Masking with Peter Thomas Roth

First: Happy Resurrection Day! Aren't long weekends absolutely glorious? If I had my way, I would work hard for four days and have three-day weekends every single friggin' week. Alas, the world's customs are not mine to tweak.

Speaking of resurrection, my skin has been having an excellent time since incorporating a few new masks into my skincare regimen. Just a slather or two every other day in the week. The three I've been rotating are the Peter Thomas Roth Rose Stem Cell Mask, Cucumber Gel Mask, and Radiance Oxygenating Masque.

The Rose Stem Cell Mask is a new release for Spring 2014 and the Cucumber Gel Mask is a perennial Peter Thomas Roth bestseller. The former has anti-wrinkle repair benefits while the latter provides supreme hydration to the skin. Each mask has faint whiffs of its namesake scent, which in my case is a plus. What I like about most about them is you can use them as a traditional mask (apply and leave on for ten minutes, rinse off) or leave a light layer on to sleep as an intensive treatment. Way to cater to the multi-tasking lazyperson in me, PTR!

Another feature I like (and this goes against my minimalist Muji-loving self but I roll with it) is that all the instructions and ingredients are printed on the product packaging.

My roommate and I having a go at the Radiance Oxygenating Masque, image via my Instagram

I've been told that the Radiance Oxygenating Masque is an Asia exclusive, but you can get it through some creative Googling. I personally think this should be brought back to the US. It's my favorite mask of the group, mostly because I can actually see and feel it working. The product is a blue liquid that oxygenates after you apply it on your face, as in you can see the blue liquid turn into white bubbles (accompanied by a cooling sensation) like above. It disappears after a while, which is your cue to wash it off. My skin looks brighter and feels more alive after using this mask. It completely makes sense that they suggest we use it before a big event in the directions.

Just to reaffirm the claim that this is indeed a unisex brand, I asked my boyfriend (who will be a skincare addict one day if I had my way) to try on the rose mask, since he's starting to feel concerned about the wrinkles around his eyes (his words, not mine). We put it on, had 30 minutes of computer game time, then washed it off. He was pleasantly surprised about how refreshed his skin felt, while mine was smooth like a baby's bottom. I wish the effects of the mask lasted forever.

Peter Thomas Roth Rose Stem Cell Mask retails for $38. The Cucumber Gel Mask goes for $45. Both are newly available at Sephora.

Full disclosure: This entry contains sample products sent by PR or the manufacturer for editorial consideration. This entry also contains affiliate links.