Hey guys!
Finally. Weekend. x_x
Man, it’s been a long, busy week and I’m glad I can finally lay back and catch up on writing. I don’t really have anything exciting planned this weekend but just getting some extra sleep and enjoying a little bit of sun and warmth outside is enough for me! 🙂
So, today I want to share a cheap, quick and effective skincare hack that I enjoy doing when my skin is feeling tired, sensitive or dehydrated. It immediately plumps up skin, alleviates tightness and effectively gets rid of flakiness – all of that in less than 5 minutes. It’s called a lotion mask and all you need to make it is water, cotton pads and a bottle of moisturising lotion or essence.
For this mask, I’m using the Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Lotion (which is super gentle for sensitive skin yet incredibly moisturising) and Selena Multi-Layer Cotton Pads. This brand of cotton pads is amazing; they’re rectangular, soft and thinner than normal cotton pads. You can literally peel them into up to 5 layers, depending on how thick you want them to be. Once they’re wet, you can even gently stretch them without ripping them apart! They’re perfect for lotion masks, but if you can’t get hold of multi-layered cotton pads you can just use normal ones too 🙂

Here’s how to make it:
1. Take a small bowl and fill it up with some fresh water. Water should be either at room temperature or slightly cold.
2. Immerse the cotton pad in water for a few seconds until it’s completely saturated. Place the wet cotton pad on the palm of your hand, then press your other palm against it (as if you’re praying) to gently get rid of excess water.
3. Take your favourite moisturising lotion or essence and add a few drops to the wet cotton pad.
4. Peel the cotton sheet into individual, thinner layers. You’ll need around 5 pieces for the whole face.
5. Â Place the cotton pads on your cheeks, forehead, chin and nose and let it work for about 5 minutes.
After allowing the lotion to be sink in, simply remove and discard the cotton pads. DO NOT WASH YOUR FACE! Instead, gently pad any excess lotion into your skin before it has a chance to evaporate.

And that’s it! Whenever you use lotion or essence by simply putting some drops on your hands or cotton pad and patting it in, some of it will evaporate before your skin has a chance to absorb it. But by using them as a mask,  all the beneficial ingredients can really sink into your skin over a longer period of time. Because they’re “trapped” between the skin and the cotton, you’re forcing them into being absorbed, resulting in plump, hydrated, brighter skin.
I really like this method because I can get the maximum benefit of the product without needing to use huge amounts of it. At the same time, it’s incredibly easy to make and provides quick relief when skin is feeling tight, irritated or thirsty; all of this in less than 5 minutes so I can go and do other things afterwards.
Have you ever used your lotion or essence as a mask like this? If not, is it something you would try? Make sure to let me know in the comments! 🙂
Thanks for reading and hope you all have a lovely weekend! ❤