Oops, I forgot to take my makeup off... again, says Jane Druker. Aromatherapy Associates Hydrosol Sheet Mask has it covered
I have a confession to make: I often fall asleep without taking my make up off. Shocker I know, given that I’ve worked as a beauty editor for three decades on magazines such as Vogue, Marie Claire, InStyle and on three continents to boot. I am an unguent obsessed middle-aged woman who won’t be parted from her plethora of products from retinol night cream to cleansing gel. But beyond 9pm, I can be supremely lazy about cleansing. Am I alone? Apparently not; Kim Kardashian is on record saying she often also falls asleep exhausted before her evening beauty regime, and makeup supremo Charlotte Tilbury famously doesn’t let her husband see her sans slap and is made up even in bed. Both women are beauty biz professionals let’s not forget. Plus, an unscientific poll of my 40- and 50- something friends seconds that exhausted emotion, particularly after a few Sauvignon Blancs.
Admittedly skipping a serious beauty step does sometimes result in a crime scene the next morning – extremely dry, dull and often flaky skin that is desperate for some quenching. However, I have found a morning-after cure, which I have to share with Get The Gloss as it's now an essential on my bathroom shelf. It’s a tonic that corrects dryness and infuses my skin with upliftingly scented moisture, plumping it up now matter how slovenly my night-before behaviour. It's a firmer, a smoother and a hydrator in one; applause please for Aromatherapy Associates brand new Hydrosol Sheet Mask.
This is how it works: when I wake panda-eyed, first off I head for a budget micellar water, then I apply the mask for 15 minutes. The serum, which sits within the biodegradable sheet, is a water rather than a gel – the ‘hydrosol’ of the title is a distilled frankincense water. Frankincense is known for its blemish-soothing abilities (nothing like a slovenly night for inducing a breakout) and it’s also been proven to calm breathing by relaxing the diaphragm , essential if your ‘night before’ has left you a little wobbly.
The texture means it’s seriously no slip and non-drip, so you can get on with your morning. During that time, I drink my coffee, make my son’s breakfast and check my emails. When time’s up, the mask comes off dry with no residue on my skin whatsoever – a sign of my parched epidermis.
The fabric mask is infused with other essential oils and plant extracts including anti-inflammatory turmeric, sandalwood and rose. Aromatherapy Associates have always used superior grade oils and this treatment is no exception. It rehydrates skin, soothing it and you in equal measure – like any perfect hangover cure. And the hyaluronic acid plumps and smooths skin for a more radiant exterior.
Any product that brings me back to 'beauty life' is a sure-fire winner. The quality of the ingredients is superb, the effects consistent and life-enhancing any time you need a boost – not just for damage limitation days. This product is the Berocca of your regular beauty shop. Never be caught without it.
Buy it now: Aromatherapy Associates Hydrosol Sheet Mask Set of 4, £52