Tips to Prevent Skin Breakouts from Face Mask Wearing

July 1 2020

Our “new normal” right now for opening up businesses is to follow the recommendations by the CDC to wear face masks in public. These recommendations are for your protection and to protect others. Although it’s shown to be effective in stopping the spread of COVID-19, one side effect of regular face mask wearing is skin breakouts. 

At Village Salon, we know and understand skincare, and our experts want to pass along advice on how to keep your skin healthy while wearing your face mask when you are out in public. 

Whether you are an essential worker and wearing your mask every day, or only wear it when you go shopping, to the salon, and to run errands, acne breakouts can happen to everyone. Here’s why:

1. Insufficient air circulation. When half your face is covered with a mask, the skin that is trapped underneath doesn’t get the sufficient air flow that it needs. Between the lack of air and the moisture that gets trapped under your mask from breathing, this creates a warm, moist environment, perfect for bacteria to flourish and cause breakouts. 
2. Friction. The material of your mask will tend to rub against your skin all day, irritating the skin. If your mask fits tightly, this can add to the issue.
3. Skin Irritation. Many homemade masks are made with cotton or other absorbent materials. While this is good to absorb moisture from your skin, it also can cause dryness and irritation on your skin. Washing your mask often with your regular laundry detergent can also cause inflammation or irritate your sensitive skin. Try changing it to a baby detergent for sensitive skin and run the rinse cycle twice. 

Good News! There are some great ways to keep your skin free from breakouts while wearing your face mask.

Select a soft, breathable material. Cotton or a cotton blend can do the best job of absorbing your kin’s moisture. It’s breathable, unlike polyester, and it’s light and cooler on your face versus other fabric such as flannel and synthetic blends. 

Change your laundry detergent. As stated above, you need to take care of your sensitive facial skin more so than pre-COVID 19. Consider a small bottle of baby detergent, sensitive-skin, fragrance-free detergent that doesn’t have harsh detergents that can irritate your face. Also, don’t use fabric softener when washing your mask. 

Be diligent with face care. A daily skin care routine is more important than ever right now. Use cleansers and moisturizers that are specifically formulated for your skin type. Dry, oily, sensitive, or combination skin – it’s important to know the difference and use the appropriate products to help keep the breakouts to a minimum and to keep your skin sufficiently moisturized.  

Forego the makeup. While we may feel uncomfortable leaving the house without makeup, it’s important for the health of your skin to have clean skin under your mask. Makeup can become caky when combined with the moisture under your mask and can clog your pores, leading to more breakouts. 

Prevent ear chafing. If your mask has the elastic that fits over the ears, the area behind your ears can become chaffed with constant use. Consider investing in an extender, a band that wraps around the back of the head, to attach the straps. You can also experiment with attaching the elastic to your glasses, a headband, or decorative hair clips.

Indulge in regular facials. Now is the best time to pamper your skin. With all the uncertainty and stress of the times, you deserve it and your skin with thank you for it! At Village Salon, you can choose from one of our outstanding facials: A Regular Express Facial, our Signature Facial, an Anti-aging Facial, or our full 90-Minute Facial. We offer Dermalogica & FarmHouse Fresh products to keep your skin soft, healthy, and hydrated. Our estheticians will help you determine which is the best option for you and can recommend a personalized home skincare regimen that will keep your skin smooth, supple, and breakouts at bay in between your facial treatments. 

Lip Care. You cannot forget lip care! Your lips will dry out under a mask all day. While in the salon, try our FarmHouse Fresh Lip Polish Exfoliators. They are the best for dry chapped lips and follow up with the Moisturizing Lip Balm. 

Now is the perfect time to take care of your skin and indulge in a professional facial.  Make an appointment today at Village Salon & Spa. Our professional estheticians will get your skin back on track, alleviate your breakouts, and give you a customized skin routine to ensure future breakouts don’t happen. Find us in The Villages of Five Points at 17314 North Village Main Blvd., in Lewes, DE, or call 302-644-4247 to schedule your appointment today. To schedule your appointment right from your mobile device, try our free mobile app, available on iTunes or Google Play.