Just 5 Brightening Face Masks For An Instantly Glowier Complexion
Sadaf Razi is Adore Beauty's Senior Beauty Editor.
She's a former fashion editor (who worked at various glossy mags) and stylist-turned digital beauty and lifestyle writer. She has been in the lifestyle/media industry for over 10 years and her work has also been featured on international covers like Elle France and Vanity Fair Mexico.
Some of her fave Adore Beauty products include Cicaplast B5, CeraVe Cleansing Oil and Lancôme Renergie Triple Serum.
If you’re anything like me, you’re constantly on a quest for that ‘lit-from-within’ glow.
While active skincare products and treatments will definitely provide long-term improvements with consistent use over time, there is one clever product that delivers surface-level results instantly...
A brightening face mask! And by brightening, I’m talking:
Dewy and even toned skin! Luminescent cheeks! Reviving lacklustre skin! All of the glowy skin things!
Nothing quite beats a brightening mask when it comes to dialling up radiance, but which brightening face mask is right for you?
Keep scrolling to read my reviews of six epic brightening face masks, including which one is best for your skin type and concerns.
What Do Brightening Masks Do?
Great question!
Common skin concerns like dehydration, hyperpigmentation, congestion and uneven skin texture can make skin appear dull and fatigued.
A brightening face mask is a great temporary solution, as they usually combine ingredients and technologies that exfoliate, soothe and hydrate skin for an overall glow.
You can learn more about different types of face masks in this YouTube video below!
Best Brightening Ingredients.
OK, but what skincare ingredients should I look for in a brightening face mask, you ask?
Here are some of the most effective brightening face mask ingredients:
- Vitamin C – A notoriously good antioxidant ingredient for brightening the look of uneven skin tone.
- Niacinamide – Also known as vitamin B3, this ingredient soothes, hydrates and evens out skin tone and texture.
- Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and enzymes gently exfoliate, resurface and brighten the surface layers of the skin.
- Vitamin A – Also known as retinol, find this powerful resurfacing ingredient in a retinol brightening mask if you also want to stimulate collagen and elastin production.
Listen to this episode of the Beauty IQ Uncensored podcast for even more tips on how to get glowy skin...
Which Is the Best Brightening Face Mask?
Now for the fun part!
Here is my recap of the best brightening face masks to add to cart ASAP if you’re after that glow.
1. DISCIPLE Intervention Deep Exfoliating Mask.
What:
- A clean, cruelty-free, natural skin brightening mask free from alcohol, mineral oils, artificial fragrance and sulphates.
- Contains exfoliating AHA fruit acids that exfoliate, resurface and help brighten the look of skin.
- Plus, you've got vitamin C-rich antioxidants from apples and blueberries, and nourishing ingredients like sunflower seed oil, glycerin and baobab seed oil.
My DISCIPLE Intervention Deep Exfoliating Mask review:
This juicy mask won me over after just one use. Boy oh boy, did this overachieving tub deliver on all its promises.
I took the below before and after pics in the ‘golden hour’ light, but I swear, my skin still looked radiant, even in crappy lighting.
That’s how you know it’s a goodie.
The rich gel texture feels lush to apply and smells delicious, which makes it a really nice sensory experience too.
I applied the mask on freshly-cleansed skin and left on for 15 minutes - my skin drank it right up.
After rinsing off, my skin looked brighter, clearer, more even and energised, and slightly glowier.
I've since gifted it to my mum's boss who was looking for a radiance-boosting mask and I deeply regret this decision. True story.
Shop DISCIPLE Intervention Deep Exfoliating Mask here:
2. Cosmedix Glow Bamboo Brightening Mask.
What:
- A multi-purpose cosmeceutical mask (a hybrid cosmetic and pharmaceutical product, you can read more about cosmeceutical skin care here).
- Belongs to Adore's clean skincare category, and is cruelty free and free from artificial fragrances.
- Bamboo stem extract provides very gentle physical exfoliation, though it's not suitable for those who have sensitive skin or are experiencing an impaired barrier.
- Niacinamide and tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (a stable, non-irritating form of vitamin C) give skin a radiant appearance.
My Cosmedix Glow Bamboo Brightening Mask review:
This bougie mask works its magic in minutes.
If you like scrubs or physical exfoliants, you'll love the little exfoliating bamboo granules.
