My day starts out with being at school for three hours without removing my mask. Only for a few seconds to readjust the strings behind my ear, then afterwards I go to work for another six hours straight without removing my mask. By the end of the day, my lower face is covered with sore red bumps.
Oof. Mask-Acne.
My skin reacting this way has only heightened my insecurities and I find myself desperately attempting to cover up these marks. However, the more makeup products I used in an attempt to hide away all these new found “flaws” the more painful my skin was getting. It was constant frustration. I thought I was the only experiencing this skin issue due to my high levels of stress and my poor eating habits. Then, I overheard my fellow co-workers having the same problem with their skin, which made me somewhat relieved.
Yay, we can bond over our skin struggles and unite to defeat Mask-Acne together!
The tricky part with any sort of skincare routine, is that some of these routines do not accommodate everyone’s skin types. However, I am going to share some tips that have helped me care for my Mask-Acne and what I have been hearing that helps my peers as well!
Mask-Acne Tips:
1: Avoid wearing skin makeup underneath your mask, such as foundation and concealer. If you know you are going to be wearing your mask for a while, just use your mask to cover unwanted blemishes. Plus, this is a great opportunity to empathize your beautiful eyes either with or without makeup!
2: Apply witch hazel on your skin before putting your mask on. Other acne creams are perfect too, especially ones that you would typically wear before bed.
3: Wash your face with a scrub or acne face wash after getting home from a long day of wearing a mask. Wash your face with lukewarm water–not too hot because it dries out your skin which causes your body to want to produce natural oils that cause acne, then finish by splashing your face with icy cold water, gently pat dry with a cotton towel Also, if you are motivated enough and want to go the extra step, grab an ice cube and gently rub it in the areas that feel more irritated.
I hope these tips are helpful for you! I found that these were common things that work well with people who have both dry and oily skin, as well as more sensitive skin. Stay healthy and help others stay healthy by wearing a mask!