Got maskne? Tips for fighting mask-induced breakouts

A lot of routines have been disrupted since the rise of COVID-19, and a lot of little things fell by the wayside. With the advent of masks as a part of everyday life, it’s likely skincare is one of those things. Unfortunately, masks can make acne go crazy.

To rescue your cheeks from blackheads and blemishes, we talked to Diana Wang, the owner of local clean skincare company Fine Feather. She generously shared a few tips on combating mask-induced breakouts.

“I’ve had so many customers come in asking for help with their maskne,” Wang said.

She said most people’s first instinct when they break out is to stop using any skincare products during the day, but this might not be the best move. She insisted that moisturizing is essential when a mask is rubbing against your face all day, causing friction and damage to your skin.

In addition to moisturizer, she recommends a treatment serum.

“I think that it’s important to walk the line between not using too many products during the day, but using something,” said Wang.

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While products aren’t inherently a no-go, there are limits. Wang said it’s important to avoid heavy moisturizers and especially makeup.

Another maskne-fighting move Wang recommends is misting your face before and after masking up with a special formula that she said is easy to make at home and costs under a dollar.

Boil two green tea bags, and then add a teaspoon of witch hazel and two drops of tea tree oil to your extra-strength tea. Pour the solution into a spray bottle and store it in the fridge, and you have a mist ready to apply whenever. The spray is an antiseptic, antifungal, and antibacterial solution, which is essential when you’re breathing inside a mask all day.

“There is sweat and there’s just, like, condensation, sebum, bacteria. It’s all just trapped in there,” Wang said.

Wang’s final tip is to do any treatments at night, going easy on product during the day when your mask is on. Nighttime is when the skin is in rest, digest, and repair mode.

You can read more about Wang’s business, Fine Feather, in this story from our December 2019 issue. Wang also provided some general fall skincare tips here.

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