#FaceFlawlessFacial on Maskne: Caring for The Skin Beneath Your Mask
It's safe to say that you never imagined you would be forced to wear a mask to leave your house. Now that this is a mandate in most places, we have to deal will some of the side effects of wearing masks. The one that is front and center, literally, is Maskne.
Maskne is caused by the dirt, sweat, makeup, and other debris trapped beneath your mask in a moist environment that is breeding ground for bacteria.
Lifestyle Tips to Help Prevent Maskne
Use a fragrance-free detergent to wash your reusable mask after every use. (I keep a pump bottle with Tide Free and Clear laundry detergent by my kitchen sink and hand wash my mask as soon as I come inside.)
Discard disposable masks after every use.
Change your pillowcase often. I'm up to twice weekly now.
Try to relax. Stress increases cortisol levels and can cause breakouts. This might be the hardest thing on the list.
If possible, go to an area where you feel safe, sanitize your hands, and remove your mask for a few minutes to help your skin breathe.
You can also take this time to wipe your face with a gentle face wipe, like the Lauren Napier individually wrapped sheets, and apply a lightweight moisturizer.
Brush your teeth (I never thought I would have to tell this to adults but here we are.) The bacteria from your mouth can get trapped in the mask and can cause you to breakout.
Skincare Tips to Help Prevent Maskne
Use gentle, fragrance-free products to cleanse, treat, and nourish your skin. Fragrance is the number one skin irritant. Since skin is potentially inflamed and just looking for a reason to spaz out, removing irritants can go a long way in keeping your skin barrier healthy and calm.
Moisturize the area under your mask. You want to do everything you can to help your skin stay happy. Dry skin is unhappy skin, which means it's more likely for dry skin to become irritated and inflamed.
Exfoliate once per week with a chemical exfoliant. While the humidity and constant friction from the mask can cause skin irritation and the proliferation of bacteria, clogged pores also contribute to Maskne. A salicylic acid-based exfoliant takes a deep dive into your pores to help them stay clean.
Apply healing and nourishing products at night. Your skin works hard at night to try to heal itself. It's, therefore, essential to provide skin-nourishing ingredients before hitting the sheets.
Product Recommendations to Help Prevent Maskne
Cleanse
Cleure Gentle Clarifying Lotion Cleanser — is a non-foaming cleanser that can be massaged into drying skin before rinsing.
Buttah Skincare Cleanser — a gentle foaming cleanser that is free of fragrance and dyes. Massage into damp skin for 45-60 seconds before rinsing.
Urban Skin RX Clear Skin Cleanser — a pore-clearing cleanser with 2% salicylic acid. This is ideal for oily, acne-prone skin.
Tone
Paula's Choice Weightless Advanced Repairing Toner — this toner is enriched with peptides, willow bark extract, and niacinamide. Among other things, Niacinimide is known for its ability to improve barrier function and reduce inflammation.
Treat
The Hyaluronic Acid serum from The Inkey List is lightweight and quickly absorbs into the skin. In addition to the moisture boost this serum delivers, it also contains Matrixyl 3000, a peptide that supports collagen production. I love Hyaluronic acid-based serums in the summertime!
Moisturizer + Protect
Skin Restoring Moisturizer with SPF 50
In addition to providing broad-spectrum SPF coverage, this moisturizer includes powerful antioxidants. Ingredients like niacinamide, licorice, and shea butter, protect the skin from environmental assault, improve skin barrier function, soothe and nourish the skin.
First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Moisturizer
I'm actually a little mad I haven't used the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Moisturizer before this month — it's fantastic! It sinks into the skin almost immediately, and I can hear my parched skin say "ahhhh" when it's hit with the moisture. It's formulated without fragrance or color and is suitable for all skin types. The lightweight formula hydrates and nourishes the skin using shea butter, colloidal oatmeal, ceramics, and more.
Eucerin Aquaphor Healing Ointment
Eucerin Aquaphor Healing Ointment is a non-irritating, fragrance-free occlusive. It is the best thing to use on chapped, chaffed skin -- it forms a protective barrier over minor scrapes and irritation. You can apply a light layer on your face where the mask generally rubs.
Don't forget those lips! During the day, use a lip balm or a lip mask like Laneige Lip Mask under your face covering. I also like to exfoliate my lips at night and apply the Dermalogica Nightly Lip Treatment.
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