I am a simple gal. While I enjoy the challenge of new routines to match the 300 step Korean beauty skincare masters, in the end I am tired, I am forgetful, and I am lazy. I love slapping things on my face just once and not thinking any more after that because the people around me have already taken all my thinking energy.
EltaMD recently came out with the amazing Skin Recovery Night Mask and it’s about damn time. Coming from an asian background, I have seen countries like Japan already come out with topicals that are for the “working women (or man)” that combine a bunch of steps into one and I’m ecstatic to find out there is a dermatologist recommended product that does it as well.
The Skin Recovery Night Mask is a part of EltaMD’s Skin Recovery System but for today, my friends, I’ll be focusing on the observed effects of just the night mask.
What is this Skin Recovery Night Mask?
The Skin Recovery Night Mask was designed to help sensitive, acne prone skin with hydration, redness, irritation, healing damaged skin and repairing the outermost layer of the skin that acts as the lead protecting layer.
There is a lot of good stuff in there but the main structural reasoning for its effectiveness is the AAComplex system.
What is that “AA” I see in the name you ask?
It stands for amino acids.
And why are amino acids important?
Because they are what your body uses to build itself. Your body uses amino acids to make proteins. Proteins can be used by your body as energy to function, to break down food, repair itself and so much more. This is why so many fitness programs talk about “protein intake” since you are breaking down your muscles when you workout and also building it up again as they heal.
EltaMD recognized the importance of amino acids and created their AAComplex formula that is incorporated into their entire Skin Recovery product line. ( Full study of AAComplex )
For the Skin Recovery Night Mask, double the amount is put in to make it the most powerful healing agent in the system. The night mask essentially has the power of a toner, serum and moisturizer and the best part is – for me, I found it to be extremely effective even when putting in bare minimum effort and actively doing things to sabotage it’s effectiveness.
My Usage of the EltaMD Skin Recovery Night Mask (and attempted sabotage)
I’m in a particular stage in my life where acne is something I actively battle against every day, every night, and every waking moment of my life. No one ever told me how bad adult acne could get, but no one also could predict just how much stress can exist in my future existence either so I digress. My face is riddled with acne battle scars and while I know you are not supposed to pick, peel or otherwise cause further damage to your skin, in my emotional distress I did it anyway with complete disregard for any “proper practices” in the name of self-soothing.
With the Night Mask, my unhealthy routine was to fight my inner demons looking at a mirror, calling them out by name while destroying my own skin with my bare hands utilizing the most horrid forms of extractions possible. Then I would cleanse my face with a random cleanser. Finally I applied this Night Mask. I did this a few nights in a row.
Actively not trying to get the best results possible actually provided an honest portrayal of the product. I found every morning afterwards my skin was hydrated, bright, with way less redness and scarring despite the fact that the night prior to the application of the mask I tore my face to shreds. That in itself, was a wonderful thing.
Any downsides?
This isn’t really a downside but more of a reflection of my inability to figure out most human made contraptions. After opening the package and unscrewing the lid, the top part looks like a plastic inner covering used in many other packaging to protect the product from bacteria and ensure its freshness. It is not that per se and I spent an embarrassing amount of time trying to lift it up from the edges. Somehow I lifted the inner circle up and was able to press down on the “not lid” and the product came out. This whole ordeal could have been solved if I had just looked at EltaMD’s online video beforehand, but I’m the kind of person who throws the whole manual away and regrets it later anyway.
TLDR: The Conclusion
I slathered a gel-like substance on my face, called it a day and got great results. The pump confused me but not by much. I also love how they say in the directions that you can apply a generous amount because it feels like I can give nice things back to myself in abundance.
So dear reader, if you find yourself wanting a product to encase your damaged skin in a soothing healing gel that works even with improper skincare and minimum usage, try EltaMD’s Skin Recovery Night Mask.
