How often can you wear a face mask?

We recently asked our followers on Instagram: how many times a week do you apply a face mask? The graph below illustrates the distribution of their answers!

how often our followers use a face mask per week in percentages

The graph reveals that the number of times our followers use a face mask per week is relatively spread out, with 3 times a week being the most common answer. There was a significant proportion of followers (17%) who applied face masks every day of the week. This leads us to a frequently asked question: how often can you wear a face mask? The answer is actually going to depend on what kind of face masks you are using.

Hydrating Masks
Most of the K-beauty sheet masks that you see are intended for hydration; these masks can be applied every day. In fact, there is a trend in Korea called “1 일1팩” which translates to 1 day, 1 pack  (pack referring to face mask). Thanks to Korean celebrities, this trend has been around for several years now and has been adopted by so many Koreans. Not only do face masks give you a boost of hydration and moisture, skincare lovers find that applying a face mask is so relaxing. It can be a great way to end a long work day.

Just as our graph suggests, the number of times someone uses a face mask is going to vary. Everyone’s skin is different and there is no right answer to how many times someone SHOULD wear a face mask. If you are new to face masks, we recommend starting with once or twice a week. As the weeks go by, try incorporating more face sheet masks, and see what works best for your skin and schedule!

Please keep in mind that if you are struggling with severe acne or a skin condition, you’ll want to speak to your dermatologist about the use of face masks especially in conjunction with any medication you may be on.

Masks you DON’T want to use every day
There are face masks that are intended for specific purposes such as exfoliating, anti-aging, anti-acne, and detoxifying. You’ll usually see these words on the label of the face masks. Avoid using these masks every day.

Take, for example, the popular clay masks. Clay masks are effective at removing impurities and excess oils from the skin, but they can also be drying, if used too frequently. Generally, you’ll want to limit the use of a clay about once or twice a week. We say general because those with very oily skin may benefit from using a clay mask more frequently, say 3 times a week. Always be sure to check the instructions on the label.

Another type of masks you don’t want to apply every day are peel-off masks. A popular peel-off mask are those targeting blackheads. These masks are great ways to exfoliate the skin. Exfoliating is an important part of the skincare routine because it removes dead skin cells and improves the skin texture. However, over-exfoliation is an easy trap to to fall into. While the feeling of peel-off mask can be SO satisfying, limiting their use is important for healthy skin. Using a peel-off face mask too frequently can weaken the skin barrier, leading to irritated skin and breakouts. Be sure to use a peel-off mask only once or twice a week!

There are signs you can look for if you are concerned that you may be over-exfoliating:

• unusual redness
• your skin is very dry and patchy
• your skin looks and feel irritated
• your skin looks too shiny as if there is a glare
• you see increased breakouts

If you see any of these signs, give your skin a break from exfoliating and let it repair itself. During this time, it’s best to apply skin care products that are gentle, hydrating and moisturizing.

Other things to consider
Keep in mind that the number of face sheet masks you apply can also change depending on the environment, the season you’re in, and other external factors. For example, you may want to increase the frequency of face masks to combat dryness in the winter season. Your skin is always changing, so your routine shouldn’t stay the same either!

Start today!
Do you want to try K-beauty face masks and build your skin care routine? With the Sooni Mask Pouch, you’ll receive 6-8 exclusive K-beauty face masks for only $9.99 per month with free U.S. shipping! This is a great way to try a variety of face masks that have been curated and tested by our team of experts. With each mask pouch, you’ll receive a product card that provides you information about each mask, the ingredients, and instructions.

Subscribe to our 3 month Sooni Mask Pouch subscription and you’ll receive 10 masks with your first shipment!