5 Beauty mistakes you may be making while wearing a face mask
Here’s why you could be getting maskne and how to prevent it.
Now that the New Normal is underway and face masks are more of a necessity than an accessory, you may notice that your skin isn’t taking it easily with unpredictable breakouts around your jawline. Don’t compromise on your skin health by committing these beauty mistakes while wearing a face mask—ahead, five possible reasons why your skin is acting up and what you can do to prevent maskne:
Mistake 1: You’re not cleaning the mask (the right way)
If you thought cleaning your fabric face mask is as simple as tossing it into the machine, or worse, spritzing it with sanitiser or a disinfectant, here’s where you may be wrong. The former is a perfectly viable solution to clean your mask—if you’re using the right detergent that is. Go for fragrance-free detergent and air dry your mask under the sun to thoroughly clean it. Disinfectants aren’t going to remove the virus particles properly, and some chemicals may cause a skin reaction as well.
Mistake 2: You’re storing it incorrectly
Got a habit of pulling your face mask down to your chin or placing it on the table when you’re eating out? Either way, your mask is going to get easily contaminated, be it collecting germs around your neck or from whatever surface you’re laying it on (you really don’t wanna know what’s on it). Put your face mask in a clean, dry paper bag (or our very own F3 Malaysia mask holder!) in between meals—avoid using plastic bags as it may induce the growth of germs.
Mistake 3: You’re wearing layers of makeup underneath your mask
Your skin is not going to have a good day if you have foundation, powder, setting spray (and more) all over your jawline, coupled with a day’s worth of sweat and sebum. To err on the side of caution, keep your complexion makeup free for as long as you can. Another not-so-fun fact: a surgical mask may be rendered ineffective if it’s stained with foundation. That said, you don’t have to put all your makeup away—play up your eyes to let them stand out as you don a face mask.
Mistake 4: You’re not not cleansing properly
If you’re still breaking out despite all that you’re doing, zero in on your skincare routine and don’t forget to double cleanse. Not wearing makeup beneath your mask doesn’t mean that you can skip on double cleansing—sunscreen can only be effectively removed with the help of an oil-based cleanser or makeup remover. Also, you’ll want to remove all the build-up of makeup and grime from your skin at the end of the day to ensure it doesn’t clog your pores.
Mistake 5: You’re not protecting your skin barrier
A healthy skin barrier is extremely important to ensure your skin isn’t easily irritated and reactive to environmental aggressors. If you’ve noticed that your skin tends to get dehydrated, red, tight yet oily on certain areas, ramp up on your skin barrier with these active ingredients, including niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, glycerine, ceramides, Centella Asiatica, and calendula extracts. You may be inclined to wash your face more frequently when your skin is feeling greasy, but do not do so as this will strip your skin’s natural oils—twice a day should suffice.
Lastly, a weekly skin pampering session is always useful to properly hydrate your skin, whether it’s in the form of sheet masks, overnight treatments or facials.
Receive a complimentary F3 Malaysia face mask holder with nett spend of RM250 in a single receipt. While stocks last.