Sephora Essential Colorful Masks

The weekend is a perfect time to pamper your skin and explore different treatment options. While I'm still giving my new Nūface device a try (that's not something you use once or twice and write a review about), here are some economical options!

I have many friends who rave about the Sephora Essential Colorful Sheer Masks. But I think it's so great that they've come up with capsules because - sometimes - I'm just not in the mood to fuss with messy drippy sheets that get on my hair or run down my neck. With these you just open a pod, dig it out, apply, and you're good to go.

The new pods come in every one of your favorite colors; orchid, lotus, pearl, green tea... If you haven't paid attention to these before, here's a run-down of what they do.

• Avocado (moisturizing, nourishing) - softens and hydrates very dry, compromised skin barrier and helps protect chapped skin. 
• Ginseng (toning, revitalizing) - if your dkin is dull, tired and a bit puffy, ginseng can improve circulation and help firm and tighten slightly.
• Green Tea (mattifying, refreshing) - for those who have oily skin but don't like drying clay masks, this is one that helps calm and absorb excess sebum. It won't have the same anti-bacterial or pore-clearing properties as stronger masks but  sometimes when you are having hormonal breakouts, you need skin soothing more than skin drying.
• Job's Tears (moisturizing, brightening) - this is probably my fave off the whole series. It's good for a 10 minute quick fix to smooth and brighten skin. It's also good for acne-prone skin as it's calming and helps lighten fresh scars.
• Lotus (soothing, moisturizing) - a refreshing hydrating mask that helps soothe tired, stressed skin.
• Matine Algae (nourishing, deeply hydrating) - the difference between this and the Avocado is that this is better for skin that lacks water (dehydrated) and Avocado is better for skin that lacks oil (dry). Many people are can be oily and dehydrated at the same time due to not drinking enough water or using drying skin products to treat oily skin. If that sounds like you, you need to add back water, not oil.
• Orchid (anti-aging, regenerating) - if you want your mask to do more than temporarily smooth your skin, try something with antioxidant extracts. 
• Anti-aging is about prevention so even if you're young, using an anti-aging treatment regularly helps protect what is there. 
• Pearl (brightening, perfecting) - pearl powder has been used as a beauty aid in Chinese culture for centuries. It not only helps smooth and protect skin barrier, it also imparts a beautiul luminosity to thw skin. I consider this more of a special occasion boost than something for regular use to even out the skin as I find Job's Tear better for that.
• Pomegranate (anti-fatigue) - besides being loaded with antioxidants, Pomegranate also tones and perks up dull, tired looking skin.
• Rose (moisturizing, brightening) - we all love our rose masks because besides toning and intensely hydrating, they just feel like such luxurious, pampering treatments.

To be perfectly honest, many of these have overlapping properties and benefits. All of them are hydrating for one.

But the good thing is you don't need to over-invest. Just pick up a handful that appral to you and pop one open depending on how your skin feels that day. Put them in the fridge. They feel even better. 

And bring them traveling.