Want clearer skin? try multi-masking

We’re willing to bet you have at least one face mask in your skincare stash already, but consider this the official green light to go ahead and stock up on more.

Multi-masking — or, simply put, using different types of masks on different areas of your face — is a surefire way to score clearer skin. Here’s what you need to know.

Specially formulated to deliver hefty doses of active ingredients in a short amount of time, they’re a great add-on to use a few times per week, or whenever your complexion needs a little extra T.L.C. (Not to mention that there’s something about masking that makes it the perfect self-care activity. Especially when you pair it with a glass of sauvy b and an episode of Emily in Paris. But, we digress.)

If one mask is good, two or three masks is even better. Because while yes, you probably have one overarching skin type — dry, oily, sensitive, combination — that doesn’t mean that the skin on every part of your face falls into that one category.

Certain parts may be drier, or oilier, or more sensitive than others. Using different types of masks on different spots is a much more targeted (read: effective) approach for giving your skin exactly what it needs.

If you have blemish-prone skin, be strategic. Here’s a scenario: You grab an oil-absorbing mask that promises to detox pores and zap shine and apply it all-over.

That mask will be great for your forehead, nose, and chin — the areas of your face where pores are naturally larger, produce more oil, and are prone to clogging — but it can over-dry the spots that don’t have these issues. And that’s no good because drying out the skin ultimately triggers it to produce more oil, which will only make matters worse for you.

Instead, grab a few different masks along with that oil-absorbing option. For example, you might also want one for hydration and one that brightens.

Armed with your trio of masks, you apply each one exactly where it’s needed — the oil-absorbing one on your T-zone or spots where you tend to break out, the brightening one on any areas of dullness or where you’re fighting hyperpigmentation, and the hydrating on any remaining sections.

Magic — every area gets exactly what it needs and nothing it doesn’t. And, at the end of the day, that translates to achieving your clear-complexion goals faster than ever.

We love this multi-masking match: GlamGlow SUPERMUD Charcoal Instant Treatment Mask ($60) for breakout-prone areas and Florence Mind Glowing Peel Off Mask ($24) wherever your skin looks a little dull. It’s ok that these masks are different formats. Just be sure to let them both dry thoroughly and remove the peel-off mask before rinsing off the mud-based treatment.