Summer is the perfect time to find a great cleansing mask or smoothing scrub to keep dull or flaky skin, oily shine, and breakouts to a minimum. This week I've found a few new products that are worth adding to your skin care collection.

I've always been pleased with the performance and value of Biore products, and their newest Self-Heating Mask (around $5 for a box of 6 treatments) is no exception. My favorite aspect of this mask is its speed - massage it in, and in less than a minute, it's done. No more waiting 20 minutes for your mask to dry! Like their individually packaged pore strips, each mask treatment is pre-packaged in an individual use bubble pack so there's no messing with amounts. Simply wet your face (after cleansing), dry your hands, open the packet, apply, massage, and rinse. The mask is surprisingly warm at first (test it on your hand first if you are extremely sensitive) and turns blue to indicate it's done after about 30-45 seconds. The gentle clay and small exfoliating beads leave your skin fresh, clean, and glowing. This is another winner from Biore that I give 5 out of 5 stars.

I was a little skeptical when Origins came out with their newest scrub/mask, Never A Dull Moment ($22 for 4 ounce jar). Unlike their other scrubs (Swept Away and Swept Clean) that contain smooth jojoba exfoliating beads, Never A Dull Moment (NADM) has apricot seeds and crushed walnut shells whose often jagged edges have been known to make tiny tears in the skin. Thankfully, a salesperson at my local Origins counter was kind enough to offer me a sample to try first. In addition to the scrub grains, NADM contains fruit enzymes from pineapple and papaya to give a more thorough exfoliation if you leave the scrub on the skin for a few minutes (similar to Kiehl's Pineapple and Papaya Facial Scrub, and Philosophy Deeply Superficial). I actually liked this product. It does have a bit more scrubbing action than a smooth-bead scrub, but it's still fairly gentle and leaves the skin smooth and supple, not stripped. Sensitive skins should be careful, but for everyone else, I give NADM 4.5 out of 5 stars.

For skin on the oily side, Estee Lauder Almond Clay Pack ($18.50 for 3.4 ounce tube) is a nice but spendy find. In one step, you get the benefits of an oil-absorbing clay mask and a smoothing almond paste scrub, both of which leave your skin really clean and rosey. The fragrance is a little perfume-y, but all in all I like this "pack" and give it 3.5 out of 5 stars (I'd like a smaller price tag for what you get). One tip: make sure to shake the tube before you dispense the mask since the ingredients have a tendency to separate a little.

For those of you with oily skin, you're going to love this month's new Feature, Makeup for Oily Skin. Our hard working Panelist, Alissa, test-drove a wide range of foundations and powders to bring you this list of the good, the bad, and the ugly. Don't miss it!

Don't miss our great new reviews on Cosmetic Connection, including DHC skin care, Decleor, and Lancome's new Controle line for oily skin. You'll find links to them all on our Product Review page.