Dr Dray has looked at a lot of masks and peels, and she tends to like them more than she skips them. Of the 42 she reviewed, she approved 30, had a mixed take on 5, and skipped 7. She named one product a winner: Etude House Mask Proof Fixing Tint.
What does Dr Dray recommend in masks & peels?
What she keeps coming back to is whether a mask or peel actually does something useful for the skin. She praised Exuviance Performance Peel AP25 for smoothing the surface, brightening the skin, and evening out skin tone, and called it 'a great product' she has used herself numerous times. Good Molecules All-In-One Exfoliating Treatment earned a strong recommendation too. She noted it improved skin smoothness without causing irritation, though she swapped it in on nights she was not using tretinoin, so those two did not stack. For overnight masks, she highlighted COSRX Ultimate Nourishing Rice Overnight Spa Mask as a fragrance-free option packed with niacinamide, allantoin, glycerin, and rice extract that delivers real hydration at a low price. Her approvals share a pattern: effective actives, skin-calming ingredients, and nothing likely to set off a reaction.
In her words
"Ordinarily it's a great product, this product works well, I've used it numerous times. It's a hydroxy acid peel you do one to two times a week, it has alpha hydroxy acids and polyhydroxy acids that help smooth out the skin surface, and it's very beneficial for improving hyperpigmentation, like if you got too much sun on a vacation and have some discoloration you're looking to improve. In the box you get a six week supply. This really does work, it helps smooth out the skin surface, brighten up the skin, and even out skin tone, ultimately allowing your skin care products to go on more evenly and penetrate better. I've really liked this, I've done it a handful of times, it's very gentle, it's not the kind of thing that causes a lot of irritation. That's a great product."
"I used this for a long time, just a few nights a week, and I highly recommend it. It's very good. It has alpha hydroxy acids and beta hydroxy acids to smooth out the surface of the skin and help improve skin texture. On the nights I used this, I didn't use my tretinoin because I didn't want to cause too much irritation. But I never developed irritation with this product, and it did help improve the smoothness of the surface of my skin overall. Good Molecules has a lot of really good products."
"This is a fragrance-free moisturizing cream that markets itself as an overnight spa mask. It's a bit more lightweight compared to barrier jellies, but it's an excellent option for hydrating the skin, reducing water loss, dryness and irritation. It has niacinamide and rice extract which is soothing and moisturizing, and it always delivers a bang for very little buck because it's a pretty affordable option as well. It's got allantoin and glycerin as well, moisturizing, hydrating, soothing ingredients. I highly recommend it."
"I'm also going to take the Etude House Mask Proof Fixing Tint. These are really good, they stay on really well. This is the shade midnight mauve."
"I love these repairing hand masks. And you can't tell me that this is like actually expired. 20 bucks seems pricey for it though. But inside the mask they have it's not just [Aquaphor] in there. It is urea and glycerin and shea butter and avocado oil and panthenol. That's not what's in [Aquaphor]. But basically putting in moisturizers under occlusion is a great way to really amp up repair of dry skin."
"Isntree Chestnut BHA 2% Clear Liquid, I really like it. It's really helping to smooth the skin surface and it's not irritating, although I did find that I've been putting it on my neck and I did find that I got a little bit of dryness back here."
How many masks and peels has Dr Dray reviewed?
Dr Dray has reviewed 42 masks and peels, for a Guru Score of 71%. 30 approved, 5 mixed, and 7 skipped.
What has Dr Dray skipped in masks & peels?
Where she skipped something, it was almost always about the formula. She passed on Peter Thomas Roth FirmX Peeling Gel because it contains bergamot fruit water, which can make skin more sensitive to the sun, and pineapple fruit extract, which she said can be irritating depending on how it is used. She skipped Baby Foot Original Exfoliant Foot Peel because the exfoliation is hard to control and can, in her words, actually put you at risk for blisters. She found Lineage Water Sleeping Mask simply disappointing after trying it multiple times, and she noted that Trader Joe's Watermelon Overnight Face Mask has a very strong scent.
