Extremely dry: Snail mucin — which is found in products from the popular line Cosrx — and peptides are handy for surging your dehydrated skin with moisture.
- Wrinkles: Peptides and hyaluronic acid will temporarily plump up your skin.
- Acne-prone skin: Salicylic acid and mandelic acid will fight breakouts and blackheads.
- Brightening: Niacinamide, kojic acid, vitamin C, and willow bark extract will help fade the appearance of dark spots. Notably, niacinamide is incredibly gentle, and plays nicely with other ingredients.
- Sensitive skin: Centella asiatica leaf water, which is also called tiger grass, is commonly found in Korean beauty (K-beauty) products.
- Calming: Aloe vera, cucumber extract, and antioxidants are your skin-soothing superheroes.
How to Use a Sheet Mask
While we can appreciate intensive 15-step skincare routines, sometimes, you just need something simple and effective. We tapped Green to walk us through how to correctly apply a sheet mask.
- Wash your face with your favorite cleanser, so your pores are able to soak up the skincare ingredients found in your new sheet mask.
- Pour toner onto a small cotton pad and swipe it across your face. Toning is great for rebalancing the pH level of your skin.
- Apply a sheet mask directly to your face, making sure it's taut, and that you smooth out any ripples.
- Let the mask sit for up to 30 minutes, remove the mask, and massage any leftover serum into your skin with a face massager or your fingers.
- Gently pat a moisturizer on your face for additional hydration.
The Takeaway
Sheet masks are safe for all skin types — ranging from acne-prone to extremely dry — and they can be used multiple times per week. And like is the case with all skincare products, be sure to read the product label closely to ensure your new sheet mask purchase is aligned with your beauty needs. Now that you have a better understanding of how to shop for and use sheet masks, consider adding a few of these top-rated options we think your skin will genuinely enjoy.
Don't be fooled by the creepy baby packaging — this rubber sheet mask is the real deal. Dr. Jart's algae-based mask has a seriously impressive ingredient list.
It contains moisturizing hyaluronic acid to hydrate parched pores, but it also comes in three different formulas to target other common skin issues like brightness, soothing, and firming.
Everyone can benefit from a little skin-plumping collagen. When skin starts looking tired and dull, this Eve Hansen sheet mask restores its glow by using only natural and organic ingredients.
A mix of blueberry, spinach, and tangerine extracts works together to reduce the look of wrinkles and dark spots, in addition to adding hydration and increasing skin's firmness.
We love the variety offered with this set of Innisfree sheet masks. They feature a full range of 12 different types of masks, including aloe, cucumber, rose, and coconut, among others. They are extremely saturated, leaving your skin feeling fresh and plump after use.
This is the sole sheet mask on our list made from coconut rather than paper, which enhances its ability to better penetrate anti-aging ingredients into your skin, according to Green.
“These are perfect for all skin types. They’re packed with hyaluronic acid and red algae extract to provide a smoother, firmer, brighter, and healthier complexion,” she says.
Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Alan J. Parks, M.D., founder of beauty retailer DermWarehouse, loves this great sheet mask for its ability to help heal and protect your skin from environmental damage. Antioxidants like vitamins C and E will brighten and renew your skin while repairing damage and dullness. This sheet mask also boasts skin-calming thermal spring water, which is the brand's signature ingredient.
Can't make it to celebrity esthetician Joanna Vargas’ spa in New York or Los Angeles? No problem: Your face can soak up the effective ingredients found in her anti-aging sheet mask from the comfort of your home instead.
Her face mask earned a recommendation from Parks, who lauded the winning combination of skin-plumping hyaluronic acid, enriching green apple cell extract, and antioxidant-rich COQ10, which can help fade the appearance of wrinkles.
Pitera Facial Treatment Mask (6-Pack)
SK-II's mask will leave your face looking radiant and feeling rejuvenated. It addresses multiple skin issues in just one single step, explains Green. She's not the only one who praises SK-II's ultra luxe sheet masks for their spa-like quality, either: There are tons of glowing reviews online.
