This ‘Detox in a Jar’ Treatment Is What One Nurse Who Wears Masks All Day Long at Work Swears By

Have you ever stopped to look in the mirror only to wonder why your skin looks so… drab? While a lackluster complexion can be a bit of a bummer, it’s even more disappointing when you’re spending your hard-earned cash on top-notch plumping essences, brightening serums, revitalizing eye creams, and hydrating moisturizers.

That said, if you feel like you’re using all the best skin-care products and don’t seem to be reaping any rewards from doing so, it’s time to re-evaluate your routine. After all, no matter how nourishing your serums, creams, treatments, and moisturizers are, they can’t offer their full results unless your skin is free of dead skin. The reason? Those pesky (and sometimes unnoticeable) flakes block formulas from being able to sink in to deliver their intended benefits. All this to say, if you don’t have an exfoliator in your routine—or if the one you do have simply isn’t cutting it—there’s no time like the present to add a skin-sloughing face mask to your routine. And we know just the one!

Allow us to introduce you to the Tula Exfoliating Treatment Mask ($48)—a mask so good it’s earned over 500 5-star reviews. One so good, that some shoppers are touting it as the best mask they’ve ever used. (And bonus: It’s currently (and exclusively) on sale for W+G readers: Just use the code HOWL at checkout.)

“I love the little exfoliating beads that are in it, I can really feel it working when I use it,” one devoted reviewer shares. “My face is significantly softer and smoother. I am a nurse, so I wear a mask for long periods of times at work, this mask was recommended to me by a coworker and man am I glad I got it. Super refreshing after a long 12-hour shift. Detox in a jar is [definitely] a good name for this product!”

But don’t just take some stranger on the internet’s word for it. We chatted with two board-certified dermatologists about this stand-out mask—namely, to find out what makes it so dang effective.

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“The exfoliating mask contains bentonite and kaolin clay which unclog pores,” says board-certified dermatologist Dr. Elizabeth Mullans, M.D., at Uptown Dermatology in Houston, Texas. Since both ingredients absorb oil, she points out that this mask is especially great for oily and acne-prone skin, though it’s beneficial for normal skin, too. “Kaolin clay has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties,” she adds. As such, this best-selling mask also works to soothe skin and reduce redness.

But that’s not all. Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Debra Jaliman calls out the above ingredients, as well as rice extract. “Rice extract helps smooth the skin and helps the skin retain moisture,” she explains. The formula also includes volcanic sand (yes, really!) that effectively (yet gently) exfoliates skin.

For best results, Dr. Jaliman says to use this mask once or twice a week, after first cleansing your skin. “Leave it on for no more than 10 minutes and remove with warm water,” she advises. This mask is ideal for oily, combo, balanced, and acne-prone skin (if you have skin on the more dry side, you may want to avoid as it could dry out your skin even more—or use it once a week or every other week to start, and make sure to apply tons of hydrating serums and moisturizers afterward).

The nice thing is that it only takes five to 10 minutes to dry and work its magic. That’s less time than half an episode of The Bear. Apply, relax, rinse off, and enjoy your smooth and happy post-mask skin.

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