Unfortunately, the heater you use to stay snuggly and warm might just be the same reason why your skin feels more dehydrated than ever in winter. Cold temperatures, low humidity, and dry, heated air can cause your skin to lose water, making your typically bouncy skin seem less plump and lacking its usual overall luster. I always struggle with dullness and dehydrated skin when winter arrives, and for the past few months, my skin has flaked from dryness and looked parched no matter how much moisturizer I put on.
That's why I said yes when Cocokind, the shopper- and editor-loved clean beauty brand, reached out offering me to try their new Chia Bounce Mask. In the past few weeks that I've tested it, the mask has brought a marked improvement on my skin's plumpness and softness. It's been the bounce-booster I've needed all winter, and right now, InStyle readers can even shop it first before the mask officially launches tomorrow.
Shop now: $22; cocokind.com
As its name suggests, Cocokind's new mask is made with chia seeds, the famous yogurt bowl essential that plumps up after being soaked in water. Chia seeds, as a skincare ingredient, are full of antioxidants (which can help protect skin from free radicals that lead to photoaging) and barrier-repairing Omega-3 fatty acids that smooth and hydrate skin. The other two key ingredients are hyaluronic acid — the all-star hydrator in practically any skincare product these days — and panthenol, a form of vitamin B5 that softens skin. And yes, the mask is even formulated with niacinamide, the anti-aging superhero ingredient that many love for its brightening properties.
Dr. Daniel Sugai, a board-certified dermatologist and Cocokind's partner in developing the mask, called the product a "great choice when your skin is feeling dry, dull, or tight. The formula uses polysaccharide-rich gel from chia seeds which help the skin retain water and form a mesh layer to help lock it in. I love that they included other effective humectants in the formula too, like two molecular weights of hyaluronic acid and panthenol (vitamin B5)."
Yet putting its effective formula aside, what impressed me about Cocokind's Chia Bounce Mask is also how versatile it is. There are three ways to use it: as a quick wash-off mask that you put on for 10 to 15 minutes before rinsing off and followed up with your usual skincare routine, as a gel hydrator that comes after your serum and before your daily sunscreen, or as an overnight mask that you can follow with a cream moisturizer that you'll wash off in the morning. Note that since this is a mask and not a face cream, it will pill as it dries — that's why you'll want to blend it with a moisturizer, or ultimately wash it off completely if you decide to use it as an overnight or instant mask.
"Hydration is a universal need that transcends skin type, so we wanted to create a versatile tool that can be used in a multitude of ways," said Cocokind CEO and founder Priscilla Tsai, who even used the mask before her wedding for an instant glow. "This product is more than a mask — whether you rinse it off after 10 minutes, wear it overnight, or use it as a daytime hydrator, [the] Chia Bounce Mask will immediately pull water into your skin to nourish, soothe, and visibly plump. It's relevant no matter what your skin is feeling on a particular day."
Since getting my hands on the product two weeks ago, I've been relying on this mask nearly every night to make especially dehydrated areas on my face like my forehead and cheekbones look more supple than ever. It's my secret to bouncy skin in dry, cold winters — shop it now at Cocokind before others get the chance to and prepare to say hello to hydrated skin even in the harshest of winters.
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