“I want dry, dull skin,” said no one ever. If you really want to level up your moisturizing game, take your pick of the best hydrating face masks. Sure, moisturizers are a necessary part of any daily skin-care routine—but that’s not to say they’re the only path to a glowing, bouncy complexion. A well-formulated hydrating face mask is a sort of skin savior.
Vogue’s Favorite Hydrating Face Masks
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How? Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Blair Murphy Rose explains that they “deliver a concentrated dose of hydration and supportive ingredients in a format that often sits on the skin longer and more occlusive than a typical moisturizer.” Dehydrated skin is certainly no match for a careful blend of humectants, emollients, and nourishing agents. Ahead, experts weigh in on everything you need to know about using and choosing the best hydrating face masks for your skin type—plus Vogue’s favorite ones to shop.
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Best K-Beauty: Biodance Bio-Collagen Real Deep Mask
- Why We Love It: Vogue’s favorite K-beauty collagen mask was a TikTok find—heavily influenced by all the people who wore it on long international flights and arrived with an impeccably glowy visage. “This formula is designed to boost collagen production with a blend of collagen peptides, galactomyces, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide,” board-certified dermatologist Dr. Spearman, previously told Vogue. Together, these ingredients not only boost hydration, but improve skin elasticity and texture. For best results, leave the mask on overnight for maximum absorption of active ingredients. Not to worry—the bio-cellulose material isn’t drippy or messy, making it easy to sleep soundly and wake up with a radiant complexion.
- Key Ingredients: Low-molecular weight collagen peptide, galactomyces, oligo hyaluronic acid, niacinamide
- Type: Bio-cellulose
- Size: 4 masks per package
Best for Dry Skin: Chanel Hydra Beauty Camellia Repair Mask
- Why We Love It: If you’re after an ultra-rich face mask, this Chanel’s Hydra Beauty offering is a luxe (and utterly buttery) option. “Formulated with glycerin, camellia extract, and shea butter, this mask combines humectant hydration with occlusive ingredients that help to replenish moisture,” Dr. Murphy Rose says. “It works well for normal to dry skin, though its fragrance may not suit very sensitive types.” The balmy texture can be left on overnight, or during your TV show binge watching session—you decide how long to indulge.
- Key Ingredients: White camellia wax, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, panthenol, blue ginger, shea butter
- Type: Balmy cream
- Size: 1.7 oz
Best Jelly: Medicube Collagen Jelly Cream
- Why We Love It: Though technically a face cream, this works just as well as any of the other masks on our list. Dr. Spearman recommends turning to Medicube’s jelly-textured cream when your complexion is in need of deep hydration or a bit of firming. The formula combines freeze-dried hydrolyzed collagen, elastin, niacinamide, and squalane, which come together to improve skin’s bounce, glow, and hydration. We love it as an overnight treatment, though, its texture and illuminating-finish lends itself especially useful under makeup.
- Key Ingredients: Freeze-dried hydrolyzed collagen, niacinamide, squalane, hydrolyzed elastin
- Type: Jelly
- Size: 110 mL / 3.71 fl. oz
Best Hydro-Gel: Augustinus Bader The Hydrogel Face Mask
- Why We Love It: If you’re looking for fast-acting hydrating sheet masks, this one works in just 20 minutes. As expected, the formula is powered by by Augustinus Bader’s proprietary TFC8 technology (a blend of amino acids, peptides, vitamins, and antioxidants), alongside hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and centella asiatic extract. Just picture all of those potent ingredients in a concentrated dose to help support renewal and smooth skin texture. It’s a perfect skin reset after travel, stress, or when your face just needs that extra glow. Just leave on the shiny gold sheet and go!
- Key Ingredients: TFC8, sodium hyaluronate, glycerin, centella asiatica extract
- Type: Hydrogel
- Size: 4 masks per box
Best Clean Beauty: Kora Organics Milky Mushroom Ultra-Hydrating Mask
- Why We Love It: Kora Organics’s mask turns to botanic-derived ingredients for maximum moisture. “Here, the formula’s main ingredient is silver ear mushroom—a natural polysaccharide that functions like hyaluronic acid,” per Dr. Murphy Rose. Meanwhile, aloe and oat extracts double down on soothing properties. Because this pick is lightweight and less occlusive, Dr. Murphy Rose recommends it for those with mild to moderate skin dryness.
- Key Ingredients: Aloe, glycerin, coconut extract, silver ear mushroom extract, oat extract
- Type: Gel cream
- Size: 3.38 fl oz
Best for Sensitive Skin: CosRx Advanced Snail Mucin Power Sheet Mask
- Why We Love It: One of CosRx bestsellers, this sheet mask is “concentrated with 35,000 parts per million snail secretion filtrate to hydrate, repair, and heal the skin,” board-certified dermatologist Dr. Y. Claire Chang previously told Vogue, adding that the naturally-derived cellulose sheet fits flesh on the face without slipping—enriched with not only snail mucin but allantoin and hyaluronic acid, too.
