This AHA Face Mask Has Me Skipping My Facial Appointments

I may be the only beauty editor that dreads getting facials. I love the outcome but I always feel down on myself when the dermatologist or esthetician critiques my skin prior to my appointment. It’s always the same story — my skin is dehydrated, congested, and uneven. Now, no one is to blame here but myself. I am guilty of sometimes forgetting to take my makeup off, not drinking enough water, and popping my pimples, which leads to hyperpigmentation. All of this said, I’m constantly on the hunt to find at-home solutions to solve my skin woes, and folks, I believe I cracked the code. 

Meet the Hyper Skin Fade and Glow AHA Mask, which landed in my hands during our 2022 Best of Beauty Award testing. I was immediately intrigued by its adorable packaging. The bright orange cap and pale yellow tube make the experience seem playful and not intimidating, which is nice because the ingredients found inside can appear a little scary to someone who’s not familiar with them — let me explain. 

The Fade and Glow AHA Mask has a great ingredient lineup but the star is, of course, the AHAs, which stand for alpha hydroxy acids. Morgan Rabach, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, previously told Allure that alpha hydroxy acids are great at removing the outer layer of dead skin, making it smoother and more even-toned. “AHAs help even out skin pigmentation irregularities from melasma and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation,” she explained. In the AHA catalog live glycolic and mandelic acids, both of which are found in this mask and smooth over any unwanted texture. But that’s not all — there’s also hydrating glycerin and niacinamide, one of my all-time favorite ingredients, to even out dark spots and minimize the appearance of acne or congestion.

Hyper Skin Even Fade and Glow AHA Mask

Basically, this mask was made for my skin. I made sure my skin was clean of any makeup or debris from the day. I then globbed a dime-sized amount of the thick, bright yellow formula onto my skin, spread it around into a thin layer, and let it sit for 15 minutes. While it was marinating into my skin, I worried that there would be a slight tingle or burn, since it is an acid-based treatment — however, to my surprise, there was none. It felt like I had on more of a hydrating mask rather than an exfoliating one.

Once my timer buzzed, I rinsed it off to reveal brighter, glowing skin. To top off my glow, I added my favorite overnight mask, the Youth to the People Superberry Hydrate and Glow Dream Mask, and went to sleep.