"This is a fruit enzyme peel that also has bergamot fruit water in it, bergamot is a citrus fruit that can be photosensitizing. If you're someone who doesn't regularly do skin care you may be impressed by how this performs, but if you're routinely washing your face and moisturizing this shouldn't really be necessary, and it increases the risk of irritation, not only from the bergamot fruit water but the pineapple fruit extract can be pretty irritating too depending on how it's formulated. I say pass, it's ordinarily close to 50 dollars, and I would not pay 25 dollars for it on sale."
"My issue with Baby Foot peels is that they often have a lot of other ingredients that can cause irritation for your skin. They're kind of intense and it's hard to know how much they're going to exfoliate. Sometimes the exfoliation is quite robust and that can actually make you at risk for blisters. I prefer creams and ointments with keratolytic ingredients that you can use consistently, so you can self-titrate how much callus softening you get."
"I have tried the Lineage sleep mask multiple times and it is the most disappointing thing."
"This is a scented gel cream. It's very strong."
What should you take from Dr Dray's picks?
Dr Dray's record on masks and peels is largely positive, and her approvals are specific. She explains what the actives do, how to work them into a routine without overdoing it, and why some combinations are worth spacing out. Her skips are just as useful, because she says exactly what in the formula gave her pause. Anyone curious about chemical exfoliants or hydrating overnight masks will find her record a practical, honest place to start.
Watch Dr Dray say it
Every verdict here comes from a video. These are the moments themselves, each one jumping straight to the bit about that product.
- Etude House Mask Proof Fixing TintNamed a winnerWatch at 12:44
- Peter Thomas Roth FirmX Peeling GelSkipped itWatch at 15:58
- Baby Foot Original Exfoliant Foot PeelSkipped itWatch at 16:12
- Lineage Water Sleeping MaskSkipped itWatch at 4:48
- Trader Joe's Watermelon Overnight Face MaskSkipped itWatch at 3:32
- Laneige Water Sleeping MaskSkipped itWatch at 17:02
- St. Ives Fresh Skin Apricot ScrubSkipped itWatch at 2:55
- Sunday Riley Good Genes All-In-One AHA Lactic Acid TreatmentSkipped itWatch at 9:31
- Exuviance Performance Peel AP25Rated itWatch at 18:56
- Good Molecules All-In-One Exfoliating TreatmentRated itWatch at 12:04
- COSRX Ultimate Nourishing Rice Overnight Spa MaskRated itWatch at 12:07
- I'm From Honey Jelly MaskRated itWatch at 12:09
- Isntree Chestnut BHA 2% Clear LiquidRated itWatch at 0:45
- Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Pore Minimizing Quick Clay Stick MaskRated itWatch at 10:57
- PanOxyl 2% Salicylic Acid Liquid ExfoliantRated itWatch at 6:43
- Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Extra Strength Daily Peel PadsRated itWatch at 16:59
- Peach Slices Snail Rescue Intensive MaskRated itWatch at 12:38
- Torriden Cellmazing Firming Gel MaskRated itWatch at 5:49
- Pantene Miracle Rescue Intensive Bond Repair MaskRated itWatch at 15:45
- Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid ExfoliantRated itWatch at 6:29
- Abib Rice Probiotics Overnight Mask Barrier JellyRated itWatch at 11:57
- Prequel Multi-Acid Milk Peel AHA Exfoliating SolutionRated itWatch at 20:06
- Cetaphil Derm Control Clay MaskRated itWatch at 19:15
- CeraVe Skin Renewing Nightly Exfoliating TreatmentRated itWatch at 4:50
About this expert
See everything Dr Dray has reviewed
Related guides
This guide reflects what Dr Dray said across their videos about 42 products in masks & peels, aggregated by The Guru Index. Sponsored takes are excluded. The Guru Score is our read on how warmly they talk about them. It is general information, not medical advice.