Facial Dissimulation

We all wear a mask, of sorts, when we present ourselves to the world. A fashion statement with the clothes and jewellery that we wear to express how we feel, what we like or when we need to match what we wear to that of our work colleagues in order to fit in with the company culture or the industry specific work conditions.

Whether you wear a business suit for work in neutral tones, a bold coloured tie or brighter shades of eyeshadow; they still take us time to put together in the morning* and what we wear to work, or on our days off, doesn't define who we are as an individual. My point being that the "masks that we wear" are important and they can be fun too.

Most face masks are a temporary break from the world for us as some of the formulas require us to stop any form of verbal communication as the tightening effect lifts, firms and sweeps away the toxins on our skin. 

Fifteen to twenty minutes of silence a week sounds easy, but can you remember the last time you used a face mask at home? I work in the cosmetics industry and I can't answer that question myself. I lead a busy life and I am happy, but I make my own excuses as to why I let it slide.

The truth is that if you invest twenty minutes a week in a good mask regime that suits your skin type and it corrects any concerns that you may have for your skin, then it will definitely save you from having to pay up to ten times more in ten years time to try and fix it then. Prevention is better than cure, less physically painful and it's cheaper.

Sheet or cloth masks are a great way to infuse active ingredients onto your skin as the instant cooling effect slowly diminishes to retain your body's natural warmth in the last few minutes without it drying in a minute as it does daily when you apply your serum and your moisturiser. I wrote when you apply them, not if, as they are non negotiables. Your face is closest to the sun. Your face needs moisture and sun protection. Even in winter and oily skin like mine can dehydrate.

My mother and I sacrificed ourselves for the affordable versus mid-range priced sheet mask challenge. Someone had to do it.

My mother enjoys working in her garden and it shows on her face as she has dehydration lines and pigmentation due to sun damage. Therefore I gave my mum the Dr Lewinn's Line Smoothing Mask. A veritable who's who of wondrous active ingredients such as Argireline, Vitamin A, Green Tea, Panax Ginseng and Algae to name but a few. This mask was ready to address my mum's hydration and skin smoothing needs. Her sun damage needs a more disciplined approach such as Vitamin A at night and a sunblock during the day. This is why I tell you to please use a moisturiser with sunscreen daily. Mum started using one at the age of sixty five. For fifteen years I tried and no luck. "It's too late for my skin, save yourself" she said. For her seventieth birthday, mum was planning a big trip to Europe to see all of her relatives...then mum wanted results and fast. I was in my element as I knew exactly what to do, but even after a year there was only a slight improvement in pigmentation and firming. I got rid of her Dehydration within days. The answer is laser treatment and she wouldn't be able to deal with the physical pain and recovery process.

My skin on the other hand needs some firming and toning which is why I turned to my trusty Skin Vitals Q-Lift which contains a glorious mix of ingredients such as Coenzyme Q10, Soy Protein, Silk Protein and Wine Extract.

Normally in a competition there can only be one winner, in this case we were both winners. One mask was not necessarily better than the other. This is because my mum's skin needs a lot of targetted help. Her mask infused her skin with moisture which in turn left it feeling supple. It can not erase years of sun damage on one application and we did not expect that.

My mask boosted the water in my skin which can be lacking around my cheeks. Moisture and balancing plant oils is what keeps my normal to oily skin more normal than to oily. A few minutes after I had massaged the small amount of the serum like solution that remained on my face, it did feel noticeably firmer. 

A sheet mask is great after a long flight, strenuous activity or before a night out on the town when you need a quick lift. They are lightweight which makes them perfect for throwing into your travel bag. Targeted patches for sensitive areas such as your eyes, hands and for your neck are also available. Please do not flush them, or any cleansing wipes, down the toilet.

20 minutes a week. 

Please.

King M. Rakic

*I have seen the prototype for a machine that washes your clothing and it folds it for you! I will let you know ASAP.