This Face Mask Actually Makes Me Look Forward to Sunday Nights

When COVID-19 temporarily closed our office in March 2020, I thought working from home would eliminate the Sunday scaries. It turns out, even if you don't physically have to commute to work, you still feel anxiety and stress at the tail-end of the weekend — on top of the uncertainty surrounding a global pandemic, global warming, and everything else the past two years has thrown at us.

Early on in the pandemic, I started blocking out some time after dinner on Sunday nights to give myself a mini-facial or simply add a mask to my regular skincare routine. It became a therapeutic ritual that helped me unwind and reset before the week ahead.

While I've maintained this ritual for two years, the masks I use are always changing. Lately, I've found myself reaching for Holifrog's Kosi Multi-Acid Mask, the brand's first face mask that launched earlier this year.

Resurfacing masks are nothing new, but this one stands out as it penetrates the skin below the surface layer to repair damage. Plus, it's effective yet gentle, despite its potent concentration of AHA, BHA, and PHA acids. Designed to be used at night, Kosi works to brighten, even tone, and minimize signs of dryness.

An exfoliating mask that doesn't dehydrate skin? I'm sold.

To shop: $58; dermstore.com

The formula includes a blend of AHA and BHA acids at different molecular sizes to remove dead skin cells from the surface of the skin and clear pores to prevent both whiteheads and blackheads. Plus, PHA acid exfoliates and hydrates skin. There's also glucosamine to further brighten skin by minimizing hyperpigmentation. Finally, to round out the formula, there's a plethora of plant-derived extracts and antioxidants that repair, soothe, and reduce inflammation.

To use, apply a generous coat of the mask on freshly cleansed skin and let it marinate for 10-20 minutes before rinsing it off and following up with a moisturizer. Because of the number of active ingredients in this formula, it's recommended that you skip using any additional chemical exfoliants or retinoids on the nights you do this mask.

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And yes, this mask is supposed to tingle when you apply it. Given the number of acids in the formula, feeling a little heat is totally normal, but don't expect your skin to be red and tight after you rinse it off. After using Kosi, my skin is instantly more radiant and clear. Plus, my face looks just as good on Monday mornings.

While I'm mentally preparing to work in an office again starting next month, my Sunday night mask is one part of my WFH routine I won't be quitting.