In addition to upping our Instagram game, sheet masks have changed the way we treat our skin. It used to be masking was a special treat or something you did when your skin was in distress. Nowadays, sheet masks are considered a maintenance treatment to be used just as frequently as your brightening serum or contouring cream. That’s not to say they aren’t great for emergencies: The right mask can erase the effects of jet-lag, lack of sleep, a night of overindulgence, and all manner of skin sins.

While they might be easy to use, there is a little more technique to it than the “slap it on and sit down” method. If you want the best results, you need to know how to get the most out of your masking.

Here, we’re dishing on everything from the best time to do it to how to get multiple uses out of each sheet. Don’t worry, they’re super-easy and don’t require a ton of hard work.

Read on for the must-know do’s and don’ts of sheet masking.

DO: Begin With A Clean Canvas

Stubborn makeup? No problem.

Even if you’re not wearing makeup, it’s still necessary to wash your face pe-mask to ensure your skin will best absorb all those powerful active ingredients. Applying it over top of your moisturizer can make your mask less effective because it can’t deliver all that beneficial serum directly into the skin. Wash your face with a gentle, exfoliating cleanser like the Blueberry Bounce Cleanser to dissolve dirt, oil, makeup, and dead skin.

If you want to give your mask a little extra moisturizing oomph, you can apply a mist or light toner pre-application. Because they are so lightweight, they’ll sink into the skin and won’t interfere with all that sheet mask goodness. Try: Whamisa Organic Flowers Olive Leaf Mist. 

DON’T: Wash Your Face Post-Masking

If you’re wearing a moisturizing or soothing mask like Make P:rem Safe Relief Moisture Mask, you can leave your mask on as long as you’d like. When it comes to your skin, there’s no such thing as too much hydration. Once you do take it off, resist the temptation to wash your face. Unlike traditional masks, the product in sheet masks is meant to be left on, just as you would a serum, ampoule, or essence. Simply massage in the leftover liquid and apply the rest of your regular skincare routine from there. Because while they can be used a serum stunt double, you still need to moisturize and protect your skin with sunscreen.  

One important caveat: If your mask is of the clarifying or exfoliating variety, be sure to follow the directions and remove accordingly — since the ingredients are meant to clear your complexion, you don’t want to aggravate your skin by leaving it on too long.

DO: Mask Wherever, Whenever

While there’s nothing wrong with putting on a mask and relaxing on your couch, sheet masks are comfortable enough for you to go about your day as you treat your skin. Don one while you clean your space, work from home, do a load of laundry, or Netflix binge. We also love wearing one while we take a bath — the steam intensifies the mask’s moisturizing benefits.  

And, because the formulas are so advanced these days, some masks actually let you venture out into the world while you wear them. The Watermelon Glow Jelly Sheet Mask is almost completely translucent, so you can go on a quick coffee run or do your weekly grocery shopping with no one knowing you’re masking at the same time. Sneaky, sneaky!

DON’T: Toss The Excess

For most masks, there’s typically the equivalent of an entire bottle of serum in each package, and not all of it stays on the mask. Rather than trash it, use your fingers to scoop out the excess. You can pat it into your neck, décolleté — even your hands — to treat them with the same TLC as your face. Or, drop the opened package into a plastic baggie to save it for another day. Even without the sheet, your skin will benefit from the leftover fluid’s vitamins and nutrients.

DO: Mask On The Regular

For most of us, we’ve been taught that a mask is to be rationed, only used once a week or when our skin is having a freakout. But, the great thing about sheet masks is that you can use them however frequently you, please. For the most part, sheet masks are gentle-yet-powerful treatments that give your face some much-needed TLC. Your skin doesn’t need to be sending out an S.O.S. in order to benefit from one. Apply one a few times a week, or every day of the week, if it strikes your fancy.

Stock up on your favorite sheet masks now, pop it on, and don’t forget to put it on your Insta Stories. Because if you don’t ‘gram it, did it even really happen?