Gently apply this mask over the eye area before securing onto the face. The intensive 5- to 15-minute treatment soaks Pitera serum into your skin for a radiant, moisturized complexion.
Biocellulose Restorative Mask (6-Pack)
It's common to find sheet masks made of paper, but not this six-pack from SkinCeuticals. Ross gave them his seal of approval because they're made with just water and biocellulose fibers, which together cool and soothe irritated skin. This allows your skin to soak up ingredients easily.
HYDRO RX 3D Hydro Gel Eye Pads (4-Pack)
Does your under-eye area seem puffy, saggy, or discolored? Grab these under-eye patches, stat.
This four-pack takes your average sheet eye mask to the next level with a gel formula that uses hyaluronic acid to give your under-eyes a plumper, more radiant, and hydrated look.
Let's talk TONYMOLY. Not only are these masks effective, but they're also super affordable. Who doesn't love a beauty bargain?
Available in more than a dozen different types that each cater to a different need (such as moisture, elasticity, and vitality), each tri-layered sheet is infused with natural oils to completely nourish the skin.
Advanced Génifique Hydrogel Melting Mask
Radiant skin is just 10 minutes away with this hydrogel mask from Lancôme.
It's infused with bifidus extract, which is also found in the brand's cult-favorite Advanced Genefique serum. It plumps, hydrates, and smooths to help make skin feel more youthful.
No masks are more selfie-worthy than one of Glamglow's bubble masks. Along with being fun to use, this charcoal sheet fizzes up with 3-D microbubbles and Green Tea Teoxi technology that deep cleans and leaves skin glowing.
The Hydrating Facial Mask (6-Pack)
This set of six sheet masks from La Mer may set you back $250, but we wouldn't mention them here if they weren't incredible.
This anti-aging sheet mask is not only ultra soft, but it also works to give your skin a smoother, softer, and visibly more radiant look. Plus, it helps smooth out fine lines like magic. These masks are worth saving for a special pampering occasion to fully enjoy them.
Contrary to its recipe-book packaging, this egg cream mask is the furthest thing from a baking ingredient.
Infused with egg white and yolk extracts, this exfoliating mask removes dead cells and nourishes the skin with just the right amount of moisture for an illuminating, youthful complexion.
Instant Magic Facial Dry Sheet Mask
Unlike most serum-soaked masks, this dry sheet mask from Charlotte Tilbury can be used up to three times before tossing.
Infused with shea butter, avocado oil, mango seed butter, and rosemary leaf extract, the treatment is enhanced with an ingredient called 5 Skin Solution IQ, which tailors to your skin. So, you get the perfect fit and nourishment for your unique skincare needs.
Nicole Saunders is the beauty editor at Best Products with over seven years of experience researching, writing, and editing lifestyle content. She specializes in breaking down complicated topics, like high-frequency wands and microcurrent devices, into easy-to-understand guides. She takes great pride in heavily researching and testing featured beauty products, — such as hairdryers and foundations — on our site, and spotlights her all-time seasonal favorites in her quarterly column Best New Beauty. And she tests quite literally thousands of launches for our Beauty Awards package.
Jennifer is the former beauty editor for BestProducts.com, where she’s testing out everything from the latest lip gloss to the craziest skincare trend sweeping the online beauty-verse. Her work has been featured in Allure, Byrdie, HelloGiggles, and more. When she’s not swatching eyeshadow all over her arms, you can find the NYC-based editor scouring for hours on end for vintage finds, eating pad thai, and hanging out with her cat, Chunks.
Ashley is the beauty and style editor at BestProducts.com, and her work has been featured on Cosmopolitan and Town and Country. She has an obsession with designer handbags, Liberty prints, 1960s fashion, and owns more shoes than she’s willing to admit. She's been using her learnings from owning a boutique and her shopping addiction for good since 2015. She’ll never accept that black isn’t a color. Away from the computer, you’ll likely find the Texas native binging on a British period drama or theorizing over Game of Thrones. She has yet to find a real cup of queso in NYC.
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