The 4 Best Things You Can Do For Your Face

A good face mask sucks the dirt, grime, and excess oil from your pores. And at the same time, it hydrates the skin with vitamins and nutrients to keep it from drying out. It firms up your skin, giving you a brighter, less-rugged complexion. Simply put: A good face mask deep cleans the skin to prevent breakouts and to keep you looking younger. It works so effectively, though, that it should be done only once a week, after you cleanse, and then followed by moisturizer or night cream before bed. Luckily, it gives you a good excuse to relax with a beer, feet up on the coffee table, tuned out for 15 or 20 minutes while John Oliver helps you make sense of the world’s chaos. If anything, do a mask for this reason: It forces you to slow down, which reduces stress, which in turn probably makes your skin look better. So it’s a twofer. Face masks come in different forms. Some are, quite literally, sheet masks. Others are clay creams or just-add-water powders. Here are our favorites. See more at GQ.