I’m sure about a year ago if someone told you that we would have to quarantine ourselves in our homes because of a pandemic, you would’ve laughed; or seen the possibility of the situation, just not to the extent at which it has presented itself. With the pandemic, new terms such as “social distancing”, “spikes”, and “flattening the curve” have become a part of our daily vocabulary. Along with those terms, a new one has also emerged: “maskne” a.k.a mask acne.
Maskne is the term that defines the pimples that surface around the areas where your mask rubs against your face. Many dermatologists have stated that the friction from the masks causes irritability which ultimately leads to inflammation in your skin and pores, which leads to the increase in acne around your mouth, chin, and nose area. Your maskne might have been extremely prevalent during the summer months when the humidity and added moisture from sweat got caught in your mask. However, as we enter the winter months, the cold weather could lead to dryer skin and extra chaffing from the masks.
As minuscule as it may seem to most people, skincare can play a big part in the management of maintaining clear skin under masks. As you may be re-evaluating your own skincare routine, we found some great products to keep your mask clean, and your face clear!
Here are 9 products, that you can find on Amazon, to help you treat, fight, and prevent your maskne:
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Face Cleanser
It is important to have a good skincare routine and that involves a cleanser that is both gentle yet penetrative. La Roche-Posay has two versions of this face wash for normal to dry skin as well as for normal to oily and sensitive skin. Both have similar ingredients as well as amazing reviews that rave about how great their cleansers are at clearing skin. La Roche-Posay products leave skin feeling hydrated by being infused with prebiotic thermal water, ceramide-3, niacinamide, and glycerin.
If you get the cleanser for normal to dry skin, it is an oil-free cream cleanser that helps skin retain essential moisture while cleansing. This cleanser can also act as a makeup remover by helping to gently remove eye and face makeup as well as built-up dirt and impurities, while maintaining skin’s natural protective barrier & pH.
The cleanser for normal to oily and sensitive skin is a foaming cleanser that removes excess oil while maintaining the skin’s natural protective barrier & pH. Much like the normal to dry skin cleanser, it can also remove face and eye makeup, dirt, and impurities.
First Aid Beauty’s FAB Pharma White Clay Acne Treatment Pads 2% Salicylic Acid
First Aid Beauty has gained popularity within the clean skincare and beauty community for its extensive range of products that are specific for a wide variety of skin-related problems; while also finding clean and vegan ingredients to include in their products. Their FAB Pharma White Clay Acne Treatment Pads with 2% Salicylic Acid is a great dermatologist recommended product. It is an alcohol-free acne treatment that utilizes Kaolin Clay to help draw impurities out of the skin, and Evermat to help reduce sebum and control shine.
Mighty Patch
Spot treatments are quite common, however, recently acne patches have taken over as the popular spot treatment alternative because they reduce pimples quickly and offer a protective barrier between the treatment and the outside world. Mighty Patch Original – Hydrocolloid Acne Pimple Patch Spot Treatment was the first-ever acne patch treatment to be created and still reigns as number one amongst its competitors. Mighty Patch is advertised as “a hydrocolloid sticker that visibly flattens pimples overnight. No popping necessary. Just stick it on, get some beauty sleep, and wake up with clearer skin.” It is said to reduce the size of your pimples in just 6 hours as well as stay adhered to your face all night long. However, if you choose to wear the sticker during the day, it blends seamlessly into your skin; you can even cure your maskne from under your mask! An extra plus is that they are vegan and cruelty-free!
The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution
Another brand that I’m sure you’ve heard a lot about during this pandemic season, if you’ve done deep dives on “skincare internet”, is The Ordinary. They’re known for their clean, vegan, cruelty-free products that are extremely affordable. The reviews for all of their products are amazing and their toner is no different. Glycolic Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid that exfoliates the skin. The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% toning solution offers mild exfoliation for improved skin radiance and visible clarity. The formula also improves the appearance of skin texture with continued use.
Aztec Indian Healing Clay Mask
The Aztec Indian Healing Clay Mask has been a cult favorite for a while now. It is made of pure bentonite clay, which has been studied and found to absorb and remove toxins outside as well as within the body. There are two ways to apply this mask to your face, you can use either Apple Cider Vinegar or water to mix with the powder and make it into a paste. After adding purified water (or Apple Cider Vinegar) to the powder, you’ll have a clay paste that you can layer on your face. The paste will carry a slight electrical charge that will attract toxins deep in your skin. The mask should tighten and feel a little itchy as well as burn a bit. Leave the clay on your face as it dries, usually for about 10 minutes. Remove the clay gently using a wet washcloth.
Differin Gel
Retinoids are a class of chemical compounds that are vitamers of vitamin A or are chemically related to it. Retinoids have found use in medicine where they regulate epithelial cell growth and can aid in anti-aging. However, retinoids have also, recently, been found to help reduce pimples and scarring. Differin gel can be used as a spot treatment or even as a full-face coverage topical treatment and can help you to reduce inflammation within the skin. It is a dermatologist recommended product that has been deemed “the best over-the-counter retinol treatment” on the market.
Desert Essence Natural Tea Tree Oil Facial Cleansing Pads
If you spend a majority of your day outside of your house, then you find yourself wearing a mask for a large part of your day. Wearing your mask for so long, with little to no breaks can cause excess irritation as well as an increase of potential maskne. That’s why carrying around a packet of face wipes to gently cleanse your skin throughout the day is a great idea. An even better solution would be to carry around wipes that have tea tree oil. Tea tree oil is a natural anti-inflammatory agent that can help to deeply cleanse your skin while also maintaining the natural protective barrier that your skin has. Desert Essence Natural Tea Tree Oil Facial Cleansing Pads is an organic facial cleanser that can remove oil and dirt from the skin that often lead to skin bumps and breakouts, leaving your face with a smooth and instantly refreshing feel.
Arm & Hammer Sensitive Skin Free & Clear
Along with skincare, it is important to look at other factors that could be causing your maskne. If you wear reusable masks, a great way to make sure to not spread bacteria would be to change your masks every single day as well as constantly washing them. Of course washing your masks with your regular laundry detergent may not be cutting it. The skin on your face is much more delicate and sensitive compared to the skin on the rest of your body. So, you have to treat the masks that go one your face with a similar approach. Buying laundry detergent specifically for washing your face masks may seem like an unnecessary measure, however, if you’ve changed your skincare to incorporate better, more powerful ingredients, then it might be a good time to look at the detergent that you use for your face masks. Arm & Hammer Sensitive Skin Free & Clear is a great laundry detergent because it is a gentle detergent that doesn’t have any harsh chemicals as well as being hypoallergenic. And like many dermatologists recommend, this detergent doesn’t have any perfumes or fragrances.
3-D Mask Bracket
These 3D mask brackets are a great idea if you are someone that wears glasses, makeup, or just doesn’t like the feel of the mask directly on your face. It can also expand the breathing space to help smooth breathing, as well as keeping the mask off of your face and around your mouth. This can help to lessen the irritation that is caused by the mask constantly rubbing against your face, thus reducing the amount of maskne you get. The mask brackets are made from an upgraded soft plastic that is very comfortable against your face, non-toxic, safe, and washable for reuse. Although they come in a “one size fits all” sort of fashion, they are moldable to any size face.
