Want to surprise someone with a little luxury this year?

Get them a fancy face mask.

Unlike everyday skincare, a mask is a treat; something you slather on after a long week as you pour a huge glass of wine, or whip out as part of your beauty prep for a big event or an important meeting.

Masks are less fraught with danger than other beauty buys too; unless your giftee is completely obsessed with one brand, Christmas is an excellent opportunity to try something new – they can still continue to use their old faithful as usual.

If the person you have in mind rarely treats their skin to any kind of pampering, even better; your gift is an opportunity to transport them into a whole new world entirely.

Here are eight of the best masks of 2019:

1. THE ONE FOR GLAM GALS

Seoulista Beauty Gold Glow Instant Facial: €30 here

This sparkly gold clutch contains two award-winning Gold Glow Instant Facials, each one packed with Vitamin C and Evening Primrose serum formulated to brighten and rejuvenate the skin, diminish fine lines and leave the complexion glowing and radiant.

2. THE ONE FOR PUFFY EYES 

Dermalogica Stress Positive Eye Lift: €68.50 here

Late night tearing up the dance floor? New baby refusing to sleep? Tired eyes are a dead giveaway. Dermalogica’s Stress Positive Eye Lift is a de-puffing eye treatment and masque that works like a charm. Smooth on the cooling cream-gel masque after your shower and allow it to energise your skin and erase dark circles while you nurse a large coffee.

3. THE ONE FOR THE TRAVEL BUNNY

Clarins Super Restorative Instant Lift Serum Mask: €18, Brown Thomas 

Say goodbye to jet lag forever. The first Clarins anti-ageing fibre mask to leave skin visibly lifted and plumped in just 15 minutes, this stretch mask is loaded with serum and moulds to the exact contours of the face and neck for optimal diffusion.

4. THE ONE FOR THE PARTY ANIMAL

Image Skincare Merry Masking Collection: €82 here

With a Vital C Hydrating Enzyme Mask (for gently exfoliating dull skin) and an I Mask Firming Transformation Mask (for hydrating and tightening) included, this powerful duo could not be more suited to soothing your skin after a festive blowout. The kit will save you €27.50 so it’s a good one for self-gifting or sharing with a mate.

5. THE ONE FOR THE BRIDE-TO-BE

Charlotte Tilbury Instant Magic Facial Dry Sheet Mask: €24 here

A firm favourite among wedding make-up artists, this textile fabric mask is infused with tiny vectors of Charlotte’s MAGIC ingredients, from vitamins and floral extracts to peptides and oils. The clever system gives a prolonged release of the ingredients, giving it time to immerse into your complexion and the effects last for up to eight hours. Fold it away carefully and it can be used again the next day.

6. THE ONE FOR WORKAHOLICS

Yon-Ka Paris Hydra No1 Masque: €49 here

A gel-cream mask with delicate floral aromas, this mask provides immediate, time-released, deep hydration that’s brilliant when you need an after-work pick-me-up. Pop it on and kick back in front of the TV for an hour before removing any excess with a tissue – your skin will be as smooth and plump as if you’d just had a facial and effects last and last.

7. THE ONE FOR SPOT-PRONE SKIN

Yes to Tomatoes Detoxifying Charcoal Mud Mask Single Pack: €3.95 from Penneys and Dunnes

This detoxifying mud mask is the perfect remedy after the excesses of the Christmas party – it rids the skin of nasty impurities in minutes. Charcoal and salicylic acid clear blemishes underneath the skin, preventing new spots from forming.

8. THE ONE FOR THE FABULOUS FIFTIES, SEXY SIXTIES AND BEYOND

Éminence Bamboo Age Corrective Masque: €58 here

An award-winning repairing mask, this little pot contains one of the most powerful anti-aging blends in natural and organic skin care. With chicory root oligosaccharides and tara tree gum, natural retinol alternatives, just a thin layer applied to cleansed skin will produce a noticeably firmer and tighter complexion in as little as ten minutes. PhytoCellTec Swiss Green Apple Stem Cells promote elasticity and delay the visible signs of ageing too.