12 Best Affordable Face Masks That Are Must-Haves For Sensitive Skin
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As someone with sensitive skin, I know the struggle of finding a face mask that works well for my skin. There are so many options out there claiming to be "eco-friendly," but, at times, it is hard to find one that works without any irritation. The problem is, when you have sensitive skin, anything can cause some sort of issue—even if the product is all-natural and organic! So, what do you do?
Again, sensitive skin can mean different things from person to person, such as redness, dry patches, itchiness, or even sudden little bumps. One of the best things to do is look for a face mask with minimal ingredients and it is even better if they are plant-based. Avoid face masks with parabens, phthalates, sulfates, and any artificial ingredients. Keep an eye out for aloe, fruit & seed oils, honey, and hyaluronic acid on the packaging—these are the ingredients you want! Lucky for you, all of the masks below have at least one of these ingredients to keep your skin healthy and safe from irritation.
Below are our favorite eco-friendly face masks from low-priced retailers to luxury brands to try and give your sensitive skin some newfound TLC.
Our Favorite Eco-Friendly Face Masks for Sensitive Skin
Price Reference (average price):
$ | Under $15
$$ | Between $15-$30
$$$ | More than $30
Image: Ulta
Brightening Pumpkin Honey Glycolic Mask
Andalou
Price: $
Andalou is a leading, eco-friendly brand creating plant-based beauty products for over a decade. Their Pumpkin Honey Glycolic Mask is one of their best sellers and works wonders, especially when your skin is feeling dull. Once you lather the mask on your face, it creates a tingling feeling as you feel your skin getting refreshed. Most importantly, it brightens your face and is kind to sensitive skin. Another plus is that this mask smells so sweet and delicious, you might not even want to take it off. This mask is great to use at least once a week to keep your skin bright!
Key Ingredients: Pumpkin Puree, Honey, Pineapple Extract, and Various Seed Oils
Image: Nordstrom
red Algae Mask
OSEA
Price: $$$
OSEA is a luxury vegan skincare brand that we love! The Red Algae mask is a clarifying and invigorating treatment, giving your face that “new skin” feel! Apply a smooth, thin layer to your freshly cleansed skin and let it sit for 20-30 minutes. It decongests and minimizes pores to ensure that your face is cleansed deeply, especially below the surface. Plus, it’s loaded with soothing plant oils and detoxifying ingredients that rejuvenate your skin with some of the best of Mother Earth’s gifts. If you become a fan of this eco-friendly face mask, check out the rest of their skincare line, too!
Key Ingredients: Red Algae, Jojoba Seed Oil, Vitamin E, Green Tea
Image: Amazon
Superberry Hydrate & Glow Dream Mask
Youth to the People
Price: $$
Youth to the People is an eco-friendly brand that creates beauty products with vegan and cruelty-free formulas, derived from the founder's grandmother. The "Superberry Hydrate and Glow Mask" is one of their notable products. It is popular for making your skin feel "pillowy soft" and leaving your face with a refreshed, bright, and natural, dewy complexion. It also gives your face an ultra boost of moisture which, in most cases, is exactly what your sensitive skin needs.
Key Ingredients: Vitamin C, Hyaluronic Acid, and Berries
Image: Amazon
Indian Healing Clay
Aztec Secret
Price: $
The Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay has been around for decades and is used to remove acne and any blemishes. The clay is from Death Valley and sun-dried for up to six months. This all-natural clay face mask is free from additives, fragrances, and animal products. Keep in mind if you have sensitive skin, the mask only needs to be on your face for 5 minutes or less to deep clean pesky blackheads and pores. Also, this face mask is one of the most affordable on this list!
Key Ingredients: 100% Natural Bentonite Clay
Image: Amazon
Resurfacing Sleep Mask
Cocokind
Price: $$
Cocokind is a woman- and BIPOC-owned company that is also an eco-friendly brand making waves in the beauty industry. Cocokind won the 2021 Byrdie Beauty award for this resurfacing mask. It’s an overnight mask that gently reduces fine lines, wrinkles, and dark spots with natural extracts. This mask has the same effects as using retinol, but is a kinder formula, as retinol can be too harsh for some with sensitive skin. This mask is easy to use and worth adding to your evening skin routine.
