As we age, our skin loses the ability to retain as much water as in years past. The good news is that face masks infused with humectants and antioxidants can help replenish hydration levels and minimize free radical damage.
Everyone looks the same covered with gloppy mask gunk, but underneath, we’re all different. For example, the best face masks for mature skin probably don’t include clay masks that are more suitable for oily or acne-prone skin. And when you have the concerns that come with a mature skin type, you definitely don’t want to waste your time on ineffective formulas.
Skin’s characteristics change over the years in both obvious and not-so-apparent ways, so even if you’ve maintained an elaborate, diligent skin-care routine, you’ll likely experience a decrease in elasticity (the quality and quantity of our collagen plummets) and an increase in discoloration. But more than anything else, mature skin starts skewing much drier than it did in younger years.
“As we age, our capacity to retain water in the skin diminishes, so skin becomes drier,” says Blair Murphy-Rose, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City. “Dry skin can appear dull and make fine lines more noticeable.” So while you might have collected oil-absorbing, acne-clearing masks in your twenties, your now-seasoned skin’s needs demand a shift in priorities. And by “priorities,” we mean ingredients.
“Dry skin and fine lines can be immediately improved with humectants like hyaluronic acid, aloe, and glycerin to bring more water to the surface and help plump the skin,” Dr. Murphy-Rose says, adding that ingredients like shea butter and colloidal oatmeal help with rejuvenation by deeply moisturizing and soothing dry skin.
In addition to moisturizing ingredients, board-certified dermatologist Brendan Camp, MD, also based in New York City, says those with mature skin should look for antioxidants when shopping for masks. “Free radicals can damage cellular structures like DNA, lipids, and proteins, which can contribute to the formation of fine lines, wrinkles, and dark spots,” he tells. Exfoliation and cell turnover are especially important in helping mature skin look and feel its best, so he also recommends masks with retinol and alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs).
That’s a lot to take into consideration, we know, so instead of doing a deep dive on your own, we’ve taken this expert advice and turned it into a shopping list of the best face masks for mature skin.
Best for Redness: Caudalie Vinosource-Hydra Moisturizing Mask
Why It’s Worth It: “Enriched with organic grape water, centella asiatica extract, and antioxidant grape polyphenols, this is ideal as a rescue mask for dry, sensitive, and irritated skin,” says Dr. Camp. Caudalie Vinosource-Hydra Moisturizing Mask’s creamy formula is rich enough to target the concern of mature skin that it doesn’t hold onto moisture the way it once did, but it’s more dewy than heavy, so skin never feels suffocated during each 10-minute masking session.
Best for Chronically Dry Skin: EltaMD Skin Recovery Night Mask
Why It’s Worth It: “EltaMD Skin Recovery Night Mask is a hydrating mask that can repair a damaged skin barrier,” says Dr. Murphy-Rose. By repairing mature skin’s barrier, it improves its ability to lock in moisture, lock out free-radical irritation, and give skin the opportunity to wake up glowing after a reparative night’s rest.
Best for Dullness: Kate Somerville Mega C 30% Vitamin C Brightening Facial
Why It’s Worth It: The top priority of the Kate Somerville Mega C 30% Vitamin C Brightening Facial, which can now call itself an Allure Best of Beauty Award winner, is tackling the discoloration and dullness that keeps skin from looking its most radiant. But it’s no one-trick wonder: While it’s unleashing brightening power on an uneven skin tone, it’s also offering skin-firming, barrier-boosting moisture.
Best for Lost Elasticity: Fresh Black Tea Peptide Firming Overnight Mask
Why It’s Worth It: When your night cream just isn’t cutting it anymore, Fresh Black Tea Peptide Firming Overnight Mask can be used every evening in its place. Dr. Camp is a fan because its ingredients help tighten, firm, and hydrate. “The black tea complex improves skin elasticity, and hyaluronic acid heightens moisture,” he says.
