MASKNE: PREVENTION & TREATMENT!

Good afternoon Queens, it’s HOT OUTSIDE! Like dang! We couldn’t even enjoy some 70 degree weather before this SUMMER attacked!? The Earth must be real mad at us humans for ignoring climate change for so long AND taking away so much of her beauty to develop properties AND depleting her natural resources at an alarming rate… you know what? We’re on Earth’s side now, we deserve this. ANYWAY. Let’s get right down to it. Let’s get rid of this Mascne!!! Do y’all like MasKne or MasCne? We can either spell Mask correctly or we can spell Acne correctly– there is no in between. We’re gonna use MasKne because it seems like it’s easier to sound out. Lol.

ANYWAY!!!! Sorry. Went on a couple tangents. We’re back. Maskne. Do y’all have experience with it!? We’re thankful for the mask and the protection it gives, but wearing it every single day can DEFINITELY take a toll on your skin. That’s because of a lotta things: moisture, humidity, detergents, mouth and nose bacteria, friction, etc.. Wearing a mask all day traps everything in– whatever bacteria is comin’ out of your nose and mouth is stickin’ around to chill. On top of everything being trapped in there, friction between your skin and mask irritates skin and allows for bacteria to get in. SO, we have extra bacteria around, we have nowhere for it to go, we have humidity and moisture allowing that bacteria to fester, and we have friction and irritation. This sounds like a perfect storm for some clogged pores!! Delish, right?? We know it’s obviously not delish. The good news is, we have some great preventative measures you can take, as well as a few ways to treat your Maskne, so stay tuned babes.

Let’s talk Masks. As per usual, the most wasteful option is the most sanitary. If all things were perfect in this world, we’d have recyclable masks that we could simply toss out every hour or so– bacteria and all. BUT, disposable masks are not recyclable, and we do NOT want to make our Mother Earth any angrier, so we gotta figure something else out. Changing your mask out for a clean mask is one of the biggest ways to reduce the risk of Maskne, and you wanna do it as often as possible. For most people, this is everyday, but if your skin is really going through it, bring extra masks with you wherever you go and swap them out every few hours. We know that seems like a lot, and you have to either: 1) Have, like, 20 cloth masks, OR 2) Wash your masks every night. It’s extra upkeep, but if that’s what your skin needs, changing your mask HIGHLY reduces the chance of that bacteria getting to fester all day long.

When cleaning your masks, the most important thing to remember is to use a mild detergent– ideally with no scent! DO NOT use bleach or ammonia– according to the CDC these could contain skin irritants. DO NOT use fabric softener!!! Fabric softeners leave behind a chemical residue that can irritate your skin. A gentle, fragrance-free detergent will work just fine, and it won’t leave behind anything that could be working against your skin. Obviously if you use disposable masks this will not be a thing for you, but cotton masks are more breathable and better for the skin, so we’d suggest investing in one (or 20, lol).

Now, if you already have the Maskne congestions, you definitely want to develop the habit of cleaning your masks/switching them out, but there’s more! Another way to reduce the clogging of pores is in that area is to wear less makeup under your mask– or none at all, since no one can see it anyway! Makeup can add extra oils to the mix and block your pores, making it easier for dirt to get trapped in there. If you absolutely need to wear it, we suggest investing in a lightweight or oil-free product. It’s about to be summertime anyway, let that skin see the light of day! But pls wear sunscreen? 🙂 Thank youuuuuuuuu!

Another way to reduce the level of bacteria in the mask area, believe it or not, is to keep your mouth clean & healthy. Yes, brushing, flossing, and mouth-washing CAN help reduce Maskne! Remember that mouth bacteria we mentioned earlier? It gets trapped in your mask, along with whatever bacteria is present in foods & drinks that you consume, and we hate to be the bearers of bad news, Queens, but your mouth? It’s the dirtiest part of your body. Even up against your anus!!!!! And we trap ALLLLLL that bacteria inside our masks. So with the high levels of humidity and moisture in there, it’s pretty much a bacteria breeding ground. Keeping your mouth clean–believe it or not–is a factor when it comes to Maskne, so get that travel size toothbrush and mouthwash and keep it with ya!!

Perhaps the most obvious statement of this blog post: You gotta wash your face. Morning and night. Every. Dang. Day. You know what? Morning, afternoon, and night. We’re adding an afternoon/early evening wash because it actually helps to wash your face as soon as you get home– especially if you wear makeup. Wash the world away!! But don’t use anything harsh to cleanse your face; we prefer to perform a double cleanse with gentler products rather than a single cleanse with a super harsh product. We teach Dermalogica’s Double Cleanse method at Queen Beauty Institute, and that process works really well to deeply cleanse without irritation! Another addition you can make to your routine is a chemical exfoliant. Exfoliation is necessary for clean skin– we suggest starting with once a week. Rather than using intense friction to exfoliate, you can apply the chemical exfoliant and forget about it, and it’ll just do what it do!

In conjunction with all this stuff going on INSIDE the mask, we know y’all have things going on OUTSIDE the mask that could be factors in your Maskne situation as well. A.K.A. Stress!!!! Life is freakin’ HARD! We know some weeks might breeze on by, and others may feel like a steeeeeeeeep uphill climb. There’s nothing WE can do to reduce your stress levels. We’re not even gonna tell YOU to “reduce your stress,” cause sometimes that’s kind of impossible. What we will tell you, Queens, is if you can find an activity, song, food, or thought that soothes you, USE IT. We’re not gonna act like five minutes of meditation or reading or whatever is going to get rid of your stress, but once you begin dedicating that time to soothing yourself, you’ll slowly begin to unwind from the tight coil that stress locks you in. You will find a stress-free moment soon, Queens. We promise.

We’ve said all we can say. Well, about the Maskne topic at least! One final thing to remember: Please do not judge yourself OR your skin. Acne happens! ESPECIALLY within the confines of our little bacteria breeders A.K.A. our masks, there’s BOUND to be some clogged pores. So take it with a grain of salt, Queens. If we here at QBI find out that y’all are being mean to yourselves… it is NOT gonna be pretty! Nowhere NEAR as pretty as you 🙂

We love you, we support you, and we are rooting for you. Keep on keepin’ on! And hey, if you’re fully vaccinated, call Queen Beauty Institute to schedule a relaxing facial! Our students will take care of your skin AND your stress.

Toodles, loves! <3