What is Maskne? And how to deal with it! A skincare guide
Maskne. It's a brand new phrase and problem, at least for us who are new to wearing masks. As face masks have become vital in conquering the spread of Covid-19 a new phenomenon has arrived. That phenomena is maskne.
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So what causes Maskne?
Maskne is the combination of a few things. First, The constant rubbing of the mask against your skin causes micro-tears in your skin's barrier, which in turn makes it easier for dirt and bacteria to penetrate into our skin clogging your pores, causing acne. Two, the damp conditions under your mask from poor ventilation and breathe makes it easier for bacteria to thrive. That hot a moist environment increases your chances of getting maskne. Ultimately without doing anything to stop these two causes your maskne will get worse. And of course we are not advising you stop wearing your mask. But fear not, we have some simple solutions for you to add to your k-beauty skincare routine!
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So what can we do about maskne? ( without taking off our mask )
Well for starters when it comes to your morning skincare routine its best to stay off the heavy products. That goes for heavy moisturisers and lotions. Using the heavier and oil based products will increase the chances of maskne finding it's way onto your skin. So, using lightweight products will prevent chaffing between your mask and your chin by creating a thin barrier instead of a thick one.
To go along with your lightweight moisturising layer you should move to a more gentle exfoliator which will support the absorption of your moisturising layer.
Which products can benefit you?
We recommend using a exfoliator a little bit more frequently especially if you have been experiencing maskne lately. The use of an exfoliator more frequently will allow for better absorption of your moisturising layers later in your routine. Along with this you should use lighter moisturising products to ensure that the area protected by your mask doesn't become heavy and leaves you pores clogged. Non-oil based products after cleansing should be preferred.
As a final note, over social media we have noticed the encouragement of pimple and spot patches as a way of treating maskne, we believe this is not really getting to the fundamental issue. the use of spot and pimple patched is great in some situation however as noted above we are trying to give you a REAL solution to maskne.
By Joe a co-founder of
Klean.
