Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Tori Crowther Left: before using the Cryo-Recovery Mask. Right: after using the Cryo-Recovery Mask.
Despite living and breathing beauty, I’m pretty lazy when it comes to trying new things in my skin-care routine. I don’t have a 10-step regimen, I rarely use fancy tools, and I only occasionally use a face mask. My skin and I just prefer it that way. But recently, I discovered a mask that’s changed all that. Sure, it makes me look like Hannibal Lecter’s little sister (my dog was actually terrified of me), but it makes my skin feel fresh and depuffed — and best of all, it’s reusable, which is one of my biggest issues with sheet masks in general. Charlotte Tilbury’s new Cryo-Recovery Mask has well and truly won me over.
The mask uses cryotherapy (extreme cold temperatures), which encourages blood flow to the skin’s surface and helps to reduce inflammation and puffiness. The pockets full of cooling gel beads that line the inside of the mask help target specific areas of the face including the forehead, the undereyes, and the neck (or under the chin, depending how you wear it). The Cryo-Recovery Mask also features five acupressure points (an ancient Chinese medicine practice) in the form of five cooling metal beads across the forehead that aim to relieve tension.
Using the mask couldn’t be easier. Simply put it in the freezer for a minimum of 30 minutes, secure to your face using the velcro straps, and feel the instant cooling effects. The mask is made from silicone so it is extremely comfortable to wear and wash, which is super important. I applied a hydrating serum prior to putting on the mask to make my skin feel ultra moisturized and glowy; perfect for the days when I want to add an extra-special step before doing my makeup.
When it comes to cryo, I have to be careful because I have rosacea, so I tried the mask with caution. It didn’t flare my rosacea but I did find the gel patches under the eyes were a little big and covered my cheeks more than I’d like; a place where my rosacea tends to be its worst. Despite this, the mask didn’t aggravate my rosacea one bit, instead my skin felt soothed and refreshed.
In her years as a makeup artist, Tilbury often used ice to depuff the faces of the models she was working with backstage at Fashion Week, so a dedicated cryo mask feels like the perfect addition to her already-popular skin-care selection. There’s no denying that at $54, the mask is expensive, but a huge plus for me is that it’s reuseable. Sheet masks are one of the worst offenders when it comes to single-use waste in the beauty industry, so in my eyes, reuseable is always a winner if you can and want to invest.
While I won’t use the Charlotte Tilbury mask every day, for those days I wake up feeling a little puffy or just want a quick pick-me-up, I’ll definitely be reaching for it, even if I do look a little like Hannibal Lecter for five minutes.
The Charlotte Tilbury Cryo-Recovery Mask ($54) launches Aug. 26 on www.charlottetilbury.com. Sign up here for early access.
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