I Find Myself A-peeling

Peeling can be unappealing.

I can’t use facial scrubs - those with tiny beads - no matter how tiny or gentle the beads are; not because the skin on my face can't take it but the skin on my hands are too thin due to eczema [I know it’s a bit tiresome because I’ve mentioned this so many times in my previous articles before, but eczema can sometimes dictate your life].

Still, my skin needs some sort of exfoliation because washing alone is not enough - after a while my skin will feel rather 'thick' and there would be an accumulation of dead skin [especially around the side of my nose] and blackheads that seem to have a permanent residence on my nose. Since I can’t get dead skin off quickly enough, I turn to peel-off masks - the kind that you literally peel off and find dirt and stuff stuck to the mask and not on your skin. And I have to tell you that there’s a sense of satisfaction when I see things that’s been clogging my skin stuck on the mask - not a pretty picture I can tell you that.

All three of these masks here that I have tried and used regularly [one, more than the other] are in gel form. The way I use it is that I apply the mask on, wait for it to get completely dry before peeling it off from the bottom [some areas will dry off later depending on how evenly you spread it]. I also apply some on my neck as well so that it will get the peeling goodness it deserves - just prepare yourself for a weird tightness as the mask gets dry.

Not one, not two but multi-action mask.

Garnier Light Complete Multi-action Whitening Peel-off Mask [Amazon | eBay]

The first thing I noticed about this mask was how strong the smell was. I still can’t get used to it. If the room is not well-ventilated, I can get a headache. I don’t remember what made me try it but I kept using it for quite some time since it didn't seem to irritate my skin. I have stopped using this since I’ve found another mask that is quite as good and not as strong-smelling and doesn’t give me headaches.

Whether this lightens dark spots or the skin in general or not, I'm afraid I can't comment on that because I've been using Estee Lauder's Matte Perfecting Primer and I find that the primer helps in my skin's healing - and maybe regeneration - process [I say this with reservation because I don't know for sure if that's what it actually does - maybe just gentle exfoliation].

Love the bottle-shaped sachet.

Purederm Cucumber Deep Cleansing Peel-off Mask [Amazon | Sears]

When I first opened the sachet, I took a whiff and thought it smelled pleasant. Upon application however, the fume snuck up on me and caught me off guard - like a nice little girl that sneaks up on you and suddenly gives you a punch in the nose. The smell was so deep in my nostril and throat that I actually coughed. It’s best to put on this mask in front of a fan - if you're famous, it's not that kind of fan.

No tingling or burning sensation when applied, which is a good thing. The mask can stick a bit strongly and tug on my skin and leave my skin reddish [my skin does get red easily]; but because of that, quite a lot of dirt get lifted off.

You don't have to put those stuff on your eyes.

Montagne Jeunesse Green Tea Peel Off Masque [Ulta | Amazon | eBay]

The only gripe I have with this mask is that I can’t pronounce the name of the brand. I can see why they are changing the name to 7th Heaven. Other than that I love this mask. 

Unlike the Garnier's and Purederm's mask, the scent of this is light. It also doesn’t irritate my skin, but it can get a bit hard to peel off. You see, to start peeling a peel-off mask, you have to apply pressure and push the edge of the mask to get the end to roll up before you can peel upwards [that's how I do it anyway; you can use your nails alternatively], and I find this process particularly difficult with this mask, more so than the two above - which can cause red skin. However, it doesn't tug as much and I keep going back to this mask more often. Would really like to check out other masks from 7th Heaven in the future.

Among the three masks, the packaging of the Montagne Jeunesse's is the one I find most unattractive, and to be honest I almost didn't buy this because of it; but I'm glad I did. It's the inside that counts.