*raises hand
For those of you who don't yet know who/what maskne is, and haven't yet been graced by its presence, allow me to introduce you to everyone's least favourite friend. Maskne is those pesky skin breakouts (aka pimples) that come from wearing a face mask for long periods of time. They typically appear on the parts of your face where your mask covers your skin. They aren't there one day, then pop up completely unannounced the next. Of course, the easiest solution to treating maskne is to stop wearing a mask until your skin clears up. However, this is not something we're all able to do (especially if we want to leave our homes). The good news is, there are some things we can do to try prevent it! Read on to find out how.
1) Change your mask frequently. If you’re an essential worker and are working longer than 4h at a time whilst wearing a mask, have a backup and change your mask throughout the day. Think of the amount of times you remove your mask throughout the day, whether it's to eat, drink, scratch your nose or whatever else. Now, think of where you place your mask when you remove it. Is it always the right way up? Or, do you sometimes put your hands on the inside of your mask and then put it back on your face? Chances are, you sometimes touch the inside. Masks get dirty, very easily. The dirt you get on the inside of your mask can easily be transferred to your skin when you put your mask back on. If you have a spare mask with you, you can ensure you always have a clean mask on your face.
2) Wash your mask as often as you wash your underwear. This is an extension to our previous tip. If you wear your mask one day, you should not be using it the next, unless it's been washed. Just like it's not okay to turn your underwear inside out - the same goes for your mask. It's definitely in your best interest to have a few backup masks incase you're unable to wash them nightly. There are plenty of affordable masks available now that are easier to get ahold of than before. Take advantage of this and stock up!
3) Clean your face with a gentle skin-loving cleanser before putting on your mask and immediately after removing it for the day. Always make sure you start your mask-wearing-day with a clean face, and always make sure you end it the same way. After a day of sweating, touching and makeup rubbing (if you're wearing makeup), it's best to clean your face ASAP. Our Clean & Calm! Face Cleanser is a gentle skin-loving cleanser that is perfect at removing the daily oil, grime and more from your face without being drying or harsh.
4) Use a detoxifying mask 1-2 times a week to clear the congestion that comes with wearing a mask. Think of this step as a deep once-a-week clean. Our Detoxifying Pink Clay restores, replenishes and decongests your skin and is gentle enough to be used 1-2 times a week!
Maskne is definitely not our friend. However, these 4 simple tips can help prevent it from visiting.