During the summer months, your skin will be at its most vulnerable due to the intensity of the UV rays, which can lead to skin inflammation, dry skin, worsening of hyperpigmentation and damage that will lead to signs of skin aging like fine lines and wrinkles. Sunscreens are must, but there are also amazing masks which can soothe irritated skin and give you back a healthy glow.

Studies have consistently shown that eating a healthy diet which has a lot of leafy greens, fruits, and healthy fats leads to a better and healthier looking complexion than tanning.

I’ve been really great with my diet lately, and I’ve noticed that my skin looks so much healthier. It appears to have a natural tan and a glow, but this is not from the sun, it’s just from the carotenoids from the fruits and vegetables like lutein (see foods rich in lutein).

There are also many other ways we can care for our skin by improving our diet. I wrote an article on how you can moisturize your skin from the inside here.

Skinceuticals Phyto Corrective Masque Review

So anyway! A couple months back I went and ordered my regular skin products from SkinCeuticals, but this time they included a sample of this green gel. It was Skinceuticals Corrective Face Masque.

Although I’ve used Aloe vera on and off for years and is a great anti-inflammatory gel (I’d usually apply at night), I have never actually tried one of these before. This face mask doesn’t harden or dry after you put it on, but it does have a thick consistency and spreads well over the face. And then all of the natural ingredients can be absorbed into the skin.

It says in the instructions to use it 2 – 3 days in the week or as needed, but I chose to try it out every day as I was curious about the results. Reviews for the product are very positive online, but I wasn’t expecting too much from it.

Results were better than expected!

After just a few days the results were way better than I would’ve thought. My skin became incredibly smooth and some redness I had on my skin seemed to completely go away. I would say that my complexion and overall skin health has never been better.

I know that I am a raving Skinceuticals fan lol, but I think this product actually completes my skin care regimen.

It’s perfect if you have acne-prone skin and are sensitive to various ingredients in skin products.

Although, I’ve rarely ever had a problem with any SkinCeuticals product. You get what you pay for in my opinion.

To get the most of the sample product, I left the masque on overnight and then washed it off in the morning. It feels nice on the skin and smells very botanical as well, so it’s not a problem.

Needless to say though, I went and bought a large jar of the stuff. I figure that if I use it every day, it should last around 5-6 months. And although it’s a bit on the expensive side, over many months, it doesn’t add up to that much.

Tip: Put the masque in the fridge to help improve the cooling effects you get from applying. It will also help keep it fresh!

What is Phyo Corrective Masque supposed to do?

After I got these amazing early results, I had a little look to see what this product was designed to do.

• Helps relieve irritated, sensitive skin which is prone to breaking out and redness
• Helps cool the skin after undergoing laser surgery and is often used for that purpose in clinics
• Designed to be intensely hydrating with its high concentration of hyaluronic acid
• Designed for daily use for post-workout, sun exposure, windburn and other damaging effects from the environment
• Good for highly reactive skin with fast relief of redness and irritation

SkinCeuticals products generally fall under three categories: cleanse, prevent, correct.  Phyto Corrective Masque falls under corrective skin care because it is able to dramatically improve redness quickly and reduce skin pain and discomfort.

This face mask is great for people who have sensitive skin and are acne prone. I haven’t experienced one breakout from it, and I’ve not come across any reviews which people said they had a negative experience either.

Studies have shown good results for post-procedure skin care

• 20% reduction in visual redness
• 47% reduction in discomfort
• 37 degrees Fahrenheit reduction in skin surface temperature

What are the main ingredients?

Phyto Corrective Masque has many ingredients (it differs slightly from the gel). It contains 9% botanicals, a calming dipeptide to help reduce the perception of heat, and Hyaluronic acid which helps restore hydration to the skin. You can read the full list of ingredients here.

Hyaluronic Acid

As you age, levels of hyaluronic acid decrease and your skin become drier and older looking. Replenish HA is important for maintaining soft and plump-looking skin as you age. This product contains a significant amount of hyaluronic acid, which really smooth out the skin making it feel very soft with not one dry spot to be felt.

Olive Leaf Extract

Olive leaf extract has been shown to inhibit damage caused by UVB radiation and decrease skin thickness induced by it.

It also appears to help reduce the expression of protein-degrading enzymes which break down collagen in the skin. It also suggests that olive leaf extract may reduce the risk of skin tumors. [1]

Other studies suggest that Olive leaf extract may also accelerate wound healing and could be used after surgery.

Cucumber Fruit Extract (cucumis sativus)

The juice of the cucumis sativus fruit has many healing properties. Studies show that has powerful antioxidant effects and acts as an anti-hyaluronidase and anti-elastase agent.

This means that it helps prevent the breakdown of hyaluronic acid in the skin and may prevent skin wrinkling by maintaining good skin elasticity. [2]

Other studies show that it helps relieve pain and may be good for skin inflammation and swelling.

Thymus flower/leaf extract

Thymus is a botanical that is used in some cosmetics because it helps block oxidative stress in the skin from UV rays and also boosts intracellular antioxidant defense mechanisms and therefore may prevent skin aging. [3]

Thymus extract also has anti-fungal, antibacterial and strong anti-inflammatory effects.

Grapefruit Extract

Grapefruit has many healing properties, some of these from the proanthocyanidins found in the fruit. These help creased endothelial growth factors which speed up wound healing, contraction, and closure.

It also has strong anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties (effective against gram negative and gram positive bacteria) which also help improve skin health and maintaining a clear complexion. [4]

For best results use with Konjac Sponge

If you want to achieve the best results, try using this facial masque every day after exfoliating your skin (helps remove dead skin cells).

Konjac sponges are a great way to do this. They are many Korean and Japanese Konjac sponges to choose from and they’re fairly cheap and last a while before they begin to break down.

They are also infused with different ingredients, which help boost skin radiance.

I use this with my regular (mild) cleanser every night and then apply the face masque to a clean face.

Conclusion

I don’t want to claim that this is a miracle product and will completely transform your skin. That being said, if you have reactive skin which is prone to redness and gets easily irritated, I highly recommend you give this a try! It’s a product that I’ll be including in my skin care regimen indefinitely.

Also check out: Phyto Corrective Gel