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How To: Treat Mascne (Mask Acne)
After spending months looking out for our hands, our new everyday accessory has moved our attention to our faces, and what lies beneath it. As if the stress of lockdown and social distancing wasn’t enough, people are starting to develop mask-related acne, and we want to help you tackle it. NOTE: Mascne is a small price to pay for helping slow/stop the transmission of COVID-19, so take one for the team!
‘Mascne’ or ‘maskne’ – know as ‘acne mechanica’ in the medical world – is caused by the surface of the mask irritating your skin. Wearing a mask regularly means that your pores can become clogged by oil, dead skin cells and makeup that gets trapped under the mask. After a warm summer of mask wearing, mascne blossoming on the lower part of our faces is inevitable, so you’ll want to strip down your skin care regime to only the essentials, and choose products with ingredients that are gentle on your skin. Don’t turn to the strongest products, clean and calming products are key for balancing skin.
Beauty brand Paula’s Choice have an EXTENSIVE ingredients dictionary, to help you understand what all the ingredients in your products are, and what they are used for. I’ve been trying out several options to calm my own blossoming face, and spoke to Laponie of Scandianvia’s founder Kia, and resident cosmetic chemist Jaana about recommendations, after all they specialise in ingredient minimalism.
Wash your mask after every use
Not only is it important for slowing down the transmission of the virus, but washing your mask after every use should part of your personal hygiene. When washing your mask, don’t use a harsh detergent, as it will irritate your skin, and to let the mask dry fully before use.
We like the philosophy behind Probiotic Crafts’ detergents, that with the help of natural science, utilise pure ingredients and probiotics to help keep your home and clothes clean, without having to worry about exposure to a chemical cocktail. Their Laundry Liquid is specially developed for sensitive skin, and is enriched with lotus extract that has antioxidant and soothing properties. The probiotic bacteria in the detergent helps cleanse away dirt effectively and also maintains the healthy bacteria in fabrics. The detergent is scent free – as are all of their products – and you are able to add different essential oil blends, to create your own ‘detergent mood’ – very fun!
Skip your foundation
As we’re covering our faces with a mask, there isn’t much point in using a foundation, and while in lockdown a lot of us became comfortable with our naked skin – so save the foundation and put on that SPF, for happier, unclogged skin.
If you feel more confident with a little coverage, and aren’t willing to skip your foundation, Kia and Jaana suggest swapping your liquid foundation for a mineral one. Mineral foundation is breathable and won’t clog your pores. ‘We love Lily Lolo’s SPF 15 Mineral Foundation!’
Cleanse properly
Your skin cleansing regime is VERY important – do a proper face wash in the morning before putting your mask on, and wash your face as soon as you get home and take off your mask. If you haven’t already, swap your cleanser to a mild one, as you don’t need to rub your face with the sturdiest cleanser on the market – your face will get clean, and will stay happier, with the more milder options.
Kia and Jaana suggest doing a proper double cleanse in the evening after wearing a mask. ‘A double cleanse will ensure that you remove all the dirt and extra oil, and tackles any clogging. Our Milk Cleanser + Gel Cleanser is a gentle but efficient combo for this.’
Hydration is key
Well hydrated skin keeps itself more intact, and is less prone to bacteria. FACT. I have been using Pure is Beauty’s Rose Mist – a face mist with rose water and prebiotics, as it prebiotics strengthen your skin’s barrier, and rose water soothes and hydrates your skin. For moisturisig, Lumene’s new Calming Hemp Oil Cocktail with 95% natural ingredients is a lovely, lightweight option for calming redness and treating blemishes, leaving your skin balanced and soothed.
Target treatment
To battle the irritation and the blemishes, Laponie skincare have two newcomers to their skincare range that are terrific for treating mascne: the Clarifying Treatment and the Calming Treatment. ‘Tackle irritation, chafing and breakouts with targeted treatments. Our Toner Spray and Calming Treatment are great for soothing skin, and our Clarifying Treatment clears pores and spots.’ Laponie’s skin care experts suggests.
The Clarifying Treatment is an anti-microbial gel that treats impurities and inflammation in the skin, with plant based xylitol sugar and Swedish algae-derived silica. Another added benefit is that the Clarifying Treatment doesn’t make your skin feel tight – which can be a side effect of pimple reducing treatments – this is because of the ectoin. Ectoin is a natural, multi-tasking molecule that gives long-term hydration, repairs your skin’s barrier, and has anti-inflammatory and anti-irritant properties, just what we’re looking for!
The Calming Treatment is a little gem that calms and repairs the skin in an instant, and is perfect for sensitive skin. The Calming Treatment is also infused with ectoin, as well as madecassoside from the Centella Asiatica plant – a medicinal plant which has been traditionally used in many cultures for its wound healing and anti-inflammatory properties. The Calming Treatment is a great option to relieve perioral dermatitis and roseacea as well.
Whether you are treating or preventing mascne, these products are perfect for keeping your skin in check Which of these products will be your go-to?
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