Shopping for a new face mask when you have sensitive, redness-prone skin can be tricky since many formulas include some type of clay at the top of their ingredient list. While these gentle clays are great for detoxifying the skin and soaking up oil, they tend to leave sensitive skin types with a face that's redder than it was to begin with. Generally, the best face masks for redness are labeled as "calming" and "soothing," instead of "cleansing" or "purifying" — but there's more to it than that.
For sensitive and rosacea-prone skin types, you should ideally be looking for a gentle hydrating mask that's hypoallergenic and free of common skin irritants like parabens, alcohol, and fragrance, which typically just make redness worse. Ingredients like glycerin, squalene, and hyaluronic acid, on the other hand, will keep skin soft and moisturized without clogging your pores.
Then, of course, there's what's currently contributing to your redness. If it's the winter trifecta of freezing-cold temperatures and harsh winds outside, plus the drying heat indoors, you want to stick with a mask that's full of hydrating ingredients like the ones mentioned above. In the summer, if being overheated is what's causing extra redness — or maybe you spent too much time in the sun with too little SPF — try a soothing mask with a gel formula that you can store in your fridge for an instant cooling effect. Hydrating ingredients like cucumber and aloe vera extract will calm irritation while helping to combat that overheated feeling.
Here are some of the best masks for redness that will help calm inflamed skin, whether it's in need of gentle hydration or a soothing treatment at home or on-the-go.