Sheet masks really blew up a while ago but we’re finding it difficult to pin point exactly when the trend really blew. Was it the Korean sheet masks or the (apparently) Instragrammable nature of their appearance? A few years ago most of the pictures we saw in our discovery section revolved around "hot dog legs". You remember the beach selfie with legs and a carefully positioned camera to include the pool or the sea behind them? Well, the world has moved on.

Be it Bella Hadid on a private jet pairing a sheet mask with a Dior beret, Lady Gaga pairing it with white sunglasses, Selma Blair with tear drop shaped eye mask patches or Diane Kruger with her Chanel logo stamped sheet mask and a white robe. All these images made it to Instagram as part of the fashion community’s stamp of approval on the mentioned masks.

Dig a little deeper and one will realize there is a certain millennial fascination with the ease of masks - the perfect pre-game to a night out. After years of buying into bottles of miracle creams, the instant gratification that comes from a sheet that promises a facial in 15 minutes is very exciting. Most sheet masks cost about PKR 500 which isn’t cheap but it’s the kind of purchase that isn’t too bad in comparison i.e. PKR 10,000 for a pot of cream, even if the cream works out cheaper per application. Plus the instantaneous nature of results, even if they vanish soon after is pretty great!

Garnier Skin Active Moisture Bomb Super Hydrating Sheet Mask

The Garnier sheet masks came to local shores last year in three variants under their hydrating claim. We tried all three Moisture Bomb sheet masks that did revitalize the skin the way they claimed to. After 20 minutes of use, your skin ends up with the best of all worlds: moisturized, tight and matte.

Eau Thermale Avène Soothing Sheet Masque

Avene is the brand that recently launched in Pakistan and sent out a Thermal Spring water spray to beauty bloggers. While that may give even more instant gratification than a sheet mask, this is really their best product in our opinion. Open the mask and you find a biodegradable mask soaked in a serum that smells just like a freshly cut bouquet of roses. Its main ingredient, sorbitol, soothes and hydrates skin, leaving absolutely no residue!

Shiseido Benefiance Pure Retinol Intensive Revitalizing Face Mask

With Shiseido’s sheet mask, pure liquid retinol (a derivative of vitamin A) penetrates the skin and works to re-plump it from the inside out. With regular use you’ll see softened lines, well moisturised, vibrant and smooth skin. It also comes in two pieces, so you can use it over cleansed skin with ease once a week and leave on for 15-minutes.

SK-II Facial Treatment Mask

Katie Holmes has gone on record to say that she wears these SK-II masks to bed. If that isn’t enough, Gigi Hadid, describing her beauty regime recently, said: "I used a SK II Facial Treatment Mask – I looked like a murderer. It was so cute. I took a selfie and sent it to my friend." The mask is drenched in Pitera a natural extract which re-hydrates parched skin, balances pH, regulates sebum and smoothes the surface of the skin.