Welcome to the hottest skin mood of 2020: Post-Mask Skin Inflammation aka 'Maskne'

I have personally noticed that by wearing my mask (even 1 hour per day) my skin was more prone to congestion, especially around the nose. After further research, I found out that skin irritation and congestion along with areas where the masks cover the face is a real thing! We are breathing in a “confined” space that traps humidity, dirt, and oil - making the perfect little habitat for breakout-causing bacteria. Not to mention the friction where the mask meets our skin can cause acne mechanica.

Our skin needs to breathe, especially throughout the day to make sure that oil, sweat, and other substances are excreted naturally! By breathing into the mask and covering it from the outside world, we are increasing the humidity and moisture level within our skin’s environment. This can lead to the proliferation of bacteria causing congestion and breakouts on the skin. More than just arising certain skin moods, masks can also lead to the rise of certain skin conditions such as rosacea and acne - specifically acne mechanica (caused by friction of the mask). Therefore, treating your skin with this new skin mood in mind is essential to make sure it remains healthy at all times.

Think about our mask skincare tips & tricks like those we give for your workout skincare regime; a little realignment for your skin throughout the day.

• First, you want to make sure that your skin has minimal products on the skin when wearing the mask. Make sure to apply only necessary make-up! Antioxidants + SPF are your bare essentials in the morning.

• Avoid any comedogenic ingredients as they will, most likely, cause congestion such as blackheads, whiteheads, and generally dull appearance of the skin.

• Make sure to cleanse your skin once back home - This is essential to preserve the eco-flora of your skin. However, when we say cleanse we don’t mean deep cleanse. As we already have a morning and evening skincare regime! This one should be super gentle. Therefore, go to gentle cleansers that won’t disrupt the barrier function of your skin.

• Also, choose your mask right! Synthetic materials will keep more moisture and create heat than those made with natural material like cotton! And of course, if you are using a cotton mask don’t forget to wash it in the washing machine (just like you would wash your muslin cloths).

To find out if these products will suit your unique skin and to build a bespoke routine of your own, click HERE to book your Holistic Skin Session now