These New Magnetic Face Masks Will Declog Every Pore and Blow Your Mind All at Once

It's the Cleopatra effect.

magnetic face mask
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Another day, another face mask trend, right? But the latest craze, magnet masks, aren't novelty for novelty's sake. They really work. In fact, they're formulated with the very same magnet therapy practiced by Cleopatra, who slept with a magnetic amulet on her head to maintain her youthful appearance. And if history has taught us anything, it's that the Egyptian queen was nothing if not goals in the extreme vanity department.

New releases like Dr. Brandt's Magnetight Skin Recharging Magnet Mask, Milky Dress Black Luster Mass, and The Younger Revealing Mask Intense from Dr. Harold Lancer (Kim Kardashian's dermatologist) consists of thick, creamy, and iron-based powder masks you smooth onto your visage, leave on for five to ten minutes, then suck up off the skin with a magnet. That's right—no water necessary. And bonus: Watching the negatively-charged particles jump off the skin is truly mesmerizing.

But beyond being cool to watch in action, the small, safe electromagnetic interaction zaps up pollutants on the skin, attracting and entrapping these impurities sans any abrasion to the skin. Clogged pores don't stand a chance. And as we know, free radicals contain toxins that accelerate the process of aging, as well as damage the skin's barrier and elasticity, which causes inflammation. This effect, teamed with the antioxidants, like peptides, in the mask leave your skin brighter, bouncier, and smoother.

As for whether they work significantly better than other kinds of facial treatments, the jury is still out as they tend to be more expensive and involved than, say, clay masks. However, if you're looking for a mask fit for an Egyptian queen or perhaps Kim K, taking the magnet route may be worth its weight in luxe and fun.

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Beauty Editor

Lauren Valenti is Vogue’s former senior beauty editor. Her work has also appeared on ELLE.com, MarieClaire.com, and in In Style. She graduated with a liberal arts degree from Eugene Lang College, The New School for Liberal Arts, with a concentration on Culture and Media Studies and a minor in Journalism.