I sleep like this, yes like a grease-ball. Hydrate and moisturize are super important steps at night. Now that most of us are still half masked almost every day, taking extra care of our skin is a must.
Thanks to my carefully self-curated fungal acne safe products, I haven’t been dealing with fungal acne ever again (and God forbids). But, new problems arrived: blackheads on nose, maskne and big pores.
Instead of attacking them with more active ingredients, I decided to keep it simple. Cleanse, tone and moisturize, plus sunscreen in the morning. I’m just going to let my skin heal by itself, because I know they can (you just have to trust the power of nature, really!)
If you’ve been following me, I used to apply retinol on the whole face every night. But these days, I only used it on my chin and below the nose where maskne usually appears.
Here are my currently used products, the simpler the better.
Thanks to maskne, wash-off mask is making its’ way back to my regime.
All those heat trapped inside a mask for hours, with all that bacteria, carbon dioxide, sweat and oil. Our skin need all the help, and there’s no better way to tackle this maskne problem than with a clay mask. Clay mask is great to purify and draw out impurities that clogged the pores while help to soothe skin inflammation.
Fortunately, I found this affordable (priced at IDR 40K for 100ml) wash off mask. It’s also easily found at local drugstores where I live.
It comes in a plastic flip-top tube, and since the texture is not that thick, it’s very practical, hygienic and mess-free. And talking about the texture, it contains sort of micro beads (you can feel it more when rinsing). But no worries, it surprisingly easy to rinse off.
Key ingredients are neem and turmeric (and I thought it was colored yellow, but it’s apparently dark green). Originally from India, neem has anti-bacterial and astringent properties to help with acne bacterias. Meanwhile, turmeric (in Indonesia we use this to cook yellow rice) will help to reduce acne due to its’ anti-inflammatory quality.
It’s fungal-acne safe, but it still contains paraben, sulfate and quite a strong fragrance. Personally, I don’t really mind the herbal woody scent that lingered around even after rinsing off. But for those who are sensitive to fragrances, you might not like it.
Because of the clay ingredient, obviously our skin would feel a bit tight while waiting for them to completely dry. It’s also a bit tingling for the first five minutes, but when I rinse it off my skin is not red at all. Like any other wash-off masks, I suggest to leave them on to dry (about 15 minutes), then rinse off with warm water.
I use this twice a week, especially after wearing mask for a long time. I found it (somehow) cooling, refreshing and my skin felt really clean afterward. It didn’t aggravate my existing maskne, or triggered my fungal acne prone skin. I do recommend this if you’re still doing your active lifestyle during this global pandemic, because maskne is seriously no joke, especially for those who are already have acne-prone skin like myself.
Tips: just apply on problematic area (pores and acne), then rinse with warm water. Don’t forget to hydrate your skin after.
PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA & SCREENSHOTS FROM INCIDECODER.COM & COSMILY.COM
Wow, what a cool word invention during this crazy time. Mask + Acne = Maskne. OK, so what can we do about it?
Fortunately, I don’t have this problem myself. I only went out four times since March 2020, just to have meetings for an hour or so. Other than that, I did all my things online. Shop online, groceries online and food delivery online. And I only spent like an hour wearing a mask, so yeah…I don’t have maskne, but I do have regular acne showing up during this pandemic.
But I can imagine those who have to wear mask all day, especially where I live here in Jakarta, Indonesia. The sun is blasting, it’s super hot and humid out there. Mask is not just suffocating us in terms of breathing, but also our skin. It’s like sweat + oil + bacteria trapped for hours on that mask-covered area.
Though I know we can’t get away with it (until God knows when), here are some skincare tips for maskne:
Change your mask whenever it gets moist. Personally, I prefer disposable mask, because cloth ones need to be laundered using hot water to keep it effective (and I don’t have the luxury of washing machine with hot water, so nevermind). So far, I use this KF94 mask that I bought online (not cheap because it’s imported from Korea), but it’s the most fitted and comfortable for me.
Use gentler skincare options. Use gentler cleanser, hydrating (instead of exfoliating) toner and avoid using harsh exfoliants (avoid scrubs, please).
Choose more soothing/calming ingredients and avoid actives if possible. Hyaluronic Acid is my best bet, but some people might love Aloe. Opt for LHA instead of AHA and BHA, it’s a popular alternative with less risk of skin irritation.
Texture-wise, opt for gel than lotion or cream.
Wait for all of your skincare to absorb first before putting on the mask. Do not rush, make sure they dry completely before you cover your skin with mask.
Let your skin breathe while it can at home. Avoid using sheet mask that might irritate them more.
Bid adieu to your favorite foundation. Why bother adding another layer that will suffocate your skin further? Opt for concealer to cover any spots, or use tinted moisturizer instead.
shintarosvita 
You must be logged in to post a comment.