The aspirin mask is just a concentrated form of salicylic acid (it's actually acetylsalicylic acid but yields salicylic acid when it's dissolved in water.)
Salicylic acid is a very common ingredient in many acne products and medications. It supposely helps with oiliness and helps to clean out pores. So the aspirin mask is to help make acne better.
To make the aspirin mask, you simply get a few uncoated aspirins and wet them a bit. They'll break apart quite easily and dissolve. You make a paste out of it by adding some water. (Some people also like to add aloe vera or witch hazel to the concoction) Then you put it all over your face, or on acne-prone areas, wait for it to dry and wash it off. Oh, if you add aloe vera to the aspirin, it seems to make it more liquidy. But, the aloe vera helps the mask to stay on your face instead of flaking off and causing a sneeze attack.
I'm not sure what type of skin the aspirin mask is for. I've tried the aspirin mask before. I have dry, sensitive skin and it hasn't irritated my skin (i.e. turned my skin red, caused me to break out). After you wash it off, it makes your skin feel incredibly (but temporarily) soft. I only like using aspirin as a scrub (gently scrubbing!) instead of a mask.
I've spot treated with it before and it was alright....it seems to calm down some inflamation, but after awhile, pimples and red marks or what not will return to their previous color....well for me that's what happened. I don't think it really prevented pimples for me either. I used the aspirin mask for about a month. Oh yea, spot treating with aspirin for a few nights in a row made that area of my skin really dry.
Some people also like to make an aspirin toner.
Overall, I think it's a good thing to use occasionally, but I wouldn't be in a hurry to incorporate it into my daily regimen.
