Face masks are a beneficial addition to your skin care routine, whether you like to use them as a fifteen-minute moment of pampering after a busy day or one step in an elaborate at-home facial. With so many different types of face masks out there, it can be challenging to decide which one to try next. To help guide your choices, we’ll answer all your questions about two popular types, gel masks and foaming face masks:

• Is a gel face mask right for me?
• What gel mask should I try?
• Is a foaming face mask right for me?
• What foaming face mask should I use?

What Is a Gel Face Mask?

Gel face masks have a transparent, jelly-like texture with a high concentration of water. If you’ve tried clay face masks—known for their oil-absorbing abilities—and thought they felt too drying on your skin, you might like the more moisture-heavy feel of gel masks. Some gel masks also feature ingredients such as menthol that help create a cooling sensation, which can be comforting for irritated or sunburned skin. If you’re looking to combat puffiness, gel face masks can feel super-soothing when chilled, so consider popping one in the fridge about fifteen minutes before using.

What Gel Face Mask Is Right for You?

For intense hydration, try: SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Hydrating + Calming Mask

This green-hued gel face mask contains hyaluronic acid to help draw water into your skin cells, helping your skin appear plumper and more refreshed. Because this gel mask cools on contact and contains a calming dipeptide to help reduce heat sensitivity, it will feel especially comforting on skin that feels hot and red from a cosmetic procedure, sunburn or sweaty workout.

To smooth rough skin, try: Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Gel Mask

If you’re craving smoother, firmer skin, this enzyme-powered gel mask is the ticket. A patented tri-enzyme blend encourages cell renewal to help resurface uneven skin tone and target fine lines. In a 2019 trial, it was clinically proven to accelerate the skin’s natural cell turnover with only two weeks of use.

To soothe irritated skin, try: Glo Skin Beauty Soothing Gel Mask

Even the most sensitive skin can benefit from this gel face mask, which is formulated without fragrance, dyes or other additives that could potentially aggravate reactive skin. It contains cucumber combined with an array of botanicals (gotu kola extract, rice seed extract, pear extract and moringa seed extract) to help soothe irritated skin along with glycerin to help replenish much-needed hydration.

What Is a Foaming Face Mask?

A foaming face mask, also called a bubble mask, is a face mask that bubbles up to form a layer of foam on your skin. The theory behind most foaming face masks is that the oxygen-filled bubbles can help boost circulation, similar to an oxygen facial where an aesthetician uses a machine to deliver pressurized oxygen to the skin.

“It’s hard to say exactly how much oxygen is delivered to your skin cells by a foaming mask,” says board-certified dermatologist and LovelySkin CEO, Dr. Joel Schlessinger. “Though it’s unlikely to be as much as an oxygen facial, oxygen does increase circulation—and increased blood flow is beneficial because it helps deliver vital nutrients to your skin cells and carry away waste like free radicals.”

Foaming face masks might have different skin benefits depending on their formulas, but they tend to be deep cleansing, making them the perfect choice after a sweaty workout session or wearing heavy makeup.

Another reason you might want to try a foaming face mask? Well … they’re fun! Like a bubble bath, a foaming face mask can be a nice way to pamper yourself—and all those bubbles make for a great selfie opportunity to share with a friend or on social media!

What Foaming Face Mask Is Right for You?

To unclog pores: GlamGlow Bubblesheet Oxygenating Deep Cleanse Mask

Deep-clean your face with this jet-black sheet mask that, when activated, froths up with a cloud-like white foam to deliver a tingling dose of oxygen to your skin. This oxygen-based skin care product also contains green tea for antioxidant benefits and charcoal, which helps draw out impurities from your pores to prevent future breakouts.

To smooth fine lines, try: Vie Collection Retinopur Intensive Retinol Mask

If you’re a fan of clay masks but also want to try the foaming face mask trend, this anti-aging formula blends the best of both worlds. Kaolin clay helps absorb excess oil to provide a mattifying effect, while encapsulated retinol helps smooth fine lines and wrinkles to look less noticeable. In a one-month clinical trial, users reported that their skin texture looked more refined and smooth with twice-weekly use.

To hydrate parched skin: Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Micro-bubbling Cloud Mask

This foaming face mask starts off with a creamy texture when you first apply it to your skin. Within five minutes, it will gradually draw in water and oxygen from the atmosphere until it foams into a puffy layer of microbubbles on your skin. Hyaluronic acid acts as a powerful hydrator, plumping skin cells with moisture while ceramides leave skin feeling soft and smooth.

Curious about how a facial roller can fit into your skin care routine? Check out 4 Benefits of a Facial Roller to learn more.