Q: Why are face masks important for skin? What are the benefits of facial masks?
A: Masks contain high concentrations of effective skincare ingredients designed to address various skin types and concerns. They have the power to boost the results of our skincare regimens, making skin look its best. So, let us dive into the different types and facial mask uses and benefits. There are as many facial mask types as there are formulas and ingredients. This includes high-performance professional facial mask products, and facial mask gel, cream, or peel-off formulas in tubes or jars, and sheet masks available to consumers. Professional versions may include a facial mask powder and specialized solutions that estheticians blend to create soft, gelatinous, or hard lift-off masks to boost moisture levels, circulation, and results. The abundance of facial mask recipes for aging skin, sensitive skin, and so on, is an indication of the many reasons why you should mask. It is crucial to select a clean skincare face mask formulated with safe ingredients that address your specific needs. Pevonia has several at-home clean skincare masks to choose from:

• For fine lines, wrinkles, and dryness, a deeply moisturizing collagen face mask is one of the best facial masks for mature skin. Collagen Polypeptides, Safflower Oil, and Shea Butter are ideal for diminishing flakiness, discomfort, and tightness common with dry skin, plumping and rejuvenating the complexion.

A multi-tasking formula with soothing Green Tea and Chamomile can replace additional facial masks for sensitive skin, minimizing redness and irritation for calmer-looking skin.

• If you deal with dullness and uneven skin tone and need a facial mask for oily skin or combination skin, the Pevonia Bright Skin Green Apple Mask is an excellent option. With glow-inducing Green Apple, skin clarity is renewed, while Red Clover minimizes excess oil, t-zone shine, and visible pore appearance. With consistent use, skin appears smooth and refined.
• For those with clogged pores looking to detoxify and eliminate dirt, oil, and dead skin cell buildup from their skin, you need a well-formulated Black Charcoal mask. Before purchasing, know that not all Charcoal masks are created equally and may dry the skin surface and stain the epidermis. To ensure skin emerges soft and smooth, find one with purifying micronized Charcoal, Kaolin Clay, and Bentonite Clay balanced with moisturizing actives like non-comedogenic, skin, and environmentally friendly Squalane from olives.
• If you have breakouts and are seeking a facial mask for blackheads and pimples, one with Clays, Niacinamide, Tea Tree, Camphor, Rosemary, Caviar Lime, and moisturizing Hyaluronic Acid will promote faster skin repair. Kaolin and Bentonite Clays mildly exfoliate dead skin cell buildup while absorbing excess oil. Niacinamide and Rosemary enhance circulation and oxygenation. Combined with Tea tree, this trio helps combat bacteria involved with breakouts. Niacinamide also helps minimize redness, oil production, and the appearance of pores and post-breakout dark spots, while Caviar Lime provides gentle texture-smoothing exfoliation and antioxidant protection.

If you don’t have the patience to apply and remove a mask, an exfoliating leave-on sleeping cream mask is a perfect alternative. With Glycolic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, and calming botanicals, it will smooth and refine skin texture overnight. Here are some pro tips I share with my clients:

• Use “facial” masks on the neck, chest, backs of hands, and anywhere else on the body with skincare concerns.
• Remember to mask the lip contour as the thin, delicate skin on your lips needs extra support to stay plump and youthful-looking. A lip repair kit with a serum and lip mask done once a week will help keep lips luscious and smooth.
• For stubborn issues and maintenance, there are multiple professional Pevonia treatments to target early and advanced signs of aging, breakouts, sun damage, etc.

Q: Is gluten bad for skin? I love stuffing and holiday cookies, but do not want to harm my complexion. Help!
A: While some studies indicate that gluten triggers many skin issues – that is not the whole story. Yes, gluten is a common culprit of food sensitivities and allergies. But is gluten bad for everyone? No, it is not! Gluten, a protein in grains like wheat, barley, and rye, is not inherently bad. However, it triggers a cascade of issues for people who have gluten sensitivity, Celiac disease, or gluten intolerance. What is gluten intolerance? It is a condition where people cannot adequately break gluten down and digest it. When the body absorbs these large protein molecules, the immune system treats them as invaders, causing white blood cells to release histamines. This triggers inflammation and insulin resistance linked to conditions like acne, alopecia areata (hair loss), dermatitis herpetiformis, eczema, hives, psoriasis, rosacea, early signs of aging, dryness, etc. In any case, it is better to avoid excess gluten consumption even if you are not immediately prone to sensitivities, so keep that in mind. Dermatitis herpetiformis is a reddish rash that can occur in those who have Celiac Disease – a significant autoimmune disorder. Rosacea is also believed to be an autoimmune inflammatory condition that involves a gene associated with gluten intolerance. Keeping a food journal can help determine which foods bring on skin flare-ups. You can then eliminate foods you suspect are problematic or see an allergist for food allergy testing to be sure. If the tests prove that you are indeed intolerant or sensitive to gluten, avoiding foods that contain it can help prevent a reaction. Here are some foods to avoid if you are diagnosed gluten intolerant or sensitive:

• Barley (Brewer’s yeast, malt, malt flavoring, malt vinegar)
• Wheat & products from the wheat family:
• Bran (wheat)
• Bulgur
• Couscous
• Durum Flour
• Farina
• Graham Flour
• Kamut
• Orzo and other wheat-based pastas and noodles    
• Triticale (a cross between wheat and rye)    
• Semolina
• Spelt
• Wheatberries
• Wheatstarch
• Rye

Beyond these obvious sources, read labels as many foods use gluten as a thickener, additive, and stabilizer! Watch for gluten in bouillon, bleu cheese, candies, canned soups, energy bars, granola, flavored chips, ice cream, hydrolyzed wheat protein in lunchmeat, hot dogs, poultry, sausage, and salami, meat substitutes, salad dressing, and soy sauce. It can even lurk in nutritional supplements! Do not get discouraged! There are tons of foods you can eat this holiday:

• Get creative with new recipes or reinvent old family recipes with foods you can eat.
• Make stuffing with a gluten-free stuffing mix and skip the gravy or serve your turkey with a gluten-free sauce. Make sure there is no cross-contamination with other gluten sources.
• If you want to break tradition completely, think outside the box, literally, with wild rice, quinoa, or chickpeas.

Now for cookies, try bars with gluten-free seeds, nuts, dried fruits, and gluten-free grains as follows:

• Amaranth
• Arrowroot
• Buckwheat
• Corn – cornmeal and hominy
• Flax
• Gluten-free flours (rice, soy, corn, potato, bean)
• Millet
• Quinoa
• Rice
• Sorghum
• Soy (do not overdo it due to phyto-hormones)
• Tapioca
• Teff

Fortunately, many companies offer “gluten-free” products today, making a gluten-free lifestyle and clear complexion easier to achieve. Just read labels to ensure that what you eat is not processed in factories that also process wheat, as traces of gluten can affect those who are extra sensitive. Lastly, if you are gluten intolerant, avoiding skincare and cosmetics with gluten is vital. Pevonia has gluten-free solutions for breakouts, rosacea-prone skin, dryness, sensitivity, and early signs of aging with safe ingredients to appeal to all clean beauty enthusiasts. Choosing a lip balm, lip gloss, or lipstick free of gluten is especially imperative as you risk ingesting them and triggering a reaction.