Best for Stressed Skin: First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Instant Oatmeal Mask
Why It’s Worth It: When aging skin’s typical troubles are paired with visible distress from a lifetime of daily irritants, Dr. Murphy-Rose recommends the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Instant Oatmeal Mask. “Colloidal oatmeal, shea butter, and seabuckthorn provide intense hydration to dry skin while soothing, nourishing, and protecting the skin barrier,” she says. You won’t believe how soft and comfortable your skin feels after you start using it.
Best for Hyperpigmentation: Lancer Skincare Overnight Brightening Mask
Why It’s Worth It: While other overnight masks can be used every night, the Lancer Skincare Overnight Brightening Mask is simply too powerful to be used more than three times a week. When skin concerns like dullness and sun damage just can’t be ignored, this formula pushes back against hyperpigmentation with a combination of ingredients known for not putting up with dark spots.
Best Post-Treatment: Shani Darden Signature Nourishing Facial Mask
Why It’s Worth It: Shani Darden formulated her Signature Nourishing Facial Mask to be a post-treatment mask, but you can also consider it a post-thirties mask thanks to its benefits. Its clay base won’t dry out skin as it absorbs excess oil — mature skin isn’t immune to blemishes and breakouts — and it delivers moisture, antioxidants, and comfort to a dehydrated, stressed-out complexion.
Best to Prevent Moisture Loss: Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Overnight Hydrating Face Mask With 10.5% Squalane
Why It’s Worth It: Although Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Overnight Hydrating Face Mask With 10.5% Squalane, an Allure Beauty of Beauty Award winner, has “overnight” right in the name, Dr. Camp says this mask can also be used as a targeted 15-minute treatment. “A sugarcane-derived lipid, squalane helps maintain the integrity of the skin barrier to improve hydration,” he says of the star ingredient, which keeps dryness at bay for hours and hours.
Best Resurfacing: Nudestix Nudeskin Tight + Bright Face Mask
Why It’s Worth It: Resurfacing and ridding your complexion of dead skin cells is such an important part of keeping mature skin looking its most radiant, so for that, Dr. Camp says, “Alpha hydroxy acids gently exfoliate to reduce the appearance of dull skin.” The Nudestix Nudeskin Tight + Bright Face Mask does exactly that with mandelic acid, which is accompanied by niacinamide to reduce redness and lock in much-needed moisture. The mask is a gel formula (a bright green one!), which Dr. Camp says helps to facilitate the penetration of ingredients.
Best Lightweight: True Botanicals Moisture Lock Overnight Mask
Why It’s Worth It: When you think about how lightweight the Allure Best of Beauty Award-winning True Botanicals Moisture Lock Overnight Mask is, it’s truly amazing how much it moisturizes. Organic mango butter makes that possible, while humectants like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and aloe “bring more water to the skin’s surface and help plump,” Dr. Murphy-Rose says.
Best Multitasker: Embryolisse Lait Creme Sensitive
Why It’s Worth It: OK, so this technically isn’t a mask, but take it from Dr. Murphy-Rose: “Embryolisse Lait Creme Sensitive is a rich, hypoallergenic moisturizer that doubles well as an overnight cream mask,” she says. It was developed for sensitive skin of all ages — even babies — because its intensely moisturizing shea butter, beeswax, soy proteins, and aloe vera are super soothers. But those ingredients are especially effective for mature skin that’s been through the trials and tribulations of aging.
Best for Plumping: Jan Marini Hyla3D Face Mask
Why It’s Worth It: Jan Marini Hyla3D Face Mask features multiple forms of hyaluronic acid, which Dr. Camp says occurs naturally in the dermis to help attract and retain moisture. “Improved hydration helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and improve skin plumpness and bounce,” he says. In addition to hydration, this concentrated mask also provides the revitalizing and skin-supporting benefits of peptides and ceramides.
Best for Congested Pores: PCA Skin Hyaluronic Acid Overnight Mask
Why It’s Worth It: “PCA Skin Hyaluronic Acid Overnight Mask contains moisturizing and soothing ingredients — including hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and panthenol — to hydrate and rejuvenate skin overnight,” explains Dr. Murphy-Rose, who says applying it as the last step in your nighttime routine will lead to waking up with plumper, glowing skin.