Favorites: Facial Masks from Chantecaille, Sisley, Natura Bissé, and RéVive

I'm a firm believer in masks. They treat the skin, feel good, and relax me. I will try almost any mask, although my favorites are those that hydrate my skin, even my skin tone, exfoliate, and/or infuse my skin with ingredients that will continue to work after I remove the mask.

I have a few favorite masks - the ones to which I turn regularly. Today, I'll name them. Please remember, I have dry, somewhat sensitive skin. If your skin is oily, the masks I use will not be the best ones for you. Fortunately, there are masks for every skin type - and some masks are suitable for all skin types.

Chantecaille's Jasmine and Lily Healing Mask ($79), shown at the top of this feature, is the one I use most often - simply because I treat it like a night cream, not a mask. I do not remove it. Jasmine and Lily Healing Mask soothes, brightens, and hydrates dry, irritated skin and is especially indicated for over-exposure to the elements. Jasmine is extremely effective in promoting cellular turnover without the potential irritation of acids.

The bulb from a special breed of lily oxygenates and purifies the skin, increasing microcirculation, reducing redness, and noticeably lightening dull complexions. Chamomile helps calms inflammation. Vitamin B5 aids in the repair of damaged tissue. Saccharides work to soften dry skin and contribute long-term moisture. Macadamia oil, rich in nutrients, is highly nourishing and moisturizing. Seaweed helps regulate sebum production for smooth, clear skin. Jasmine aligns the spiritual and physical for a sense of security in the body, a deeply centered and joyous feeling. Rose soothes and uplifts, helping to open the heart and promote a sense of well-being. Geranium has wonderful balancing properties, promotes healing, and stimulates the lymphatic system.

I apply this mask generously, then I leave it on my skin and go to bed. Most of it absorbs quickly. It does its work overnight, and when I awaken, my skin looks moisturized and refreshed. I love it.

Sisley's Black Rose Cream Mask ($158) is another favorite. I have to admit that I love every one of Sisley's masks, and I frequently use them all (not at the same time). This one is my favorite. I even love the color of the tube.

Black Rose Cream Mask is the first Sisley mask enriched with anti-aging ingredients. A soothing mask rich in trace elements, vitamins, and plant extracts, it works instantly on the signs of aging and fatigue to restore vitality to the skin.

Smoothing and Plumping Actions
 
Extract of black rose will offer an instant tensor effect, smoothing with antioxidant properties.
Three anti-aging ingredients contribute to smoothing and plumping.

• Extract of alkekengi calyx, which has anti-collagenase and anti-free radical action;
• Extract of padina pavonica to stimulate the synthesis of GAGs;
• Vitamin E acetate to reinforce the skin's natural defenses.

Revitalizing Actions

• Extract of red vine leaf to tone skin and improve radiance
• Extract of chlorella to stimulate superoxide dismutase activity, which protects skin from free radicals
• Essential oil of geranium to stimulate the skin

Soothing and Softening Actions

• Extract of great mullein (new active ingredient) to fight free radicals and soothe the skin
• Shea butter, which protects, moisturizes, and soothes
• Pro-vitamin B5 to soften and moisturize
• Essential oils of rose and magnolia, also for soothing

Nourishing, Moisturizing, and Repairing Actions

• Vegetable glycerine to moisturize
• Phytosqualene, with emollient and moisturizing properties
• Shea butter to nourish and repair

Sisley's Black Rose Cream Mask was an instant hit on introduction. Its one I will never be without.

Natura Bissé's Tolerance Enzyme Peel ($150) is a perfect mask for those with sensitive skin. I have used it since its introduction, and I'm totally smitten. This enzymatic peel for delicate skin must have been made for me - and possibly you?

Tolerance Enzyme Peel is an exceptionally effective and gentle exfoliator that was developed "based on cutting-edge cosmetic engineering with a blend of ingredients that emit ultra-soft vibrations and provide a multi-sensory experience."

Tolerance Enzyme Peel gently pampers the skin with a non-aggressive (granule-free) micro-exfoliation of the most damaged layers of the skin, revealing an even, smooth, soft, and luminous appearance. Ideal for all skin types, especially the most sensitive and delicate skins, Tolerance Enzyme Peel is formulated with prickly pear (opuntia ficus) and papaya (carica papaya) extracts that exfoliate and renew the skin from within by stimulating a natural self-exfoliating process. The peel also includes a botanical extract of chamomile that soothes, decongests, and maintains the skin’s natural pH balance and a sugar extract from bio-fermented zea mays, along with other derma-soothing and moisturizing ingredients that will help you maintain a porcelain complexion. It does this without without causing any inflammation, redness, or feelings of discomfort. I can attest, through use, that it's ideal for the most sensitive and delicate skins. It was designed to work for all skin types.

