Our latest villain: 'Maskne'

It's the new term coined to describe the unfortunate result of combined humidity, sweat, and prolonged mask wear – "maskne", a mashup of the words "mask" and "acne".

With increased regulation surrounding the requirement of facial coverings in most public spaces, breakouts due to mask wear is becoming a widespread problem. Frequent exhalation beneath a finely porous material can create the ideal breeding ground for bacteria to build up in our pores, leading to blemishes and irritated skin. However, there are steps you can take to effectively prevent such from happening and that involves proper skin care.

1. Cleanse your face immediately after removing your mask to wash away any sweat and impurities. Place extra focus on areas directly covered by your mask such as around your nose, cheeks, and chin. 
2. Use lighter-weighted moisturizers before wearing your mask. Heavy, thick, and greasy creams can add to the likelihood of clogged pores.
3. Exfoliate to remove any excess debris and dead skin that when combined with sweat and moisture can also increase the likelihood of congesting your skin.
4. Avoid wearing makeup on areas covered by your mask. Again, we want to reduce what's present on the skin beneath the mask. 
5. Wash your mask/facial covering after every use, do not re-wear before it is cleaned. Unclean facial coverings can contain sweat, moisture and bacteria that can remain on the surface for days, which can then transfer to your skin and get trapped during the next wear. 

To explore our selection of products that are suitable for your pre and post mask-wear routine, click HERE.