- Key Ingredients: Snail mucin, allantoin, hyaluronic acid
- Type: Sheet mask
- Size: 10 masks
Best Cream: Laneige Bouncy and Firm Sleeping Mask
- Why We Love It: It’s hard to beat the texture of Laniege’s sleeping mask—bouncy, indeed, we’d argue this pick almost feels whipped, like a decadent mousse. Dr. Spearman previously cited her penchant for the formula, noting it helps to boost skin barrier elasticity without clogging pores. Plus, it leaves behind an instantly refrehsed finish—that’s all thanks to a blend of peony and collagen complex, green tea probiotic lysate, hyaluronic acid, and peptides.
- Key Ingredients: Peony & Collagen Complex, peptides, green tea probiotic lysate, hyaluronic acids, hydro-melt glow capsules
- Type: Cream
- Size: 2.0 fl. oz./60 mL
Best for Oily Skin: Blue Lagoon Mineral Mask
- Why We Love It: Those with oily, combination skin will appreciate Blue Lagoon’s balancing mask. “Rich in minerals, algae, and silica from geothermal sea water, this mask offers hydration while strengthening the barrier,” says Dr. Murphy Rose. “Its mineral content helps balance the skin, but it relies less on occlusives and more on replenishing and protective actives, making it feel lighter and refreshed.”
- Key Ingredients: Seawater, aloe leaf juice, jojoba seed oil, algae extract
- Type: Cream
- Size: 2.5 fl oz
Best Exfoliating: Bubble Skincare Over Night Hydrating Sleep Mask
- Why We Love It: Bubble Skincare’s sleep mask proves that some of the best hydrators can be found at your local drugstore. “This sleep mask is a cream blend of hyaluronic acid, squalane, soothing botanical extracts, and is formulated with mandelic acid for gentle AHA exfoliation, while niacinamide and kojic acid add a brightening boost to tackle dark spots,” medical aesthetics expert and educator Dr. Rebecca Small tells Vogue. “It locks in moisture overnight, leaving skin noticeably softer and refreshed.”
- Key Ingredients: Glycerin, squalane, niacinamide, shea butter, kojic acid, mandelic acid
- Type: Cream
- Size: 1.7 fl oz
Best Drugstore: Neutrogena Hydro Boost 100% Hydrogel Mask
- Why We Love It: For those who love Neutrogena’s Hydro Boost moisturizer, there’s a gel mask to add to the mix. For parched skin, this pick is like a big glass of water—drinking up its nutrients during 30 minutes of wear. Plus, the formula is allergy-tested and safe for even those with the most sensitive of skin concerns. Pick up a set at your local drugstore and store in your bag for use on the go.
- Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, hydrogenated castor oil
- Type: Hydrogel
- Size: 12 masks
Best Overnight Mask: Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask
- Why We Love It: If you’re looking to combat morning puffiness, Clinique’s hydrating mask has a surprising perk. “This rich, non-greasy cream layers easily over your nighttime routine,” says Dr. Small. “Infused with hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, and panthenol, it delivers deep hydration while soothing skin. Its blend of emollients and occlusives moisturize, while caffeine helps reduce puffiness, leaving behind radiant and hydrated skin by morning.”
- Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, pathenol, caffeine
- Type: Cream
- Size: 3.4 oz
Everything You Need To Know
Do hydrating face masks actually work?
Hydrating face masks aren’t all fluff. In fact, Dr. Small explains that while they aren’t a replacement for a daily moisturizer, face masks provide an instant boost to your skin. “Hydrating face masks can be very effective when used correctly,” she says. “They act as concentrated delivery systems for moisture and skin-replenishing ingredients, helping to temporarily plump the skin, improve elasticity, and smooth fine lines caused by dehydration.”
“Think about a face mask like putting water on a sponge—your skin is the sponge and the mask is the water,” details aesthetic nurse practitioner Katie Mann previously told Vogue. “The mask is going to fill up the sponge (your skin) with hydration until it’s at max capacity.”Dr. Small notes that face masks come in various forms—sheets, gels, and creams—all allowing you to choose the one that suits your skin type and routine.
How Often to Use a Hydrating Face Mask
Either reach for your hydrating face mask on a weekly cadence or as needed—any time you need some glow-boosting, or want to ensure your makeup sits nicely on your skin. “For most skin types, one to two times per week is sufficient,” says Dr. Small. “They are especially useful before events, on days when skin feels dry, dull, stressed, or after procedures to soothe and relieve discomfort.”
How To Choose a Hydrating Face Mask
When choosing a hydrating mask, Dr. Small advises looking for ingredients that are known for both moisture-retaining and soothing benefits. Dr. Murphy Rose agrees, categorizing ingredient types below. Though, as a general rule, she recommends her patients choose fragrance-free, hypoallergenic options. Plus, those with acne-prone skin should be mindful of any potential pore-cloggers.
- Humectants: Humectants like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, aloe, and panthenol attract and bind water to the skin.
- Emollients and Occlusives: Emollients and occlusives are skin-nouishing ingredients such as squalane, ceramides, shea butter and plant oils. These lock in that hydration.
- Soothing Ingredients: “For calming and repair, centella asiatica (cica), green tea, or chamomile are excellent,” says Dr. Murphy Rose, citing these as excellent to soothe skin in distress.