Before setting out to purchase a facial mask first ask yourself what you want to fix or change about your complexion. Is your skin excessively oily? Does it feel dry and tight? Do your look dull and flaky in the mirror? Whatever your specific skin type there are specially formulated facial masks to bring out your best appearance.

If you are blessed with oily skin, stop complaining at once! Your skin will age the best, with fewer wrinkles and later appearance of them. Your greatest difficulty will be to prevent blackheads and clogged pores and this is easy if you use the right astringent products and facial masks. For you, an occasional professional facial in a salon should keep your pores open and tiny. Don't be seduced by those products that claim to "pull" the clogs out of your pores. These will damage your skin over time, making your pores permanently enlarged. Better are dissolving facial masks that remove pore clogging matter gently.

Normal to dry skin needs constant moisturizing to keep it smooth and wrinkle free. Never apply drying products to your face and your facial mask should be a deep-nourishing, penetrating type that leaves your skin feeling smooth and dewy.

For dull complexion and blotchy skin tone, you need to exfoliate and moisturize. Exfoliation should help with the flakiness and smooth out the tone of your face. You can have oily or normal to dry skin, so before choosing an exfoliation product, make sure what type your skin is.

Facial masks and exfoliants containing shea butter or jojoba are good for all skin types. These products help dissolve natural skin sebum gently, removing it from your face. Both shea butter and jojoba oil penetrate deeply into the skin, leaving it feeling smooth and not a bit greasy.

Look for ingredients that combat excessive oiliness if you have this type of skin. Facial masks with astringents such as cucumber, honey, or citrus are good for oily skin. Clay based mask are also great for oily skin as the clay soaks up the excess and removes it. Another side effect of a clay facial mask is that it will leave a very tiny residue behind, filling in fine lines and slightly enlarges pores. This is a perfect way to prepare for a big night out, giving you a perfectly smooth surface over which to apply makeup. Don't worry, next time you bath or shower, it all will come off with no harm done.

A facial mask should be applied weekly and left on the skin for at least 15 minutes or longer. Apply in a circular motion and use enough product to leave a thick layer on your face. If you lie down while the mask does its job, you will feel even better. Remove the mask with warm water and gentle scrubbing. Facial mask that contain microabrasives will exfoliate your skin as you remove them.

No matter if you buy your facial mask ready to use or concoct one from natural ingredients found in your kitchen, treating your face this way weekly will keep you looking fresh and youthful.