Tips For Preventing Maskne

Maskne - breakouts and irritation around the mouth, chin and cheeks from wearing face masks.


Maskne is a thing, guys. It's not just a word that has suddenly been invented by social media, it's real. Maskne seems to be a (un)popular trend right now and people are scrambling to watch This Morning to hear Caroline Hirons' (AKA an absolute legend) skin tips about how to avoid the dreaded mask breakout. 



Masks will be a part of our lives now for the foreseeable future and they are there to protect ourselves and others, some may have seen the signs of a few spots around the mouth, chin and cheeks area after wearing a mask for prolonged periods. I would rather look like Pimply Pete and wear a mask rather than not wear one at all. At the end of the day, it's about doing the right thing. 


The good news is however is that there are ways to help and prevent maskne from becoming a real issue. Here are my tips for protecting your skin from maskne -


1) CLEANSE  THE  SKIN  TWICE  A  DAY
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I started to cleanse my skin during lockdown after finally establishing a skincare routine. Cleansing twice a day is recommended, before wearing the mask and when you take it off afterwards. I would just cleanse like you normally would, morning and evening. I currently use No7 Purifying Foaming Cleanser which has really helped my skin. Just find the cleanser that suits your skin best.



2) WASH  YOUR  MASK  AFTER  EVERY  USE
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If you wear a reusable mask, keeping your mask clean is important. Washing it after every use is the best option as it gets rid of all the bacteria that could cause a breakout. I wash mine at 60 degrees every night with my normal washing and it's a nice feeling knowing my mask is clean for the next day. I would say buy a couple of masks so you always got one at hand if the one you've washed the previous night isn't dry by the next morning. Never be short of a mask. That should be our new mantra.



3) CHOOSE  THE  RIGHT  FABRICS
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When choosing a mask, buy one that is made of cotton or washable silk as these materials that are suggested will reduce the friction on your face and prevent skin irritation. Also, make sure that you buy a mask that is breathable, is soft on the skin and more importantly, one that is going to protect you. 



4) MOISTURISE
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If you already moisturise, then boom! You don't have to add this one to your list! I've moisturised every day since the age of eighteen and I honestly think that moisturising can really help look after the skin and it helps prevent maskne and breakouts. Moisturising keeps the moisture in your skin which will stop acne, especially around the area where the mask is worn. 


5) APPLY  A  FACE  MASK
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I'm talking the clay or cream kind now. I recently had and still have a newfound love for face masks. They really have helped my skin and have helped the pores on my face. Face masks help get rid of the bacteria and impurities in the pores so these would be beneficial in using them after wearing a cloth face mask all day. 


6) TRY  AND  AVOID  WEARING  MAKEUP  UNDER  YOUR  MASK
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It kind of breaks my heart to write this tip. I love wearing makeup, but unfortunately (I hope you're sat down for this) it doesn't do your skin any favours when wearing a mask. Makeup can clog the skin which means you will need to be mindful of what foundation or BB cream you apply every day. Something lightweight would be far better for your skin when you got the face mask on. I use Bali Body BB cream as it's lightweight and doesn't feel cakey. 



7) INVEST  IN  A  LIP  BALM
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I know this has nothing to do with maskne, but this is something I've noticed from my point. What I'm finding at the moment is that my biggest problem is dry lips when I'm wearing a mask. My lips used to dry out terribly pre-Covid and now we're into the new face mask era, it's gotten worse. If I remove my mask when it's safe for me to do so, I apply my favourite lip salve, Nivea Original Lip Balm as it's never failed me and I trust it to moisturise my lips and keep them hydrated. 


Do you have any tips on how to prevent maskne?
66 comments
  1. Twice daily cleanse is so important even when you take masks out of the equation. A morning skincare routine doesn't need to be complex but a quick cleanse in the morning goes a long way!

    www.themakeupaficionado.com

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    1. Absolutely, since I started cleansing my skin, it's felt so good and refreshed!

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  2. This is a great little guide with some super helpful tips! Choosing the right fabrics is a great point and not one I'd really thought about - thanks for sharing :-)
    Sarah x

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    1. Thank you Sarah! Yeah it's one I've never really considered in the past as I've always aimed to buy the masks which are going to protect me most! x

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  3. Now this is a blog post that I really needed to read!

