Style Skincare 6 Skin-Soothing Drugstore Face Masks That Are Dermatologist Approved Treat your complexion to these soothing skincare products found at most drugstores. By Kristin Limoges Kristin Limoges Kristin Limoges is a beauty and wellness editor with nearly a decade of experience in print and digital media. Highlights: * Managing editor of TWELV Magazine, a digital publication about culture and style. * Managing editor of the Editorialist, a luxury, fashion and lifestyle magazine * Wellness editor at Domino Media Group, an editorial and e-commerce company specializing in style. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on October 31, 2022 Fact checked by Isaac Winter Fact checked by Isaac Winter Isaac Winter is a fact-checker and writer for Real Simple, ensuring the accuracy of content published by rigorously researching content before publication and periodically when content needs to be updated. Highlights: Helped establish a food pantry in West Garfield Park as an AmeriCorps employee at Above and Beyond Family Recovery Center. Interviewed Heartland Alliance employees for oral history project conducted by the Lake Forest College History Department. Editorial Head of Lake Forest College's literary magazine, Tusitala, for two years. Our Fact-Checking Process Share Tweet Pin Email Sure, the best things in life may be free, but skincare costs a whole lot of money. Between $350 collagen-boosting eye creams, $265 cell-stimulating face creams, and $150 gold-infused face masks–you practically need a small loan just to purchase the skincare basics found in a high-end department store. Fortunately, we're in the golden age of drugstore skincare innovation. These days, your local CVS, Walgreens, or Target is stocked with curated beauty brands and products from all over the world (hello, Korean beauty!). That means that most nearby drugstores are now chock-full of effective and top-rated skincare products, particularly face masks. If you've got a skincare woe, your neighborhood drugstore has got the answer. But don't just take our word for it, we asked five of the best dermatologists in the biz which masks they always rely on. Here are seven dermatologist-approved face masks you'll swear by, too. 6 Drugstore Skincare Products This Dermatologist Swears By Neutrogena Clear Pore Cleanser/Mask neutrogena.com Buy Now If acne tends to go hand-in-hand with your holiday merriment (thank you sweets, alcohol, and sub-par sleep), this two-in-one cleanser and mask just might be your cure-all. "The active ingredient in this is salicylic acid, which helps to clear pores, remove dead skin, and dry up active pimples," says Morgan Rabach, MD, a board certified dermatologist and co-founder of LM Medical. It can be used as a cleanser or left on as a mask for more potency. To buy: $9; walgreens.com. Burt's Bees Hydrating Overnight Mask target.com Buy Now In the instance of flaky, dry skin, grab this overnight mask with avocado oil for a deeply moisturizing treatment. Simply apply a layer onto skin, let it absorb for 10 minutes, then massage in the remaining product before hitting the hay. The result is noticeably more hydrated skin the following morning, according to Patricia Wexler, MD, a New York-based board-certified dermatologist. To buy: $15; target.com. Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Face Mask walgreens.com Buy Now "Hyaluronic acid is like a sponge that binds 1000 times its weight in water," says Joshua Zeichner, MD, a board certified dermatologist in New York. That means this humble ingredient can do some serious work to relieve parched skin, making it particularly effective during harsh winter months. That's precisely where this Neutrogena mask comes to save the day, drenching skin in super-hydrating hyaluronic acid. But beyond its moisturizing abilities, Dr. Zeichner also likes that the sheet mask comes in two pieces—a top and bottom—so it can fit well on almost any face. To buy: $3; walgreens.com. Weleda Skin Food Ultra-Rich Cream target.com Buy Now While this cult-status cream is known for its super-rich, hydrating qualities, it works beautifully on both skin and lips. According to Shereene Idriss, MD, a cosmetic dermatologist at Idriss Dermatology in New York, the luxe cream is ideal for basting—a technique that calls for the application of a thick, opaque layer onto the lips for 10 minutes. "It will seep through the mucus membrane while you're getting ready," she says. "Once it turns translucent, you can wipe off." To buy: $19; target.com. La Roche-Posay Hydraphase Intense Hyaluronic Acid Face Mask amazon.com Buy Now "Treat your skin with kindness via an intensely calming and soothing face mask," says Y. Claire Chang, MD, a board certified dermatologist with Union Square Dermatology in New York. Exfoliating face masks can be irritating if used too frequently, so when in doubt, use a gentle option, like this derm-approved mask from the famous French drugstore staple, La Roche-Posay. The Intense Hyaluronic Acid Mask utilizes fragmented hyaluronic acid and the brand's beloved thermal spring water to deeply hydrate while soothing. For an additional boost of calm, put the mask in the fridge 30 minutes before application. To buy: $37; laroche-posay.us. AcneFree Sulfur Face Mask walgreens.com Buy Now For those dealing with occasional acne breakouts, try a sulfur mask. "Topical sulfur can help reduce oil and acne-causing bacteria on the skin," says Dr. Chang. In addition to 3.5 percent sulfur, this $10 option also contains Vitamin C, copper, and zinc to help clear away dead skin cells. It also has a satisfying tingle when applied and changes from a white opaque tint to blue as you massage it into skin. To buy: $10; acnefree.com. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources Real Simple is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts in our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy. Rodan K, Fields K, Majewski G, Falla T. Skincare bootcamp: the evolving role of skincare. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2016;4(12 Suppl Anatomy and Safety in Cosmetic Medicine: Cosmetic Bootcamp):e1152. doi:10.1097/GOX.0000000000001152 Essendoubi M, Gobinet C, Reynaud R, Angiboust JF, Manfait M, Piot O. Human skin penetration of hyaluronic acid of different molecular weights as probed by Raman spectroscopy. Skin Res Technol. 2016;22(1):55-62. doi:10.1111/srt.12228 Hashem NM, Hosny AEMS, Abdelrahman AA, Zakeer S. Antimicrobial activities encountered by sulfur nanoparticles combating Staphylococcal species harboring sccmecA recovered from acne vulgaris. AIMS Microbiol. 2021;7(4):481-498. doi:10.3934/microbiol.2021029