Since the COVID-19 pandemic, we have all had to adapt to protect ourselves from the spread of the coronavirus. One of these adaptations has been wearing masks whenever we are outside at the grocery store, running errands, or even at work (if we don't have the luxury of working from home. One unfortunate side effect of wearing masks has been maskne.
What is Maskne?
Maskne is a form of acne (or skin blemishes) that you can get from prolonged mask wear. It is a cluster of acne near the mouth that is normally covered by your mask
How Does Maskne Form?
When you wear a mask all day, you are trapping bacteria in a damp, dark environment. If you combine those conditions with stress hormones, you will see an uptick in clogged pores and maskne.
How Can You Prevent Maskne?
Wearing a mask is a must, but there are things that you can do to prevent maskne:
- Wear a Mask with a Breathable Fabric: This will allow less buildup of oil, bacteria, saliva, and sweat
- Wash Your Mask: You should be washing your masks AFTER every wear. Treat your masks like you would your underwear! It will have less skin cell buildup.
- Wash Your Face After Using Your Mask: Washing your face will prevent all of that mask buildup from turning into maskne. We recommend a gentle cleanser.
- Use Gel-Based Moisturizers: Switching to soothing gel moisturizers allows your skin to retain moisture without the risks of clogging pores like oil-based ones.
- Skip Skin Makeup With Your Mask: No matter how amazing your makeup is, we recommend saving your gorgeous makeup looks for your Zoom calls at home when you can rock it without a mask.
How Do You Treat Maskne?
Treating maskne requires time and patience. Don't pick at your skin! It will leave scars and hyperpigmentation. Resist the urge to dry out your skin too. We recommend spot treating your maskne with a drying lotion dabbed directly on your blemishes OR with acne spot dots like these.
While we know that maskne is a bummer, we are so proud of you for taking the steps you need to protect yourself and others. We hope that these tips help you and we can't wait to see you glowing again with our clean, halal, vegan makeup soon!
