Remember When Mask Time Was Fun?

Ozti's mask looks like dough and makes your skin look tighter in under 10 minutes.

Remember When Mask Time Was Fun?

Sometimes self-care, in the beauty sense, can feel a little rote—you light your candles, apply your mask, then you're on your way to sweet dreams before it's back to the grind. Every now and then, though, there's a product that switches it up and makes the routine a little more fun. For me, that's Otzi's Dough Therapy Mask.

The pore-tightening, gently exfoliating mask was part of the vegan and cruelty-free brand's debut collection at Sephora, and its bright packaging and playful consistency immediately caught my attention. As someone who spent their childhood building human globs out of Play-Doh, I'm a sucker for anything that's bouncy and jiggly. Even better if it's a mask promising to deliver results akin to a face-lift in under 10 minutes.

For my sensitive, dehydrated, combination skin (proud delicate flower over here!), I tread lightly when it comes to applying any products that identify as a physical exfoliant because the acids can lead to some unsightly irritation. After much trial and error, I learned that less is more when it comes to consistent and effective results, which is why I now exfoliate about once a week, maybe twice if my skin feels really clogged.

Otzi's Dough Therapy mask was billed to deeply clean and brighten thanks to a mix of kaolin clay, rice ceramides, and oat extract in just five minutes, so I was very eager to test it out.

For the past month, after double-cleansing, I pull out the little green tub and get to applying the mask all over. The doughlike consistency quickly transforms into a rich cream that spreads easily and feels very soothing on the skin. I let it sit for roughly five minutes, then remove with a warm cloth. It's no exaggeration to say that my skin not only feels clean but looks brighter and rejuvenated. And unlike other clay masks, I don't feel any impending skin cracks on the way if I don't immediately throw a bunch of creams on top.

After taking off the mask, I'll apply my essence of the moment—Skinfood's Royal Honey Propolis Enrich Essence—followed by the Intensive Moisture Facial Cream by Curél. This combination has left my skin feeling sufficiently plump and moisturized while still able to breathe amid the heat and humidity.

While the combination of a hydrating essence, moisturizer, and thick sunscreen can rear its ugly head when you're sweating under layers of filter and cotton, I've found that this mask helps keep my skin clean and balanced. For $30 and a jar that will easily last a few months, that's a full win in my book, so I'll be keeping the Dough Therapy as one of my beauty mainstays.