Treat blemishes with a hydrating mask… yes, really

Balancing your skin is key to not just a glowy complexion, but one with fewer breakouts and irritation.

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t During a recent chat with skin guru Ling Chan at her namesake spa, Ling Skincare in NYC, we dove deep into downer dermal issues, namely, acne. What ensued was a blow-your-mind beauty moment that’s served to keep my finicky skin spotless for weeks.

t Ling recommended a nightly hydrating mask for my so-much-more-than-my-T-zone oily skin. Hydrating? Yes. I was shocked but it all makes good sense. Listen up.

t Balancing your skin is key to not just a glowy complexion, but one with fewer breakouts and irritation. A hydrating mask applied nightly for 30 minutes to one hour serves to calm overactive oil glands from rebounding from harsh cleansing and, in turn, from pore-clogging serum. By offering much-needed hydration, your skin can chill instead of going into overdrive after your nightly makeup removing routine. Makes sense, right?

t Ling and I also chatted about the evolution of skin and facial versus body, say your arm, skin. She blew me away with her evolutionary theory of the oil glands in particular.

t She hypothesizes that the oil on our face is a response to the environment, namely the sun, wind, air and heat. Whether in a hot- or cold-weather climate, humans needed to expose their face to the environment to see their way to food, shelter and such. The oil glands on our face are a byproduct of our skin needing to protect itself from sun, heat and wind by lubricating the surface.

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t All your skin wants to do is protect you, and with that said, check outLing Skincare’s Ginseng Therapy Moisture Mask ($36) made with Panax Ginseng and collagen and start babying it ASAP.

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t L’Oréal Paris’ Revitalift Triple Power Intensive Overnight Mask ($25) is an overnight mask that hydrates skin, reduces the appearance of lines and wrinkles, re-firms contours and replenishes facial volume while you sleep. The lightweight cream Elasti-Flex Texture is a polymer complex that forms an elastic, invisible mask on the skin.

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t SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Masque

t Inspired by the award-winning Hydrating B5 Gel, SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Masque($52) is highly concentrated and infuses dehydrated and stressed skin with optimal amounts of hyaluronic acid and vitamin B5 to replenish depleted moisture levels. Best part, it’s invisible. You can even run your errands in it.

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t Amorepacific’sMoisture Bound Sleeping Recovery Masque($60) is a skin-strengthening overnight treatment that replenishes essential vitamins and nutrients while you sleep. Let it set for five minutes and then sleep your way to balanced, blemished-free skin.