Mad About Skin has worked through more than 20 masks and peels, and he approves of most of them. Almost everything he tried earned a thumbs up, with only a handful of skips. His enthusiasm does have one limit, though: there is a format he thinks has simply had its moment.
What does Mad About Skin recommend in masks & peels?
What he keeps coming back to is ingredients that actually do something, not just feel good. He praised the K-Secret Collagen Boosting Secret Sleeping Mask for packing collagen, panthenol, vitamin E, niacinamide and a gentle retinoid into one overnight mask, saying it left him with "the juiciest bouncy skin of your life." He also values masks that hold on to moisture after you apply them. The Beauty of Joseon Ground Rice and Honey Glow Mask earned his approval for exactly that: it stays pliable on the skin, which he says is a sign it is not pulling moisture out of the deeper layers. He has room for old favourites too. He described the Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant as something he absolutely loves, and pointed out that a product does not have to be new to be worth reaching for. On the budget end, The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Mask got high marks for what it does to pores over time. On the premium end, he frames the Tatcha Rice Polish as a year's investment when used once a week, which makes the price feel more reasonable.
In his words
"In here you've got collagen, panthenol, vitamin E, and a little retinoid which will over time naturally increase collagen, plus niacinamide too, so it's quite a nice comprehensive formulation. You use this as a rich moisturizer in your evening skincare routine, you put this on the skin and you'll wake up with the juiciest bouncy skin of your life, which I love. [...] If you look at the ingredients, collagen is sky high on it, which is why I think it works so well."
"The enzymes in here need to be activated. So put some in the palm of your hand and really get some water, turn it into almost like a lathery paste, then use it. I absolutely love it. [...] This is not a new launch, but sometimes not everything has to be new and innovative. Sometimes reaching for things that have worked for others for years is a good thing to do. I absolutely love this one. Really glad I tried it."
"It doesn't strip, it doesn't dry, it doesn't turn into like a crust like some masks can. If your mask is drying down completely, chances are it's stripping moisture from the deeper layers of your skin. [...] You want something that still has some malleability after you've applied it. This does. The honey is antimicrobial. Great if you've got rosacea, if you've got breakout-prone skin, acne, this will treat it. The rice enzymes will give a gentle exfoliation, but nothing too harsh."
"After 3 hours, yeah, I feel great. The skin definitely feels a little firmer, definitely feels plumper, and I can definitely notice the glow. I am very, very impressed. [...] There was still some product left to go, so if you leave this on for 4 hours I think you're going to get some next level results. Really, really impressed. [...] I don't think you could actually sleep in them, I think they're too delicate, I think by the time you wake up it'll be all over the place."
"This is great. Not the cheapest product out there. It's about I think I paid £50 for it, but I would say based on how much I've used, one pot of it will last me a year because I use it once a week just to get my exfoliation on point and just smooth out the skin. If you see it like that, it's a year's investment. I don't mind that price point. [...] This uses rice enzymes, which you see a lot in Japanese skincare, the use of enzymatic exfoliation."
"I promise you in like 3 or four months you'll definitely notice the difference when it comes to your pore if you use this every single day I love it"
How many masks and peels has Mad About Skin reviewed?
Mad About Skin has reviewed 21 masks and peels, for an approval rate of 86%. 18 approved, 1 mixed, and 2 skipped.
What has Mad About Skin skipped in masks & peels?
His clearest skip was for a whole format: peeling gels. He gave the Beauty of Joseon Apricot Blossom Peeling Gel a pass, saying it works well enough in the way peeling gels always have, but that he thinks the format has had its day. Coming from someone who rates almost everything from Beauty of Joseon, that is worth noting. His other skip was The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution. He says it is too strong for anyone not already using it, the risk of misuse is too high, and he would not point a beginner toward it.
"I've used this, it's like a very traditional peeling gel. You kind of work it into the skin, it balls up on itself, feels very satisfying. It does allow you to take away some of the dead skin cells, but I just think peeling gels have had their day. They were all the rage a couple of years ago, but I don't see the hype about them as much now. [...] Beauty of Joseon as a Korean skincare brand is amazing, but this is my least favorite product from them."
"I wouldn't recommend anyone reach for that red peel unless they're already using it and getting the results they want. It's not very beginner friendly. It's also there's a high risk of misusing it."
What should you take from Mad About Skin's picks?
Mad About Skin's first pick for most people in this category is the PSA Skin Follow the Light Multi-Acids and Vitamin C Peel, the product he named a winner. Beyond that one highlight, his record here shows he finds a lot to like in masks and peels, as long as they are built around ingredients that genuinely work and do not damage the skin barrier. The two things he would steer people away from are peeling gels and anything with a very high acid concentration if you are new to exfoliation.
Watch Mad About Skin say it
Every verdict here comes from a video. These are the moments themselves, each one jumping straight to the bit about that product.
- PSA Skin Follow the Light Multi-Acids and Vitamin C PeelNamed a winnerWatch at 12:38
- Beauty of Joseon Apricot Blossom Peeling GelSkipped itWatch at 6:18
- The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling SolutionSkipped itWatch at 10:10
- K-Secret Collagen Boosting Secret Sleeping MaskRated itWatch at 8:40
- Dermalogica Daily MicrofoliantRated itWatch at 6:52
- Beauty of Joseon Ground Rice and Honey Glow MaskRated itWatch at 6:20
- Biodance Bio-Collagen Real Deep MaskRated itWatch at 9:42
- Tatcha Rice PolishRated itWatch at 8:07
- The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% MaskRated itWatch at 10:12
- Krave Beauty Kale-Lalu-Yaha AHA/BHA ExfoliantRated itWatch at 6:00
- Numbuzin No.9 NAD+ Bio-Lifting Sill Full Face Sheet MaskRated itWatch at 12:33
- VT Hydrogel MasksRated itWatch at 10:26
- Geek & Gorgeous Perfectly Clear 2% BHA SerumRated itWatch at 8:54
- Round Lab Camellia Deep Collagen Firming Gel MaskRated itWatch at 13:34
- VT Cica Dressing Hydro Gel MaskRated itWatch at 14:56
- NIOD Flavanone Mud MaskRated itWatch at 2:51
- Skin1004 Zombie Beauty Cocoon Soap MaskRated itWatch at 11:13
- The INKEY List AHA SerumRated itWatch at 5:05
- Beauty of Joseon Centella Asiatica Calming MaskRated itWatch at 10:50
- Beauty of Joseon Red Bean Refreshing Pore MaskRated itWatch at 11:26
About this expert
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This guide reflects what Mad About Skin said across his videos about 21 products in masks & peels, aggregated by The Guru Index. Sponsored takes are excluded. The approval rate is the share of these products he approved. It is general information, not medical advice.