I was afraid to try Tolerance Enzyme Peel at first. It contains salicylic acid, an ingredient that burns my skin on contact more often than not. I chatted for a long time with Natura Bissé's National Director of Sales when she was at Neiman Marcus. She assured me that my skin wouldn't react to Tolerance Enzyme Peel, and she gave me samples to try (and later sent more). She was absolutely, totally, 100% correct. Not only did it not irritate my sensitive skin, it improved it. What's totally amazing is that it "does its thing" in only a few minutes, which will leave anyone who says exfoliation is too much trouble at a loss for words.

Here are the benefits, according to Natura Bissé.

• Non-aggressive exfoliation
• Upon application to skin, the gel texture adheres to the epidermis and perfectly lifts off the dead cells
• Allows for exfoliation in the more delicate areas of the face (eye contour and lip area)
• Your skin is left smooth and velvety; its texture is visibly refined
• Deep sensation of well-being; your face breathes and glows with a natural radiance
• Ideal treatment to alternate with Natura Bissé's fabulous Glyco Extreme Peel during the resting periods
• Does not cause photosensitivity, but using sunscreen during the treatment (an SPF 30 at a minimum) is recommended

The experience of using Tolerance Enzyme Peel is extremely pleasant. Apply it with average thickness all over your face (and neck if you wish). Massage the product with ascending circular movements until the texture liquefies on the skin. That takes about a minute or less. Once the peel liquifies, you can wash it off, but you really should continue to gently massage your face for a short time, ensuring you dislodge any dead skin cells and dissolve impurities. Natura Bissé recommends that you then perform gentle friction maneuvers using the tips of the fingers, area by area, and always holding the skin. You don't have to perform that step (in my opinion); a gentle massage wherever you applied the product works just fine. Remove the excess product with a sponge moistened with warm water - or just wash it off as I do. It's easy to use, fast, effective - and best of all, gentle.

How does my skin look after I use Tolerance Enzyme Peel? Smooth, even-toned, pore-free, and glowing. It leaves me with a healthy, rosy glow (not red), a glow that I don't have naturally. My skin feels smooth and clean, without any dryness that might be caused by stripping the skin's moisture. How perfect could it be?

RéVive Glycolic Renewal Peel ($295) was inspired by Dr. Gregory Brown's clinical work and the scientific heritage of the  brand. This high-performance, professional peel system for at-home use requires no downtime and produces no lingering redness. This advanced, easy-to-use, two-step, skin-transforming system reveals skin that looks younger, smoother, brighter, more even-toned and overall healthier – immediately and in the future.

The peel set comes with a jar of 30 Professional Cleaning Pads and a bottle of Professional Renewal Gel. There is glycolic acid in both, but at different concentrations. You are supposed to use the complete system one to two times per week at night. I think the instruction to use it at night is aimed at letting your skin rest and renew.

For Step 1, you use the Glycolic Renewal Peel Professional Cleansing Pad by gently sweeping it in circular motions across freshly cleansed skin to prepare the skin for Step 2 of the system. This is a refreshing step.

For Step 2, you squeeze a generous, quarter-sized amount of Professional Renewal Gel into the palm of your hand, and, using your fingertips, gently apply a liberal amount of the gel to your face. Leave it on for up to five minutes and then rinse it off with water. It may tingle a little bit during that five minutes. That tells me the peel is working, but if you feel the tingle is uncomfortable, wash it off at four minutes. It's as easy as that.

Follow with RéVive serum and moisturizer - or your favorite nighttime serum and moisturizer. I would not recommend using a serum or moisturizer with retinol immediately after the peel. RéVive recommends that you use an SPF moisturizer during the day for sun protection and to preserve results from the Glycolic Renewal Peel Professional System. You might also want to consider using the peel on your chest, shoulders, and the backs of your hands to achieve the same smoothing, exfoliating benefits. The glycolic acid in the peel is tempered by moisturizing and treatment ingredients, such as glycerin, pentylene glycol (humectant), arginine, and camellia oleifera leaf extract.

As always, Dr. Brown has created a perfectly crafted product for me - and I suspect his millions of other devotees. Each time I have used the peel, I have been thrilled with the results, which are immediate. My skin feels smooth (you get the imagery) and fresh to the touch, and I can see the results in the mirror. My skin tone is evened, and my skin glows the way healthy skin should. This peel works (unlike other new ones I've tried in the last year). It's pricey, but on a per-use basis, it's much less expensive than going for a peel at a spa, dermatologist's, or clinic.

I could write all night because there are many worthy masks. These are the ones I use most frequently, but they are not the only ones I use. I decide which mask to use based on what I think my skin needs, whether it be hydration, soothing, or exfoliation. I hope you will find one you like. It just takes trial and sometimes error.

 Photos courtesy of the brands mentioned here