The second the temperature drops below 50 degrees, my fussy, combination skin gets dry, scaly, and irritated. Despite swapping my lighter products for oils and balms, overnight masking, and upping my water intake, there’s no soothing the dryness. Now I’m fighting acne and dull flakiness, and it feels like the journey to good skin is an uphill battle I’m never going to win.
Enter stage left, the R+R mask, a new pampering mask from the well-loved brand Summer Fridays. Despite only having two products on the market and being less than a year old, the brand has skyrocketed to cult status thanks to its Instagram-friendly aesthetic, influencer backing (it’s founded by Marianna Hewitt and Lauren Gores Ireland), and oh yeah, masks that really, really work.
The arrival of R+R on my desk couldn’t come any sooner, as it promises to revive and nurture dry, dull skin (as mentioned above, I am clearly suffering from both). Most of the mask’s nourishing powers come from the bouquet of oils it’s packed with, including argan, safflower, sesame, avocado, grape seed, and Bulgarian Rose. The oils are rich in fatty acids and antioxidants to deeply moisturize and repair skin.
The mask also contains a form of oil-soluble Vitamin C to help fight dullness and even skin tone. Finally, R+R—like the Overtime Mask—has both physical and chemical exfoliants to really slough off dead skin and jumpstart glow. The physical comes from the crushed rose powder, while the chemical comes from sucrose (a.k.a. sugar), an AHA. While it sounds like a lot, the oil provides a nice cushion, and I found it rather gentle, which is really what sets it apart from Overtime (that one is for more intense exfoliation).
The texture is one of the most unique masks I’ve ever used, it’s a clear jelly that definitely has a very oily, slippery feel to it. It also has rose petals and crushed rose petal powder suspended throughout, which I love as I’m a sucker for anything remotely rosy. As per the instructions, after applying the mask I gently rubbed it in for some light physical exfoliation. It’s a nice scrubby feeling that isn’t too harsh. Then, I let the mask sink in and all the yummy oils go to work.
Me with the R+R Mask on
I’m obsessed with the scent, which can only be described as delightful. It has a light rose smell that isn’t cloying or fake, just luxurious. It makes me feel like the mouse in this picture, but it’s not so over the top that it irritated my sensitive skin.
The brand suggests leaving the mask on for 10 minutes, but I left it on for a little longer both times I tried it. The first time I tested the mask I used it in the morning and thoroughly washed my face in the shower after. My face felt crazy smooth from the exfoliants and nourished from the oils, but not sticky or greasy. The mask doesn’t really sink it while you wear it, it kind of forms a layer that sits on top of your skin, so I was surprised at how deeply moisturized I felt, even after washing it off. I didn’t notice a huge difference in glow, but my skin felt cared for and my makeup went on smoother than usual. The second time I tried R+R, I used it before bed and used a damp washcloth to towel it off, but didn’t follow it with another cleanser. This time it left my face feeling comforted and wrapped in oils (in a good way), and I just put a moisturizer over top and went to bed. I woke up to smooth skin that looked a touch more radiant (Rome wasn’t built in a day people!).
