🧖‍♀️ The best moisturizer is a mask

+ The best Memorial Day sales

As a pre-teen in the early ‘90s I spent all of my allowance and babysitting money on masks for my still perfect pre-adolescent skin. Negotiating television viewing content with my brother, I traded hours of being subjected to “Star Trek: The Next Generation” in exchange for his letting me slather his skin with Bonne Bell’s peel-off orange mask and the selected oeuvres of St. Ives from firming to clay to cleansing. As a result, my brother is slightly less feral than he’d be without my extensive skincare counsel, and I know a strange amount about “Transformers’” and “Star Wars’” respective canons.

All this is to say, I realized this week as I slathered on my favorite hydrating face mask in lieu of cream that I told you I employ a hair mask as a conditioner stunt double regularly—but I never shared that I do the same for SKIN. And we don’t gatekeep around here.

Yes. If your skin is either dry, mature, dehydrated as the Sahara, and no moisturizer is up to the job, it may no longer be a job for moisturizer.

Dermatologist Dr. Neal Schultz once told me that “a mask is just another ‘vehicle’ like a lotion, serum, cream, ointments, etc. that delivers ‘actives’ to the skin to improve the appearance or quality of the skin.” By virtue of the occlusive nature of the mask vehicle, he says, either sheet or slather-on, there is the opportunity for active ingredient to be “driven into the skin better that simply applying it, but it depends on both the active and how long the mask is left on.”

My favorite mask for this task? Susanne Kaufmann’s Moisturizing Mask. I’ve been using for almost a decade. I can pronounce fewer than five moisturizing masks truly transformative. This one makes the cut. Within an hour of slathering on this nourishing beeswax and hazelnut oil-infused formula, I saw insanely effective plumping results, as well as smoothing and hydration that is barely to be believed to the point where I can forgo foundation.

After initially testing it, my late mother and I were masking while at the grocery store years ago. “Girls, would you like to use this shopping cart?” a fashionable Main Line matron at least a decade younger than my mother asked us. We were convinced that at 37 and 73 respectively (at the time), she’d have come up with a different vocative for addressing our duo not once but twice had we not tested that mask.

Two other masks I love:

Alchimie Forever’s Kantic Brightening Moisture Mask, which brings illumination to the party while providing massive hydration and moisture.

Tula’s Beauty Sleep Treatment (during the day of course) is another favorite for its instant glow boosting. And it’s 20% off now through May 26th.

And if you want the lip equivalent of a mask plus a hint of tint, it’s all about The Outset Oasis Tinted Glossy Balms.

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Memorial Day sales

The Dyson V8 has changed my life and it’s on sale.

I’ve been eyeing the Frame TV forever and haven’t pulled the trigger, but if you’ve got the budget, it’s discounted for the holiday. Or you can try my dad’s hack, which is to get a Roku for $27 and use the Backdrops app.

Away is giving you 20% off select luggage styles, including my go-to, the Bigger Carry-on Flex.

This stunning rug is a STEAL.

Necessaire The Body Vitamin C Serum is the perfect vehicle for applying self tanner drops. And it’s 20% off.

These Cadence containers are the best for travel (squeezing shampoo into these is a superior experience after having dealt with any other travel bottle).

Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream is on sale at Violet Grey.

This straw floral bag is so cute and not on sale, but it’s only $30.

Good American’s Good Girlfriend Shorts (and everything else) is 30% off.

The Nori Press is on sale in honor of the brand’s anniversary.

My favorite jade earcuff is 20% off.

These gold frames are a great price for the set.

Have a wonderful Mem Day weekend! I’ll be in the Catskills relaxing and am massively looking forward to it. Tell me where you’ll be in the comments.