Why You Should Wrap Your Face In Lace

When you hear the word "lacy," your mind tends to go to blouses and underthings, right? Well, it seems like the beauty space is having a love affair with the fairer fabric. It's showing up in our nail-polish bottles, and it's even taken up residence in our skin-care routines. Say hello to Lace Your Face, a sheet mask that had me both intrigued and totally confused. Was this something out of Fifty Shades of Gray?

It's not (phew). But, it's not just any ol' sheet mask, either. "What we see in a clinical setting is doctors and aestheticians using a cotton-gauze mask," says Anita Sun, the co-founder of Dermovia. "What that gauze does is provide breathability for the pores, as you're infusing the active ingredients. You can't really infuse the skin without giving it the ability to dispel impurities."

The intricate pattern and high-quality cotton help you do just that. And, the actives you absorb vary depending on the mask. Sun and her co-founder Mariella Scott released Calming Chamomile first, and they have plans to launch eight more in 2015.

Dermatologists say that certain cottons can be abrasive — and this is anything but. "Usually, [low-grade] cotton isn't the best thing for your skin," Sun explains. "We use high-quality cotton that, during the weaving process, becomes soft and supple. It's kind of like having a high-thread-count sheet." This also means no loose pieces that flake off and irritate the skin.

Lace Your Face has yet another leg up on its competitors: Its flexible stretch cotton compresses and lifts your face. "It contours to your shape," Sun explains. "You can eat, drink, and talk with this mask on, and it just hugs your face comfortably." Plus, it stays moist longer than others, so you can wear it for up to an hour. "It's a multitasking mask," Scott says. And, each pouch the product comes in contains enough serum to use twice. "You can also steep it in warm water to help [loosen debris from] your pores, or pop it in the fridge for a cooling effect," she says.

While each mask will serve a different purpose, Scott explains that they'll all be hydrating, brightening, and firming. "We're trying to create a wardrobe," Sun says. "You can use them all, depending on what your skin needs that day." A lace wardrobe? Sign me up, please!

Dermovia Lace Your Face Mask, $60 for a box of four, available at Dermovia.