Key Ingredients: Bakuchiol, Cucumber, Wild Indigo Extract, Jojoba Seed Oil
Image: Sephora
Jet Lag Mask
Summer Fridays
Price: $$$
A simple face mask that gets the job done, I love to use this mask after hours of traveling, whether it be on the road or up in an airplane. The mask applies as a gentle cream that your face just wants to soak up! The formula contains major familiar ingredients to prevent dullness, restore moisture, and even the texture of your face. As a result, you can say goodbye to dry patches and say hello to a brighter, glowing face. This face mask is safe for all skin types, but especially for people with ultra-sensitive skin (like me!). This is easily one of my go-to's and I will not stop recommending it!
Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic Acid, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Fragrance-Free
Image: Target
holy Hydration Face Mask
e.l.f.
Price: $
We are fangirls of e.l.f. at Swift! It is an underrated cruelty-free, all-natural beauty brand that you can buy online or at Target. (Plus, this is one of the most affordable products on our list.) There are two easy ways that you can use this mask. One, you can apply it and leave it on for 10-15 minutes before rinsing and washing your face with a gentle cleanser. Or, you can apply a thin layer before going to bed and allow it to sink in overnight. Either way, the next day your skin will be restored, hydrated, and totally refreshed. All of their products are vegan and sulfate-free, so you can feel reassured that your sensitive skin is safe. We love e.l.f.s efforts to make products both kind to us and our environment. As e.l.f. says, “kindness is chic.”
Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic Acid
Image: Sephora
Clarifying Clay Mask
Tatcha
Price: $$$
Tatcha is a luxury beauty brand with a high-end skincare line that is worth the splurge! To kickstart your love for Tatcha (if you haven’t already), we recommend their Matcha Clarifying Mask, which is just about everything you need in a product: cleansing, exfoliating, and hydrating. Plus, the all-natural Japanese ingredients make it a standout option on the list. To use, you simply massage a small amount onto your face and leave it on for 3-5 minutes, and then rinse with warm water. It will be a great addition to your weekly skin routine, we promise! Lastly, the price tag may be high, but it comes in a large recyclable container and you can make it last for months!
Key Ingredients: Green Tea, Japanese Konjac, Glycerin, Hyaluronic Acid
Image: Walmart
3-in-1 Detox Mud Mask
Honest Beauty
Price: $$
Honest Beauty stands strong in being an eco-friendly brand, creating a plethora of care products for you and everyone in the family. One of their newest products, the 3-in-1 Detox Mud Mask, removes dirt deep in your pores, soaks up any excess oil or irritants, and minimizes the size of any enlarged pores, resulting in radiant skin. You can use this (and all of Honest Beauty’s products!) without having to worry about any harsh chemicals, sulfates, phthalates, and parabens.
Key Ingredients: Bentonite Clay, Jeju Volcanic Ash, & Activated Charcoal
Image: Ulta
Pore Clarifying Mask
BioClarity
Price: $$
BioClarity is one of the newer eco-friendly brands developing 100% vegan and cruelty-free products to care for your skin! Their Pore Clarifying Mask consists of numerous calming ingredients safe for sensitive skin, such as tea tree and aloe. Both of these are soothing, yet combat impurities and help detox tired skin. There are hundreds of reviews that it alleviates skin issues, such as redness, sudden breakouts, blackheads, and long-standing blemishes. Consider including this face mask in your regular skin routine!
Key Ingredients: Floralux, Aloe, Witch Hazel, & Tea Tree
Image: Amazon
Drink Up Face Mask
Avatara
Price: $
Avatara is another great option if you prefer sheet masks! All of their masks are very affordable, especially when plant-based beauty brands can be pricey at times. Their Drink Up Face Mask is all about hydration and is described as “giving your face a tall glass of water.” It targets skin that is feeling dry and irritated, which is especially common during the colder months, even if you don’t consider your skin sensitive. Avatara has a collection of face masks worth checking out to give your skin what it is thirsty for!
Key Ingredients: Aloe, Lemon & Orange Extracts, and Various Root Extracts
Image: Amazon
Supergreens Face Mask
BYBI
Price: $
BYBI was founded by two friends from the UK, Dominika and Elsie, who started making avocado face masks and turmeric body scrubs in their kitchen, before blossoming into their sustainable beauty brand. They created various vegan recipes in order to develop new beauty products, safe for both our skin and dear Mother Earth. Their Supergreens Face Mask purifies and detoxes skin by removing old, dead, and lingering skin cells. This mask is great for all types of skin, but with the various seed oils and plant-based ingredients, rest assured your sensitive skin will feel refreshed. It also addresses stressed-out skin that may have some redness, dullness, or even oiliness. When your skin and complexion are looking for some balance (like, whose isn’t?), this is the face mask to put on.
Key Ingredients: Kaolin, Spirulina, Tomato, Broccoli, and Jojoba Oil
