Maskne The 2020 Skincare Villain
Zits, pimples, spots. There are so many different words for it, but at the end of the day, we all know what it is...Acne! For most of us acne comes around during our teenage years. It can be embarrassing, a huge pain, and seriously affect our confidence. But hey, what about our teenage years isn’t! By the time we move into our 20’s, it tends to go away, and most of us feel as though we’ve “glowed up” as the kids would say. With probably the most awkward years of our life behind us, and acne firmly in the rear-view mirror, it’s time to look forward, right?
Well, with all the joys (not really) that 2020 has brought us, why don’t we throw adult acne back into the mix. COVID19 has seen the general population adorn face masks in their day to day life, and yes it’s fabulous we are all doing our bit in stopping the spread but unfortunately, our skin might not be so thankful.
Maskne (yes, that’s acne caused by wearing masks) is the new villain jeopardising that oh-so-clear skin you have worked so hard to achieve. Masks help keep saliva and any other droplets from getting into the air and potentially transmitting COVID19. That's exactly what we want them to do, but this means that they trap moisture and bacteria inside which then touches your skin. The humid environment inside your face mask from breathing and sweating can cause breakouts around the nose, cheeks, mouth and chin, making for small pimples to appear even for people that have never had acne in their life! Such a bummer right?
But don’t fret just yet. Even though you may feel your teenage acne creeping back, it’s important to remember that maskne isn’t caused by hormones like most teenage cases. It is actually caused by bacteria that absolutely LOVES the humid environment your face mask creates. This means that there are very real things you can do to help prevent and control breakouts, whilst still wearing your mask and doing your bit to keep others safe.
Coming back to that pesky bacteria, you should try and wash your face at least twice a day to help cleanse your skin. Our Gel Cleanser is infused with juniper berry oil and lime essential oils which provide an antibacterial effect that fights against surface bacteria that may lead to blemishes. In fact, several studies have indicated that juniper berry oil is a powerful antibacterial agent that fights acne when used topically.
If you are opting for a fabric face mask it is a good idea to wash it regularly with a mild or gentle soap. Using a harsh soap could cause you to have a reaction and might lead to more breakouts.
If you're feeling like washing your mask just isn’t cutting it, you can try our Alcohol-Free Toner which is used to prevent breakouts and hydrate your skin (bonus!). The toner is infused with pineapple extract and Aloe Vera, both of which are proven to naturally reduce inflammation and help reduce and prevent acne. Not only does it help your acne, but it also smells amazing and is made from 100% natural ingredients so you can feel reassured that what you are putting on your skin is good!
After cleansing and toning it is so important to moisturise your skin. There can be a misconception that moisturising can lead to more pimples, but this is simply not true, and trust us when we say your skin will love you for doing it. In fact, under-moisturising can cause your skin to totally freak out on you and produce more oil! You know what they say about more money, more problems – well more oil means more problems for your skin. To combat this, try our Hydrating Daily Moisturiser. It’s got all that good stuff like aloe vera and juniper that I mentioned before, PLUS organic green tea and rosehip oil which also helps with reducing the appearance of acne.
Here is one more pearl of wisdom I am sure you have heard a thousand times: along with using result-delivering products, it is so important to not pick at or pop your pimples. I know it's satisfying, but the skincare goddesses are telling you please don't do it!
So even though maskne may seem like your skincare villain of 2020, rest assured that with proper hygiene, and a little help from Fether, you can fight the good fight against acne and re-claim clear, beautiful skin that gives you confidence.
