I've ditched expensive facials for this £3.49 face mask and my skin has never been brighter

As a beauty editor, I have been supremely lucky to try many facials over the years. So far so spoiled. But working, parenting and everything else in life has meant that I just don't have the time for a 60-minute treatment anymore, however much I crave one - which is where a certain £3.49 mask comes in...

My skin already errs on the dry side, but during the winter months, it is especially unhappy, faced with biting winds as well as the central heating I have pumping constantly. So with little time spare, there’s no denying that an at-home facial is a brilliant way of flooding skin with hydration and nourishment, especially at this time of year. It also of course offers an unbridled moment of relaxation - a time to press pause, close your eyes and zone out.

But I’ve had an epiphany, admittedly one borne out of time and financial constraints, but a realisation nonetheless. Rather than trying to carry out a long, complicated facial using extraction tools, my best vitamin C serum and my best red light therapy device as a mask, I can (and I do!) get all this from a sheet mask at home. My weapon of choice? Garnier SkinActive Moisture Bomb Sheet Mask. In my opinion, it's one of the best face masks available to buy at home, here's why...

Why I've ditched facials for Garnier SkinActive Moisture Bomb Sheet Mask

To be fair, I've never met a Garnier sheet mask I didn't like - the Ambre Solaire Aftersun mask is a tonic on a hot summer’s day - but the Moisture Bomb Replumping mask is in another league, rivalling that of the best hyaluronic acid serums in delivering ultra-hydration to my skin. 

What's so good about the Garnier SkinActive Moisture Bomb Sheet Mask?

I have used this mask countless times - it must be well into double figures - but the post-treatment glow still gets me. I don’t know if it’s the satisfaction I get from knowing I’ve only spent a few quid, but that peachy plumpness seems to last longer than the after-glow of a facial.

Sheet masks are brilliant hydrators - they literally trap moisture in so it has nowhere to go but deep into your skin. Garnier SkinActive Moisture Bomb Sheet Mask offers a big slurp of hydration for dry, tight, dull-looking skin with serial skin-quencher, hyaluronic acid at the helm.

It's also enriched with pomegranate extract and glycerin to boost radiance and leave your skin feeling so supple - in just minutes. I can indeed vouch for its plumping potential - the little crinkles around my eyes and across my forehead always look softer afterwards.

Why buy it?

I wouldn’t call myself an eco-warrior but I’ve always been a bit uncomfortable with the single-use aspect of face masks but Garnier’s are now compostable so my hydrangeas can enjoy some extra nourishment too.

And then there’s the cost to consider. I’ve tried more premium versions but I baulk at the idea of spending £20 or even a tenner on something I will use once. Sure, that’s still a lot less than I'd pay for a facial, but I would much rather spend less so that I can treat my skin more often. And I can honestly say that the results from my high street favourite are as good - if not better - than the £10+ offerings.