Skincare has come a long way from boring creams and fragrant lotions. Brands today are not afraid to come up with products that may have sounded far too exotic a couple of years ago—sheet masks, vegan body yogurt, charcoal-infused masques, products containing food such as quinoa, moringa, sweet pea, coffee, and more. Also, with less time on their hands, people want a skincare regime that is akin to a magic wand—one whoosh and lo and behold, all wrinkles and tiredness gone.
In a bid to cash in on this trend of skincare in a jiffy, many brands are coming up with beauty masques. These 15-minute masques are the next best thing to a two-hour facial. Getting ready for a party or an important meeting or even if your skin needs a pep-me-up after a night of binge drinking—these sheet masks are your new BFF. “A Korean beauty marvel, they are essentially cotton pads soaked in powerful skin rejuvenating ingredients and are designed to rest on the curves of one’s face. Sheet masks have created a rage all over the world,” says Komal Kapoor, founder, Koko Glam.
Sheet masks are a powerful alternative to using moisturisers. Most moisturising skincare products evaporate after a while, sheet masks, however, penetrate into the skin and keep the moisture intact. The revitalising ingredients soak into the skin and allow the moisture to settle. The masks are softer on the skin as, unlike face packs, they don’t harden and dry up the skin.
“These masks are not meant to be washed off and should not be applied for more than 15-20 minutes. It is enough for the mask to work its magic. They can be used almost every day, depending on the skin type and skin needs. It keeps your skin smooth, wrinkle-free and helps in getting rid of acne,” adds Kapoor.
In this busy life, everyone is opting for soothing sheet masks. One must select the sheet masks that are formulated with the exact amount of extracts for maximum results with the hydration of rose, pomegranate, and cucumber, says Debasmita Panja, brand manager, Colour Category at Avon India.
“Besides, products which are more organic with natural ingredients are hot-sellers since they help in exfoliation and skin lightening due to their rich properties leaving your skin soft and supple. Lime or carbon deep cleaners are also trending as they help pull the dirt out of your pores,” she adds.
The trend in skincare has also moved towards 100 percent vegan products and cremes that are not heavy on the skin. Keeping this in mind, The Body Shop has recently come out with its vegan body yogurts. The refreshing gel-cream formula promises to provide 48 hours of lightweight moisture. These contain bio-fermented hyaluronic acid to keep skin moisturised and quench dry, sensitive skin—it’s like drip-irrigation for your skin. Shikhee Agrawal, head—training, The Body Shop India, says, “Body yogurt offers a non-sticky, non-greasy formula just apt as a quick morning moisturiser. It is perfect for those seeking high levels of hydration without the heavy feel of a cream. It can be applied on damp skin straight from the shower and dries instantly.”
Rajni Ohri, founder of Ohria Ayurveda, says beauty products are like food. “What cannot be ingested internally cannot be applied externally. The trend now is to decongest skin with beauty masques. Natural clay masques and herb masks assist in deep pore cleansing.” She adds that the trend is ‘one solution for all problems’, making beauty care a quick regime to follow. “Lengthy skincare is a thing of the past. At Ohria, we follow long cumbersome authentic formulations so that our clients gain results quickly,” she says.