4 Ways To Have Skin Goals While Wearing a Mask
I had to take my time writing this blog because this topic is very dear to me. I have had problems with my skin since middle school and I was ridiculed for having severe acne (even by my “friends”). Thanks be to God, upon entering adulthood, I have had a better relationship with my skin and have had made improvements. If you have been following me on Instagram, you’ll see my skin care journey beginning with my micro needling experience, which you can see here and it was the beginning of my skin care wellness.. It’s something I highly recommend if you have trouble skin.
I didn’t realize how important skin care was until COVID-19 happened and I had to wear a mask every day which caused my skin to break out and look horrible. Literally it was like a blind person could read brail on my bumpy skin. It was awful and being a content creator who takes pictures often, there is a certain level of expectation that my skin must be photo ready most of the time.
Recently, I began observing how my skin behaves on days without wearing a mask while I’m off compared to wearing a mask at my job for long periods of time. Last week, I was off for four days in a row and I noticed that it was beginning to clear from the breakouts I had the previous week, which happened to be in my lower cheek area where the mask sits. During this break, I did not have any breakouts, serving you very much skin goals! When I returned to work, after two days of wearing my mask for long periods of time, my cheek area had four massive pimples and I felt mortified. I noticed that my skin only does this when I go to work, plus I don’t get much sleep on days that I work, so that also played a factor.
From this observation, and even reading other blogs, it’s safe to say that wearing a mask can negatively impact your skin. According to UHHospitals.org, “More than one-third of frontline health care workers reported adverse skin reactions after wearing N95 masks daily for several months, according to a story referenced in the May 2020 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. The highest incidence of conditions included acne, facial itch and rash” (2020).
Seriously though, think about it: our skin was free and open to the fresh air before COVID-19 hit, and suddenly, it had to be covered by a mask. A mask that could contain materials that you are allergic to. The responsibility is on you to pay attention to your skin when wearing vs. not wearing masks. I realized that my skin works best with breathable cotton masks and not the standard pleated surgical face masks that you see everyone wearing. I think there is some element in those that causes damage to my skin.
Did you know that masks induce friction, and this can cause SERIOUS irritation? Crazy, right? Wearing a piece of fabric large enough to cover the half of your face can pose a challenge to your skin. What most people don’t know is that it can be prevented using these 4 Ways To Have Skin Goals While Wearing a Mask:
1.Be careful about wearing makeup under your mask! I know you’re probably used to putting on makeup before leaving the house, but thanks to COVID-19 and the mandate to wear masks, you don’t have to. The wrong foundation under your mask can clog pores and lead to serious breakouts. If you prefer not to wear makeup, I honestly believe a cute festive mask that matches your personality or outfit is just as impactful as a bold lip and I found some cute ones here at New York and Company. The world is adapting to normalizing face masks, and your makeup routine can adjust too. However, if you are going on a date or anywhere else where you will eventually be taking your mask off, I suggest using a breathable full coverage foundation mixed with hydration and what has been working for skin so far is the new Becca Cosmetics Backlight Priming Filter and Ultimate Coverage 24 Hour Foundation. The products are dermatologist tested, vegan friendly and gluten free and will have your skin looking like magic, plus using these products make a difference in your skin care and won’t be so harsh when wearing a mask. Make sure to use code BECCAXOCTOLY25 for 25% off to save some coins!
2. Show your skin some TLC during your skin routine. Skin care is KING! Making time with your skin care is essential to preventing breakouts. My esthetician advised me to ensure I use a gentle cleanser daily. Any scrubs or heavy washing creams on a daily basis can cause trauma to your face, especially when you’re wearing a mask all day. Make sure you are using gentle cleansers, extra light serums, toners and sunscreen. Allow that to sit for 10 minutes before washing it off, to allow your skin to fully absorb the nutrients from your products.
3. Sleep! Your skin is also an indicator of how much sleep you’re getting and when you’re not getting enough, it’ll show. When you are tired, your skin is weak and can’t fight against problems, including friction from a mask, sweat and suffocation from a mask. Set your phone on do not disturb, put a limit to your social media use, light a candle and get some rest, not only you, but your skin deserves it.
4. Wash your mask regularly or change your masks daily. Wearing a dirty mask can reintroduce dirt to your skin and this defeats the purpose of washing your face daily. Keep in mind that cloth masks are the better choice for your skin because they are machine washable. They are also more breathable and softer on your skin causing less friction which creates small tears in your skin that makes your skin susceptible to inflammation and bacteria. Think of a cotton mask softness to your skin is the same feeling as a cozy blanket to your body, it’s like skin self care.
I hope you enjoyed reading this and that it helps you along your skin journey towards clear and healthy skin.