I’ve worked from home for nearly eight years, and have managed to deflect about 98% of the meetings requested of me. Despite fancying myself as the grooming expert, I don’t like having to “look presentable” when I’m not leaving my house. But every so often, a mandatory video call requires me to look my best, and I prioritize a few key skincare products: concealer, eye cream, and a serum or mask that makes my skin glow. And lately, that last category is Narcyss’ (literally) brilliant sheet masks, or Le Fix Emergency Facial Mask – Intense Hydration as Narcyss calls them.
Narcyss Le Fix Emergency Facial Mask
The name is spot on. These emergency facial treatments can have your skin looking its healthiest and most radiant in just 10 minutes. They quickly remedy severely dry skin or a dull complexion in the same way eye patches can reduce dark circles, depuff, and firm. They drown your skin with hyaluronic acid and bamboo extract, both of which help maintain the added hydration and nourishment throughout the day.
They come in different varieties with distinct benefits: detoxing, hydrating, firming, and exfoliating. The Le Fix Intense Hydration masks leave skin photo-ready with a “dewy” complexion that’s unmistakable. I know that many men don’t necessarily see the benefit of having dewy/glowy/brilliant/bright skin, but I can assure you, that’s when it looks its healthiest. It’s also distinct from having greasy skin, where the sebum from your pores turns you into a bike reflector. With the Narcyss’ mask, the light catches your skin at every angle, and makes it glisten.
I suggest using the Narcyss mask in the morning, after cleansing, so you don’t sleep away the same-day benefits. Narcyss is also one of the few brands who has separated their sheet masks into two pieces so men with facial hair don’t waste the lower half on a sticky beard. One half can stick to the forehead, nose, and cheekbones, and you can massage the serum from the rest of the mask beneath your whiskers as best as possible. The sachet has lots of extra serum inside, too, so don’t let it go to waste. Tip it upside down to catch the serum and massage it into your lower face, neck, hands, ashy elbows, and knees.
This serum feels denser than most popular morning serums, but it’s breathable, so it won’t suffocate your skin. That said, Narcyss’ serum has a lingering presence; like, I still feel it hours later, which is probably why my skin stays glowy many hours after each use.
They’re excellent for a last-minute, “emergency” reset, but I wouldn’t recommend them for daily use because of the elevated price tag. The cost is $29 for 3 masks which is well above the standard $2 single-use masks available in the CVS checkout line.
If you have daily Zoom meetings or are a serial dater, then having brilliant skin should be achieved via other means. I recommend nightly retinol use, daily SPF defense, routine chemical exfoliation, and a good Vitamin C serum. I know it all adds up, but those things will give you 30-90 days’ use each, and you can expect incredible results after about 90 days — just be sure to keep it up after the fact if you want to maintain results.
Even with a good regimen in place, there are occasional emergencies. Hey, I’m the grooming expert and if I experience them, so will you. I’m stocked on my Le Fix masks, and wholeheartedly endorse the same for you.