Masking the Maskne, Looking After Your Skin During

Covid-19 has brought a plethora of changes to all our lives. Impacting not only our health; but our hobbies, friends and our jobs. Wearing masks has become the new normal, with regulations in place for shopping indoors, public transport and many other everyday activities. Let me reiterate the importance of wearing masks and continuing to social distance, they may not be the most pleasant things, but they are necessary in preventing an increase in cases.

Wearing a mask, may have left your skin breaking out, this is because the environment under a mask is perfect for acne to flourish. Friction from the mask can also make our skin irritated and make it difficult to heal the acne that is already there. When our skin feels nice and looks refreshed it makes us feel our best, even during a pandemic. Here are some tips to keep your skin in tip top condition.

Photography / kravebeauty.com

If you are wearing a reusable mask, such as cotton or polyester, it’s so important to wash it after every use, otherwise it is defeating the purpose of using a mask to protect against the virus in the first place. Alongside it being less effective after being worn, it harbours acne causing bacteria after a long day of wear. From sweat and oil build-up amongst the fabric. So, if you are wearing a fabric mask, make sure you are washing it daily, or have a few in rotation.

Double cleansing is the best thing to happen to my skin, the method usually involves two different cleansers, one being oil based and the other being a foaming cleanser. Using them one after the other. The oil cleanser breaks down makeup, sweat and sebum, whilst the second cleanser gets into the pores and removes dirt and build-up.

Follow this routine with an exfoliant and a moisturiser. A simple 4-step routine like this, will help to keep your skin clean, preventing the build-up under the mask which eventually causes the maskne.

Keeping your skin hydrated is just as important as the cleansing process. Hydrated skin means a stronger skin barrier, and a stronger skin barrier means the deeper layers of your skin is better protected against UV light, pollution, infection and pollution, all things that can lead to premature aging and acne. Hydration is key, regardless of your skin type. Look for active ingredients such as glycerine and niacinamide, these ingredients will boost your skins overall hydration.

If you wear makeup, you may find it beneficial reducing the amount you wear under the mask, or swapping your products out to more lightweight coverage, whether it be a tinted moisturiser or simply some concealer. This will allow your skin the ability to ‘breathe’ whilst under the mask. If you are removing your mask throughout the day, perhaps try using a facial spray or blotting papers to keep the skin refreshed and feeling its best.

Although maskne can be incredibly frustrating, it’s so important to continue to wear masks whilst you are out, on public transport and when you are in close contact with others. The last few months have been very difficult, and in comparison, to coronavirus, maskne is a miniscule blip in our lives.

Georgia Brown