10 Best Organic Sheet Masks of 2021, Rated By Beauty Experts

PUBLISHED: 07/09/2019 | UPDATED: 1/17/2020

This article may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy for more details. To learn more about how we selected the products featured on this list, check out our product review & research standards.

Sheet masks have been a rising trend in the beauty industry for many years. Although these masks originally gained their popularity in Korea, they’ve now become a beauty staple for cultures all around the globe.

It’s easy to understand why everyone loves a good sheet mask. Afterall, sheet masks offer a quick, convenient, and affordable way to treat your skin. They easily fit into your purse, overnight bag, or carry-on luggage for hydration on the go. There are even some hardcore beauty babes who apply their sheet masks while traveling via airplane. 

While sheet masks definitely have their benefits, not all sheet masks are created equally. There are countless beauty brands jumping onto the sheet mask bandwagon looking to take advantage of the hype. As a result, the market is saturated with poorly designed sheet masks made with low-quality, ineffective, cheap, and often questionable ingredients.

That’s why our team of beauty experts set out to find the absolute best sheet masks! After researching and testing over 100 different sheet masks, we settled on this list of the very best. In this article, we’ll briefly share what makes a good sheet mask, how sheet masks work, and our picks of the best sheet masks that meet our standards. 

What is a Sheet Mask? What is a Korean Sheet Mask?
Typically resembling Jason’s mask from various horror films, sheet masks are typically round white masks with cut-outs for the eyes, nose, and mouth. Sheet masks can be made of a variety of materials designed to hold moisture including various fibers, bio-cellulose materials, hydrogels, cotton, and even unique materials such as coconut pulp. 

The goal of a sheet mask is to provide hydration. While many sheet masks also include botanicals to target specific skin conditions such as acne, wrinkles, and inflammation, the main effect you’ll notice from frequent sheet mask usage is more hydrated-looking skin. If you are wondering about the connection between Korean sheet masks and regular ole sheet masks, then wonder no more… they are actually the same thing. Just two names given to the same product. 

Our Top 7 Sheet Mask Beauty Tips

#1 Wash Your Face Before Using a Sheet Mask: You don’t want bacteria-laden oil, dirt, and makeup to penetrate into your pores, so it’s best to properly cleanse your face before applying a sheet mask. 

#2 No Need to Wash Your Face After a Sheet Mask: The goal of a sheet mask is to infuse your skin with all of the moisturizing ingredients contained within the serum. Therefore, there is no need to wash your face after applying a sheet mask. In fact, it’s often best to massage the serum into your skin after usage.

#3 Use Sheet Mask for Recommended Time: Each mask should come with a recommended application time on the packaging. With that said, anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes is usually fine. Remember, you can massage the serum into your skin afterwards, so there is really no additional benefit to wearing a sheet mask longer than the recommended time. 

#4 Apply a Moisturizer Afterwards: If you feel you need even more hydration, feel free to apply your favorite moisturizer after your sheet mask. Think of the sheet mask as your “serum” or “treatment” step of your skin care routine. 

#5 Sit Back & Relax While Wearing a Sheet Mask: Some sheet masks are made with ingredients which allow the sheet to stick to your face (like manuka honey). This is helpful if you want to get some work done around the house or move around while wearing the sheet mask. However, most sheet masks are too slippery to wear while standing and require you to lay back during treatment. Take this opportunity to kick back and relax!

#6 Yes, You Can Use a Sheet Mask on a Plane: Since the air in airplanes can be quite dry and dehydrating on the skin, it’s not a bad idea to apply a sheet mask while you nap at 30,000 ft. You’ll look totally rejuvenated and fresh faced when you arrive.

#7 You Can Make Your Own Sheet Masks: Not finding a sheet mask that suits your needs? You can make your own with a sheet mask with a gadget like the viral EgoEra sheet mask machine.

Do Sheet Masks Really Work? Why Choose a Natural & Organic Sheet Mask?
Above all else, the effectiveness of a sheet mask comes down to the quality of the ingredients used. Many brands use cheap fragrances, preservatives, and fillers in their sheet masks that offer no real benefit for your skin. You’ll also find very little potent active ingredients in most conventional sheet masks. Do you really want to pay top dollar for a sheet mask made out of essentially water, synthetic fragrances, and ingredients derived from petroleum and other industrial by-products? 

Ingredients commonly found in sheet masks that are questionable include propylene glycol, butylene glycol, fragrance or parfum, parabens, artificial dyes, formaldehyde, mineral oils, phthalates, and ingredients that may be contaminated by known carcinogens (see our list of prohibited ingredients for more information).

In contrast, a high-quality sheet mask will contain mostly active, hydrating, and nourishing ingredients. Look for ingredients like aloe vera, greek yogurt, manuka honey, vitamin c, hyaluronic acid, vitamin e, natural carrier and essential oils, green and other teas, cucumber, rose hydrosol, and other active botanicals at the top of the product’s ingredients list. These all-natural and often organic ingredients are potent enough to tackle a number of skin issues such as fine lines + wrinkles, dry skin, and acne. 

Finding a sheet mask that met our rigorous ingredient standards was no small task. Our team scoured the internet for weeks and tested dozens of products to bring you this list of 11 top sheet masks. These sheet masks are packed with potent active, all natural, and organic ingredients that are worth every penny. We thoroughly researched every ingredient, tested each product, and even evaluated customer reviews from all over the internet. In short, these are some of the best sheet masks you can find. To quickly find the best sheet mask for you, feel free to use our FILTER function to sort by vegan sheet masks, gluten free sheet masks, all natural sheet masks, and more—Enjoy!