People on TikTok Call This £6 Treatment a "Blood Mask" — I Call It My Ticket to Baby-Soft Skin

If you've ever wanted to take your love of fake blood to a real-life scenario (other than during Halloween), this mask from The Ordinary will make your horror-movie dreams a reality — just ask everyone on TikTok. After all, that's where everybody has been buzzing about The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution (£6), an exfoliating acid peeling solution mask that resembles the famous vampire facial, without the grossness. Despite its "blood mask" nickname, the treatment is a lot less invasive (no needles!) and far more fun.

The red-coloured mask aims to even and brighten skin tone and texture, promising to reduce the appearance of fine lines whilst fighting blemishes. The alpha hydroxyl acids (AHAs) are chemical exfoliants that make the skin appear brighter (I instantly saw reduced redness), and the beta hydroxyl acids (BHAs) exfoliate deeper into the skin, fighting blemishes and congestion. The peeling solution also contains vitamin B5, which further assists skin healing, as well as black carrot, which acts as a strong antioxidant.

Deciem advises not to use the mask more than twice a week, but I'd recommend only using it once a week, particularly if your skin is on the sensitive side. To use, cleanse your face as normal and dry the skin completely (you don't want to use this one on wet skin). Apply a thin layer of the mask to the face using your fingertips, wash your hands, and leave the mask on for no more than 10 minutes before rinsing with water. I'd recommend fewer than 10 minutes for newbies, as the acids can be quite strong. Follow with your usual evening moisturising routine.

When using the mask, I recommend you avoid any particularly sensitive areas. (For example, I avoided my nose because I'm experiencing some piercing issues — gross.) Make sure you use high SPF sun protection on your face after use if you're going to go outside, even if just for a short amount of time, because the AHAs can increase sun sensitivity. Be careful not to exceed the 10-minute mask time taking selfies (because that is, of course, mask protocol, especially when the mask resembles blood).

After running around showing every person in sight the mask, I left myself little time for a fun selfie, demonstrated by my boring #NoFilter image. Still, it left my skin softer than a baby's bottom — and that's worth it enough for me.