I found it slightly stronger on my skin that's used to chemical exfoliating acids, so I made sure to be super gentle with my application.
This brightening face mask left my skin feeling smooth and supple with a visible luminosity. My moisturiser also went on like a dewy dream, which made me one happy gal.
It also has a tonne of great Adore customer reviews, including this one that really says it all:
"Love Cosmedix products but their masks are next level!! This mask makes skin look so healthy and glowy... if I’m tired or skin is looking dull, this is a lifesaver."
Shop Cosmedix Glow Bamboo Brightening Mask here:
3. Minenssey Australian Clay Brightening Mask.
What:
- A clay mask/brightening mud mask that rebalances and restores for that lit-from-within glow.
- A great brightening face mask for oily skin, as well as dull, uneven or tired skin.
- Black Clay (Kaolin clay + iron oxide CI 77499) is rich in minerals, removes impurities and improves the look of overall skin texture, tone and suppleness.
- Native antioxidant-rich and anti-inflammatory ingredient snowflower is full of phyto-actives.
- Also contains moonstone, a luminous mineral element that brightens and detoxifies the look of skin, and is said to possess 'an innate feminine energy'.
My Minenssey Australian Clay Brightening Mask review:
I used to think clay masks could only be thick, drying and stripping... but I've since discovered there are newer clay mask formulas that can draw out impurities while still leaving skin super soft.
This powerhouse Minenssey mask combines the clay with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties for an instant brightening effect.
For me, this mask was love at first application.
It glides on the skin like a creamy, silky dream and feels rich, but not heavy like other clay masks. It also didn’t cake, dry, or strip my skin.
Out of all the brightening face masks I've tried, this one brightened my complexion the most.
Plus, you get nine mask pods you can chuck in your bag or take on holiday AND a very generous serving of this fancy mask in each pod.
I only used half of one pod, making it great bang for buck.
Shop Minenssey Australian Clay Brightening Mask here:
4. SOME BY MI Yuja Niacin Brightening Sleeping Mask.
What:
- The best Korean brightening face mask that also happens to be a brightening overnight mask/sleeping mask.
- The cruelty-free and alcohol-free formula works its magic overnight to give you intense hydration while you snooze.
- Contains 70 per cent Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, a powerful antioxidant rich in vitamin C sourced from the yuja fruit.
- Five per cent niacinamide supports the skin barrier and brighten the complexion.
- Glycerin and jojoba seed oil give your skin the nourishment it deserves.
My SOME BY MI Yuja Niacin Brightening Sleeping Mask review:
I've spoken about this very good Korean skincare brightening mask before... here's the quick version.
This mask has a gel-like texture that smells like a holiday. It does feel a little sticky, so I made sure to wait a few minutes before laying my head on the pillow.
Did I look less tired in the morning? Not really, but my skin did feel really soft. Plus, you've got to give the amazing ingredients in this mask time to work over time.
I ended up giving this mask to my aunty to help manage the appearance of her hyperpigmentation!
Shop SOME BY MI Yuja Niacin Brightening Sleeping Mask here:
5. Murad Vita-C Triple Exfoliating Facial.
What:
- An at-home exfoliating mask clinically proven to brighten and smooth skin texture as effectively as a microderm facial, in just one use.
- Combines not one, not two, but THREE different types of exfoliation AND vitamin C.
- The formula contains L-ascorbic acid (the purest, most effective form of vitamin C) in a way that increases its absorption and efficacy, without irritation.
- Micro-mineral exfoliants remove dead surface skin cells while high-performing fruit enzymes dissolve oil and debris from skin.
- A combination of glycolic and lactic acids (AHAs or alpha hydroxy acids) and salicylic acid (a beta hydroxy acid or BHA) exfoliates both the surface and deeper dermal layers of the skin.
Our Murad Vita-C Triple Exfoliating Facial review:
I'll leave you with the brightening face mask that comes highly-recommended from Beauty IQ Uncensored podcast co-host Joanna, and Beauty IQ writer Alisha.
Alisha wrote a very comprehensive Murad Vita-C Triple Exfoliating Facial review which you can read here, but spoiler: you're going to want to try it for yourself.
Legit, I was actually enchanted by how radiant and glowy Alisha's skin looked after using it.
Shop Murad Vita-C Triple Exfoliating Facial here:
Want more product recommendations and tips on how to get glowy skin? Have a read through these articles...
