Dr Dray has looked at a lot of masks and peels, and she tends to like them more than she skips them. She has reviewed more than 40 of them and approved a clear majority, with the rest split fairly evenly between mixed takes and skips.
What does Dr Dray recommend in masks & peels?
What she keeps coming back to is whether a mask or peel actually does something useful for the skin. She praised Exuviance Performance Peel AP25 for smoothing the surface, brightening the skin, and evening out skin tone, and called it 'a great product' she has used herself numerous times. Good Molecules All-In-One Exfoliating Treatment earned a strong recommendation too. She noted it improved skin smoothness without causing irritation, though she swapped it in on nights she was not using tretinoin, so those two did not stack. For overnight masks, she highlighted COSRX Ultimate Nourishing Rice Overnight Spa Mask as a fragrance-free option packed with niacinamide, allantoin, glycerin, and rice extract that delivers real hydration at a low price. Her approvals share a pattern: effective actives, skin-calming ingredients, and nothing likely to set off a reaction.
Dr Dray's face mask picks, in her words
"In the box you get a six week supply. This really does work, it helps smooth out the skin surface, brighten up the skin, and even out skin tone, ultimately allowing your skin care products to go on more evenly and penetrate better. I've really liked this, I've done it a handful of times, it's very gentle, it's not the kind of thing that causes a lot of irritation. [...] That's a great product."
"It's very good. It has alpha hydroxy acids and beta hydroxy acids to smooth out the surface of the skin and help improve skin texture. On the nights I used this, I didn't use my tretinoin because I didn't want to cause too much irritation. But I never developed irritation with this product, and it did help improve the smoothness of the surface of my skin overall. Good Molecules has a lot of really good products."
"For those of you who have really sensitive skin and are looking to improve skin texture, I highly recommend this Aveeno Calm + Restore Nourishing PHA Exfoliator, it's not abrasive. [...] Gluconolactone is a polyhydroxy acid, it helps soften rough skin and helps gently exfoliate, it also helps with improving moisture content in the skin. I really love this."
"I love these repairing hand masks. And you can't tell me that this is like actually expired. 20 bucks seems pricey for it though. But inside the mask they have it's not just [Aquaphor] in there. It is urea and glycerin and shea butter and avocado oil and panthenol. That's not what's in [Aquaphor]. But basically putting in moisturizers under occlusion is a great way to really amp up repair of dry skin."
"Isntree Chestnut BHA 2% Clear Liquid, I really like it. It's really helping to smooth the skin surface and it's not irritating, although I did find that I've been putting it on my neck and I did find that I got a little bit of dryness back here."
"We've been recommending it to patients for years. I have recommended in numerous videos here and many other derms do as well. And it is a drugstore acne brand, right? Meaning you go into the drugstore, digital retailers carry it as well. And they now have a liquid salicylic acid leave on product very similar to the Paula's Choice one. Poxyl is $10.97 for the same 4 oz size. [...] Both brands are reputable. Both brands create really effective, well-formulated, logical products."
How many masks and peels has Dr Dray reviewed?
Dr Dray has reviewed 41 masks and peels, for an approval rate of 61%. 25 approved, 8 mixed, and 8 skipped.
What has Dr Dray skipped in masks & peels?
Where she skipped something, it was almost always about the formula. She passed on Peter Thomas Roth FirmX Peeling Gel because it contains bergamot fruit water, which can make skin more sensitive to the sun, and pineapple fruit extract, which she said can be irritating depending on how it is used. She skipped Baby Foot Original Exfoliant Foot Peel because the exfoliation is hard to control and can, in her words, actually put you at risk for blisters. She found Lineage Water Sleeping Mask simply disappointing after trying it multiple times, and she noted that Trader Joe's Watermelon Overnight Face Mask has a very strong scent.
"If you're someone who doesn't regularly do skin care you may be impressed by how this performs, but if you're routinely washing your face and moisturizing this shouldn't really be necessary, and it increases the risk of irritation, not only from the bergamot fruit water but the pineapple fruit extract can be pretty irritating too depending on how it's formulated. I say pass, it's ordinarily close to 50 dollars, and I would not pay 25 dollars for it on sale."
"I have tried the Lineage sleep mask multiple times and it is the most disappointing thing."
"This is a scented gel cream. [...] It's very strong."
"This has glycolic and lactic acid, those are the alpha hydroxy acids. Lactic is really good for rough and bumpy skin, keratosis pilaris, dry skin. This has sodium hyaluronate which is hydrating, and of course niacinamide which does a lot of heavy lifting in skincare products. [...] As with any alpha hydroxy acid skincare product, it can make you a bit more sensitive to sun, so make sure you're vigilant with your sun protection."
What should you take from Dr Dray's picks?
Dr Dray's record on masks and peels is largely positive, and her approvals are specific. She explains what the actives do, how to work them into a routine without overdoing it, and why some combinations are worth spacing out. Her skips are just as useful, because she says exactly what in the formula gave her pause. Anyone curious about chemical exfoliants or hydrating overnight masks will find her record a practical, honest place to start.
Watch Dr Dray say it
Every verdict here comes from a video. These are the moments themselves, each one jumping straight to the bit about that product.
- Peter Thomas Roth FirmX Peeling GelSkipped itWatch at 15:58
- Lineage Water Sleeping MaskSkipped itWatch at 4:48
- Trader Joe's Watermelon Overnight Face MaskSkipped itWatch at 3:32
- Walgreens Watermelon AHA MaskSkipped itWatch at 7:01
- Some By Mi AHA BHA PHA 30 Days Miracle Acne Clear FoamSkipped itWatch at 7:31
- Laneige Water Sleeping MaskSkipped itWatch at 17:02
- St. Ives Fresh Skin Apricot ScrubSkipped itWatch at 2:55
- Sunday Riley Good Genes All-In-One AHA Lactic Acid TreatmentSkipped itWatch at 9:31
- Exuviance Performance Peel AP25Rated itWatch at 18:56
- Good Molecules All-In-One Exfoliating TreatmentRated itWatch at 12:04
- Aveeno Calm + Restore Nourishing PHA ExfoliatorRated itWatch at 10:38
- I'm From Honey Jelly MaskRated itWatch at 12:09
- Isntree Chestnut BHA 2% Clear LiquidRated itWatch at 0:45
- PanOxyl 2% Salicylic Acid Liquid ExfoliantRated itWatch at 6:43
- L'Oreal Bright Reveal Exfoliant PeelRated itWatch at 2:30
- Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Extra Strength Daily Peel PadsRated itWatch at 16:59
- Peach Slices Snail Rescue Intensive MaskRated itWatch at 12:38
- Torriden Cellmazing Firming Gel MaskRated itWatch at 5:49
- Pantene Miracle Rescue Intensive Bond Repair MaskRated itWatch at 15:45
- Prequel Multi-Acid Milk Peel AHA Exfoliating SolutionRated itWatch at 20:06
- Cetaphil Derm Control Clay MaskRated itWatch at 19:15
- CeraVe Skin Renewing Nightly Exfoliating TreatmentRated itWatch at 4:50
- Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid ExfoliantRated itWatch at 0:29
- Neutrogena Hydro Boost Glycolic Acid Overnight PeelRated itWatch at 12:21
About this expert
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This guide reflects what Dr Dray said across her videos about 41 products in masks & peels, aggregated by The Guru Index. Sponsored takes are excluded. The approval rate is the share of these products she approved. It is general information, not medical advice.