    Danielle
    https://www.thereluctantblogger.co.uk/

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  4. This post is so helpful, thank you! I have to wear a mask for long shifts at work, and I have terrible maskne as a result so hopefully these tips will help - thanks for sharing! x

    Sophie | www.loveandliterature.co.uk

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    1. I'm happy to hear that you found this post helpful Sophie! I hope these tips are going to help you lovely x

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  5. Great tips, this is such a handy post! I've been on the hunt for a new cleanser so I'm definitely looking out for No7's foaming cleanser, I remember them being a great brand for effective skincare 😍

    Anika | chaptersofmay.com

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    1. Thank you Anika!
      Yes I would highly recommend the No7 foaming cleanser, it's so good at cleansing and purifying the skin! x

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  6. I wrote a post really similar to this recently and it is always being visited - maskne is a reallll problem in 2020, who would have thought!? Great tips in here, I love No7 for anything but defo for preventing maskne!

    Rosie


    loverosiee.co.uk

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    1. I will have to have a look at your Maskne post Rosie!
      I know, who'd have thought maskne would be such a skincare issue in 2020?!
      I love No7 too, it's such a good skincare brand!

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  7. Cleansing is so important and making sure that you wash it after every use!

    Love, Amie ❤
    The Curvaceous Vegan

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    1. Absolutely Amie! It's so important to wash your mask after every use! x

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  8. These are some great tips. I haven't suffered with this yet and I think that's because I've tried to limit the amount of time spent wearing a mask by staying at home.

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  9. My skin has been terrible recently since wearing a mask all the time, at work we have to wear the reusable ones which aren’t bad but I know it’s from wearing makeup under my mask so I need to stop wearing it! X

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    1. I think reusable ones are better to wear as you can wash them daily and they're much more sustainable! I don't wear too much foundation anymore as there's no point when you have to wear a mask! x

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  10. These are such great points, especially the one about choosing the right fabrics. I had a medical thing go wrong a few years ago, now I have mild panic attacks if it feels like my airways are blocked/ restricted so I can only manage a mask for a few minutes before it causes me problems. I try to avoid places that require one as much as possible/ annoy my mum and ask her to go places to get things for me. Escaping the maskne sounds like the only real benefit to this situation x

    Sophie
    www.glowsteady.co.uk

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    1. That's a completely reasonable excuse to not feel comfortable wearing a mask, I'm ok with the mask as I have to wear one often anyway, but like you, I get my Mam to get stuff for me in the shops if I need anything! x

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  11. I have begun cleansing my skin again and it feels soo good! I haven’t experienced any breakouts due to my mask yet, but I have been looking after my skin more! Also I don’t wear foundation any more so that could help too 😊

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    1. I'm glad to hear that your skin has felt good again after cleansing! I tend not to wear foundation much when I have the mask on as there's no point really! x

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  12. Great tips! I'm really slacking with my skincare at the moment. I always get breakouts around my chin area, so maskne is nothing new to me! They really can play havoc with your skin though! x

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    1. Aww that's not good to hear Jenny, I never thought we'd be worrying about maskne in 2020! x

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  13. I'll have to try the No7 cleanser - I have terrible skin at the moment! I've definitely noticed my skin is a lot drier around the mask area of my face so I've been chucking on a lot more moisturiser to help things. I've built up quite a collection of masks now - I never thought I'd utter the phrase "my favourite mask is in the wash" but I did yesterday 😂 thanks for sharing!

    Amy | sassycatlady.com

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    1. It's such a good cleanser Amy, would recommend it to anyone! Moisturiser is such a good way to help get rid of dry skin! OMG that's the new phrase of 2020! x

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  14. Who knew there was a word for what I am struggling with! Great advice here Lucy. It is becoming very frustrating. I am staying at home purely to avoid wearing a mask now.

    The other thing I am struggling with is a horrible gritty feeling in my eye, this is apparently caused by the masks too! I am so over it now x x

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    1. Yep, it's the new word of 2020! Oh I didn't know wearing a mask could cause a gritty feeling in the eyes?! Come to think of it, I have been suffering from that after wearing a mask! You learn something new everyday! x

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  15. Actually, my dry lips have got a whole lot worse since I've been wearing masks. I've stopped wearing lipstick (what's the point when it rubs straight off) but I've been going through lip balm like a dose of salts. Good tips, Lucy, thank you x

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    1. Yeah there's no point wearing your best lipstick when a mask is covering it and like you said, it just rubs off anyway! x

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  16. Cleansing the skin twice a day is a super important tip, I do this religiously to make sure my skin is free of any pollutants! Applying clay masks has really helped keep my chin area clear of spots too!x

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    1. Cleansing does get rid of all those pollutants and bacteria very effectively! I fell in love with clay masks during lockdown and it's nice to know that have a good benefit in terms of getting rid of maskne spots! x

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  17. Oh, this is one of the major downsides to wearing the masks, isn't it? These are great tips, it is so important to cleanse. I like to use a serum with lavender and tea tree in too to help the skin at night, and use an amathyst face roller too to help it absorb in. Also gives a lovely facial massage too!

