Have you heard of or are you wondering what is Maskne?
In these dreadful days of life on the Corona-coaster, we all now have to wear masks/face coverings whilst we are out and about. But does mask-wearing give you skin problems around your chin and mouth?
Many people are reporting having spots or skin irritation on their cheeks and chins where our masks sit. They’re right next to our skin and they get both hot and damp.
Don’t use a plastic mask
First things first, do not buy or use those blue disposable masks – they’re not made out of tissue – they’re made of plastic and they are causing massive environmental issues. Millions of them are currently littering our pavements, causing injury to wildlife and ending up in our rivers and seas. But also having the plastic against your face causes you to sweat more and for bacterial to multiply on your skin.
It’s much better to use a lovely re-usable cotton or bamboo mask that can be washed and used again and again. Not only is this better for your skin, but better for the environment, just like LJ products!
How to avoid maskne
So here’s the deal about preventing maskne – it is really important to keep your mask clean, and if, like me, you have very sensitive skin, you need to wash it in a very gentle, perfume-free detergent. I use either Surcare or just plain old soap nuts. If you can have three washable reusable masks so that you can wear a clean one each day.
At the end of the day, make sure you cleanse your skin thoroughly, but do not use anything that will dry your skin. We obviously recommend our own cleansers: either Organic Deep Cleansing Balm (better for dryer or mature skin) or the Papaya Lighter Wash-Off Cleanser (better for younger or more combination skin). And then add back a bit of light moisturiser such as our fab best-selling Balancing Organic Moisturiser.
If you need to during the day, if you feel the need for a freshen up, have a quick wipe over your face with our Balancing Organic Toner (you could pour some out into a smaller bottle in and keep in your bag).
If you are getting quite a few spots, obviously try not to touch them or pick at them as you will just be introducing more bacteria to the face. If you have a big spot brewing, touch a drop of neat lavender oil (make sure it’s good quality) onto your spot at bedtime; this will help to reduce inflammation and bacterial. I don’t recommend using tea tree for this as it is a very drying oil.
Hope this was helpful. And remember to wear your mask, wash your hands and generally stay safe x
I’m very much looking forward to the day when I read this blog back and realise that Covid is a distant memory and I can delete it.
Hope this was helpful. And remember to wear your mask in public spaces, wash your hands regularly and generally stay safe x
