How to Treat + Avoid Maskne
While masks may be our current reality, I promise that maskne (acne you get from wearing a mask all day!) doesn’t have to be. I’ll explain why we’re all breaking out from wearing masks everyday, as well as how to avoid maskne and my best skincare recommendations in treating it. We have enough to deal with right now — let’s check maskne off the list!
Why is maskne suddenly our skin’s new worst nightmare? Wearing masks for hours a day can cause our skin barrier to become compromised, which can lead to irritation, dryness, flakiness and of course, acne. So how do we combat this so we’re not constantly battling new breakouts due to wearing masks? In order to strengthen the skin barrier, a few ingredients are crucial. We need —
1. Ceramides: To help the skin retain moisture (Hydrating Lotion is the winner here)
2. Retinoids: To accelerate cellular turnover (Hello RetinAL Skin Therapy!)
3. AHAs and BHAs: Salicylic, glycolic and lactic acid will all help with exfoliation and give the pores a deep cleanse (For us, this means Toning Pads Toning Pads Toning Pads!)
4. Hyaluronic acid: To protect and hydrate the skin (Ahem, Hydrating Serum)
5. Antioxidants: To protect and soothe the skin (Insert Vitamin C serum!)
Our Top Skincare Products to Prevent + Fight Maskne:
Our acne products — Toning Pads, Pore Purifying Mask + Hydrating Serum to treat maskne and protect the skin barrier.
Toning Pads II — Fights acne with both glycolic and salicylic acid. Use 1-2x a day, but if you’re new to Toning Pads, begin with Toning Pads I.
Glow Peel Pads — Glycolic acid exfoliates and treats acne. Can be used as a weekly treatment!
Hydrating Serum — Hyaluronic acid moisturizes the skin + protects the skin barrier.
RetinAL Skin Therapy — Increases cellular turnover which helps heal/prevent acne + strengthens the skin barrier.
Pore Purifying Clay Mask — Salicylic acid removes debris from clogged pores while leaving skin polished and smooth.
Clenziderm — Foaming cleanser that helps prevent future acne with salicylic acid.
Brightening Face Wash — Glycolic and salicylic acid treats acne.
Hydrating Lotion — Hydrates + soothes the skin with niacinamide.
Vitamin C Serum — Soothes the skin while decreasing inflammation.
Top 5 lifestyle tips to avoid maskne:
Be make-up free — whenever possible, avoid makeup on the lower half of your face when wearing your mask!
Choose a good one — 100% cotton masks or silk masks are the best for your skin.
Keep it clean — wash your mask daily (try to use gentle, fragrance free detergent!)
Don’t reuse — only wear disposable masks once (there’s no way to clean them, so we would recommend not to reuse)
Cleanse ASAP — wash your face as soon as you can after wearing your mask.
Not sure which cleanser or Vitamin C serum is best for you? Take our Skin Quiz here and find your best skin yet.