Summer is officially here, and unfortunately, most of us will spend a decent amount of time wearing a face mask in public places due to the on-going virus. With the heat and moisture locking under those masks, we are destined to have breakouts in that area.
I’ve already experienced this first hand. I took Benji (my puppy) to puppy school on the hottest day of the week and had to walk him all over this stuffy warehouse while wearing my mask. Within hours I had 4 new pimples where my mask sat on my face.
I’ve never thought about how I could prevent these types of breakouts (why would I before this?), but in the light of how our summers will play out, I think it would be useful to all of us if I tried to figure out a formula. Of course, my formula includes the skincare products I already have been using for a while, just using them in a certain way to target mask breakouts. All of the products I use are organic, vegan, and cruelty free.
So let’s see the lineup.
PRE-MASK
First and foremost, you should be washing your face before putting your mask on. If you have dirty, oily skin before you even put the mask on, imagine how much worse the mask will make it. I’m talking breakout central here. I usually rotate my cleansers, but I’ve been using Derma E’s purifying gel cleanser the last couple months. When I’m in New York I buy my skincare at Whole Foods, but I found this cleanser at Safeway while staying with my parents.
If you dread washing your face the old-fashioned way, or don’t have the time to, I also love using Cocokind’s facial cleansing oil. It’s so simple to use, and doesn’t even need water! You just apply 1-2 pumps onto your face, then use a damp cloth (I spray rosewater or cucumber water onto a reusable cotton pad) to wipe the oil and dirt off. It’s amazing to see how much dirt comes off with this product.
POST-MASK
Let’s say you just got back from the grocery store or you just got your hair done (praise Jesus that salons are opening back up) and your face is feeling oily and sweaty from wearing your mask. The first thing you should do is apply some of Cocokind’s raspberry vinegar toner. This helps balance the pH levels on your skin, helping to stabilize after the trauma your mask (and the crowded grocery store) caused on your skin. I apply 3 spritz to a cotton pad and dab the mask area.
After toning, go ahead and apply the turmeric tonic, which helps prevent or heal any breakouts that are scheming to come out. This product is honestly a life-saver. It has rescued me from countless breakouts.
Finish the lineup with Cocokind’s texture smoothing cream. This great, light-weight moisturizer helps reduce redness while hydrating the skin. After using the toner and spot treatment, this is a great product for restoring rich moisture and preventing the skin from drying out.
There you have it folks!! This is the lineup I’ll be using this summer to help prevent mask breakouts. I linked all the products I chatted about in the text above (click the underlined product to see where you can purchase). I tried to link most of them from Amazon since that is convenient for most people, but you can also get them straight from the brand or at other retailers! I hope this was helpful to anyone else who is experiencing mask breakouts–you are not alone! Definitely reach out if you have any other tried and true skincare that has worked for you!
Xoxo
Zany Lady 