Top tips for great skin while wearing masks

2020 has definitely taken some unexpected turns. Wearing face masks is now the norm for us as we go about our daily lives, shopping, working, socialising and travelling. It’s not only a new experience for us in terms of remembering to take a mask with you when you leave the house and seeing those around you wearing them but it's also a new experience for your skin. Used to being exposed to the fresh air, the lower half of our face is now covered up a lot of the time.

Many mask wearers are now experiencing redness, irritation, and breakouts from wearing masks, which are being described as ‘maskne’. That’s the combination of a mask plus acne!

What is ‘maskne’?

Last year, none of us even knew that ‘maskne’ would be a thing! Maskne is the 2020 term given to acne and breakouts which are caused by wearing a mask. Maskne can happen because of irritation and friction between the mask and the skin. You will sweat more and that sweat, combined with dirt, and oil can sit on your skin, clogging up your pores making them the perfect place for breakout bacteria to breed.

Here at Jersey Beauty, we want to help you achieve the happiest, healthiest skin you can for the age you are. So we have been busy researching some of the best skincare tips and products to help you and your skin through the mask wearing season that we find ourselves in.

7 of the best skincare tips for wearing a mask

1: Choose a cotton face mask

When you are buying your face masks, try to choose a face mask made of natural materials like cotton. Cotton will feel more breathable on the skin, whilst synthetic fabrics retain more heat and moisture contributing to congestion and breakouts. Fabrics like cotton will also reduce friction between your skin and the mask which should help to prevent any irritation from rubbing.

2: Wash your face mask regularly

Reusable face masks should be washed regularly. Get yourself a couple of masks so you rotate your masks wearing one and washing one, making it easy for you to be able to get your hands on a clean mask. As you wear your face mask, the fabric will absorb your skin’s natural oils and sweat as well as trapping bacteria leading to potential breakouts.

3: Double cleanse

We love double cleansing here at Jersey Beauty! If there is ever a time to introduce your skin to the double cleanse, it’s now! Double cleansing your skin daily will totally remove unwanted bacteria, dirt and excess oil and is so much more effective than a one step cleanse. Repeating a double cleanse morning and evening will make sure your skin's protective barrier is able to stay happy and healthy meaning your skin is able to repair and regenerate.

Try Dermalogica Precleanse for your 1st cleanse & try Dermalogica UltraCalming Cleanser for your 2nd cleanse to calm and soothe any irritation.

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Precleanse Cleansing Oil

oil-busting emulsifyer

(69)

Skin

PreCleanse Cleansing Balm

balm-to-oil emulsifyer

(12)

Skin

UltraCalming Cleanser

gentle cleansing cream

(78)

4: Don't forget to stay hydrated

This is a simple but great skincare tip! When you are wearing a face mask most of the day, you are less likely to remember to drink, because your face is covered. Staying hydrated, will improve the barrier function of your skin which will improve the overall health of your skin.

You can also add a burst of extra hydration into your skin with a toning mist. We love Guinot Brume Hydra Beauté Mist. Use morning and evening or keep it in your handbag and spritz over your face if you have been wearing a mask for a while. Even better, you can spritz this mist directly over your makeup to set your makeup and hold it in place because we all know how much our makeup and masks love each other!

Brume Hydra Beaute MistBrume Re-Hydration Fraicheur VisageSkin100ml: £30.50

5: Choose gentle products

It’s probably sensible to avoid stronger products like harsh exfoliants for the time being. The daily wearing of face masks can start to irritate your skin. This means that harsh scrubs or chemical exfoliators could make the problem worse. Explore products designed for sensitive skin or teen skin that are both more prone to irritation - these could be useful for your skin for a while!

Dermalogica Flashfoliant is proving to be very useful for ‘maskne’. It’s a foaming leave on chemical exfoliant designed for teen skin but actually is great for giving any skin a helping hand with unwanted breakouts. Salicylic acid works to clear and prevent breakouts while tangerine peel extract brightens the skin giving you a flash glow!

You might find it helpful to have a few breakout tackling products on standby too. Dermalogica Age Bright Spot Fader is a fabulous addition to your makeup bag for those unexpected breakouts. Not only does it clear breakouts but it also works to fade the annoying marks they leave behind! Salicylic acid works to clear breakouts and Niacinamide and Hexylresorcinol work synergistically to fade post-breakout marks, improving uneven skin tone. This product will most definitely become your go to to treat any breakouts you may get, mask and non-mask related!

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6: Wear less makeup

Now is the perfect opportunity to wear less make-up. Choose more lightweight makeup, it's under your mask anyway! Heavy makeup can clog your pores making them an attractive space for breakout causing bacteria to breed. On a practical point, your face will sweat more under the mask making it more likely that the makeup you have meticulously applied will be hidden and end up smeared on the inside of your face mask!

Studio 10 Youth Lift Glow-Plexion is a lightweight 4-in-1 complexion fix that is a multi-tasking primer, radiance creme, illuminator and highlighter in one. It’s made with an advanced 'binding' agent for budge-proof, long-last wear that keeps makeup fresh all day so it's perfect for days when you will be taking your mask off and putting it back on again. It can be worn alone but also can be mixed with foundation on days when your skin just needs that extra glow.

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7: Introduce a different kind of face mask

After being masked up on and off all week, give your skin a treat and use a face mask from a tube to cleanse and purge the skin as part of your overall skincare.

We love Dermalogica Hydro Masque Exfoliant. This 2 in 1 hydrating and exfoliating masque delivers results in 3-5 minutes but is also fun to use. Move the little spheres to the areas of your face that need a little extra exfoliating. Skin looks luminous and healthy after use.

Hydro Masque ExfoliantA hydrating and exfoliating five-minute masque that smoothes and renews for luminous, healthy-looking skin.Skin50ml: £65.00

So there you have it, our Jersey Beauty 7 top tips for wearing a face mask. It’s not what any of us want but it's the season we are in, so let’s embrace it and learn to live with and do the best for our skin. Maybe now is the time to focus on your eyes…...invest in some eye cream and learn how to do your eye makeup in an eye catching way!