    Thanks for sharing Lucy!
    Aimsy xoxo
    Aimsy’s Antics

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    1. Ooh I like the sound of that serum that you use Aimsy! xx

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  18. Oh Lucy this was so helpful! Thank you xx

    Lisa | lisaautumn.com

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    1. I'm happy to hear that this post has helped you Lisa! xx

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  19. I've noticed my lips getting so dry to! Thanks for sharing these tips, really useful

    Nicola | nicoladaletraining.com

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  20. I haven't heard of this! I haven't noticed it myself because I mostly stay at home, but it does make sense. Thanks for the tips!

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  21. Honestly, such amazing tips! I try to wash my mask as much as possible and avoid wearing makeup when I know I need to wear one xx

    http://www.dellalovesnutella.co.uk/

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  22. Thanks for sharing, these are great tips for looking after your skin in these though times :)

    Nic | Nic's Adventures & Bakes

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  23. Such a handy post! I've definitely been noticing an increase in mask-ne! I'll try incorporating more face masks into my routine as I don't think I do them often enough!

    Tash // A Girl with a View

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    1. Yeah I never did face masks often until lockdown arrived, they have helped my skin so much!

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  24. I'm going to start being more strict with my skincare because of mask wearing. I get outbreaks as I wear mine for a long time during the day and needed this. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Yeah I think after wearing it for long periods of the day, there is a good chance that maskne could make an appearance, I hope you have found these tips helpful Molly!

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  25. I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one fighting the dry lip response - I thought I was losing my mind! I have always been someone who deals with dry lips, chapstick and lip balm tucked in every pocket, purse, etc. around the house. However, this whole mask situation seems to have made it far worse.

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    1. No you're not the only one Britt! Dry lips has been a nightmare for me too, it's really annoying me now! I always got chapstick or balm on me, I literally apply it as soon as it's safe for me to remove the mask!

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  26. These are some great suggestions. Choosing the right mask is the key to fighting maskne. I avoid lipsticks until I know that I will be taking my mask off for a while. Instead, I focus on my eyes.
    xoxo
    Lovely
    www.mynameislovely.com

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    1. I'm trying to work on my eye makeup also as that's the only part of the face that can be seen nowadays! xx

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  27. Love these skincare tips! I haven't been out enough to wear my mask very much yet but I always get spots around my chin where a mask would sit so this post is so helpful. I need to do more face masks in my skincare routine. It's such a nice treat but also does your skin some good too x

    Lauren | itslaurenvictoria.co.uk

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    1. I'm glad you found this post helpful Lauren! Doing a clay face mask is one of my favourite treats of the week! x

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  28. This was such a helpful post! I never got breakouts until I started wearing a mask. Definitely gonna follow your tips! X

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    1. I'm glad you found this post helpful lovely! x

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  29. Theres a word for it 😂 why am I even surprised theres a word for everything now. I've been lucky not to have problems with spots until I started wearing a mask but now my chin is going through its teenage stage. Some great tips definitely need to apply a clay mask more often. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Yes there's a word for it Janie! There does seem to be a word for everything now! Like you, I never really suffered with acne, since face masks become a necessity to wear, along my jawline it's been terrible!

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  30. I've got maskne so bad so I'm definitely going to use these tips!

    Katy | www.katystephenson.com

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  31. Great post, maskne has become a huge problem for me and the girls at work. I'm having to wash my face and wear a mud mask much more regularly. Great tips here and I love No/7 so I'll keep an eye out for it in Boots! I feel your pain. I've had to stop wearing Make Up too!

    Ffi

    www.mindovermeds.com

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    1. Thank you Ffi, yes No7 skincare has really helped my skin and has helped keep acne away so far!

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  32. These are such great tips! I have definitely been suffering from maskne as well.

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    1. Thank you Charity, maskne seems to be a real problem for people now x

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  33. Hi Lucy, thank you for sharing this article! Interesting read and useful hints. As a beautician, I'm confronted with these maskne breakouts in my daily work. Best, Semra

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    1. Maskne breakouts are a nightmare for some now and it's incredibly hard

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