We were brought up to identify our skin with one of (roughly) four different types: normal, dry, combination or oily. But as we now know life (or should I say skin) is not that simple.
Our skin changes: one moment it can be dry, the next oily. Or perhaps it suddenly develops sensitivity (yes, even the categorisation is crude). The condition of our skin is affected by many things, not least diet, sleep, age, hormonal levels and even the weather.
It’s the ever changing nature of skin that makes single use face masks such a good idea. Rather than buying, say, a hydrating mask in a large tube, you can buy a whole selection of single mask sachets or pots for treating a variety of different skin issues.
As we tend to apply a mask just once weekly, buying them in singles makes sense. Not only does it avoid waste (throwing out tubes that are passed their ‘use by’ date before we’ve had chance to finish them), but it also means we’ve got a steady supply of different formulations to treat our skin at whatever ‘point’ it’s at, plus it keeps the ingredients fresh.
Which brings me on to nűgg Beauty, a range of masks sold in single use pods containing high concentrations of natural active ingredients. There’s a soothing mask, hydrating, exfoliating, deep cleansing, revitalising, anti-ageing, de-stress, plus an eye and a lip mask. That covers a lot of bases!
I was recently invited to try out the range, and chose three from the line-up: the hydrating mask, plus the lip and eye. Before getting to the nitty gritty of each one, I just wanted to mention the packaging which is fun and eye catching, the lip balm in particular – it resembles Harry Potter’s Golden Snitch!
nűgg Hydrating Face Mask
Formulated with camellia seed oil and spirulina extract, it’s designed to deeply hydrate and replenish dry and dehydrated skin. It’s very thick and has a gel-cream texture. Apply liberally to the face and leave on for 15 or so minutes.
I tend to leave hydrating masks on to absorb completely, as it’s a good way of getting maximum moisture into the skin. You can’t do that with this mask as it doesn’t absorb, so you will need to remove it with a damp muslin or some such.
Having said that, skin is left feeling and looking very juicy and quenched. This would be a good mask to apply to get skin all glowy before a big night out. I also got a good two applications out of the single pod!
nűgg Eye Masks
Supplied in a box of six, these come in individual tubes with six sets of fabric patches. They contain caffeine, bisabolol and hesperidin to revive tired, puffy and dehydrated eyes.
These are my favourite of the three products. I’ve used numerous eye patches and find them a bit uncomfortable to wear – they feel either crispy (the paper ones), or like a wet fish (the gel ones).
These nűgg patches are made of cotton fabric, so feel more natural on the skin. First you apply the gel, then place the patch on top. Leave for at least 20 minutes, and massage any remainder into the skin.
My eyes look more wide awake after using these, as the skin beneath is brighter, more hydrated and dare I say – it looks younger! I got three good applications out of a single tube of gel (remove the patches and put aside for using the next day - or two!)
nűgg Lip Mask
Contains shea butter, coconut oil and liquorice root complex to hydrate, soften and plump. This is a balm and feels immediately soothing. You apply and tissue off any remainder after 20 minutes.
The formula completely absorbed into my incredibly dry lips, leaving them feeling a lot softer and relieving tightness. I’m not entirely sure they looked more plumped but the improved hydration is unquestionable - I clearly need to apply a lip mask more often!
While you will get more than a single application out of the lip mask pod, you need to apply the balm thick and there’s not an awful lot in there for £9.49. Pricing for the other masks is: single use pods £3.29 each or £12.99 for a pack of four, or £16.45 for five. The eye mask set is £14.49. The products are available at Selfridges and Selfridges.com. More on nűgg here.
Post contains press samples.