the ultimate skin rescue

What could be better - for both mind and body - than making time for a face mask after a long day?

Skincare was a concept I was, truthfully, slow to appreciate. I still remember watching my mum's cleanse-rinse-tone-moisturise routine when younger without understanding why. Even as a teen (waiting for the pimple outbreak) I never cleansed, moisturised or - regretfully - put sunscreen on. 

Fast forward to today, I've learnt a few things.

1. Skincare is not just for oily skin. And adolescence is not code for oily skin. I have dry skin. Oh. That made a huge difference.
2. Sweat, pollution, weather, etc. Things that build up during the day that can really affect your skin.
3. Face masks and treatments are not exclusive to swanky day spas.

I love an easy face mask after a long day, full belly with a glass of wine and mellow tunes (*swoon*) - so when Dermalogica asked me to try their new Charcoal Rescue Masque (charcoal!), boy oh boy oh boy.

I really do appreciate the benefits of a proper daily skincare routine but at the same time, I'm all for efficiency and optimisation a.k.a. best results with minimised time, effort and no redundancies (sorry, engineer-in-training). This means I always look for products that multi-task. Cleanse and brighten. Exfoliate and balance. This is personally what works for me - a simple, easy and effective way to take care of yourself. The more complex or time-consuming routines get, the harder it is for me to maintain it. 

So you think you don't have the time for a face mask? That's what I first thought. But 10 minutes is really all the time needed for this masque to be effective. It's so good. I'm actually secretly pleased to be adding this to my skincare routine because ooh la la! pampering yourself sure feels great but looking better is the icing on the cake. The Charcoal Rescue Masque leaves my skin brighter and skin texture noticeably smoother. Plus, it doesn't dry out my skin at all. Double plus, Dermalogica is cruelty-free (no animal testing, yay!). 

A little bit goes a long way, so love the skin you're in! What's your go-to skincare routine? Do you include the occasional face mask?

Opinions are my own. Thank you to Dermalogica for making this post possible!

Photos by Kara and me