Susie Ma’s top five ‘maskne’ treatment tips

You’re walking rhythmically under the basking sun, the nostalgic grip of your favourite summer anthem wrapping tightly around you like a good hug. The rush of faces floating past you all bear bright, sparkly grins, and you’re almost too swept up in the moment to remember your newly necessary shopping companion - your face mask. 

Due to their effective reduction of the transmission of air-borne particles, natural face masks are now an essential accessory for a day spent in public spaces. With coverings set to be mandatory in shops in England from 24th July - and hefty £100 fines for those who don’t comply - learning how to wear one without damaging your skin health is crucial.

What is ‘maskne’?

Wearing face coverings in hot weather and warm environments - such as shops or public transport - can lead to issues with the skin underneath and often cause unwanted breakouts. But why?

The reason for an increase in blemishes or redness is because under a face mask the skin encounters higher levels of humidity than usual, due to an excess of trapped exhaled air. This changes the skin’s microclimate and upsets the skin’s natural microflora, so the pH balance of the skin can change significantly. Due to high moisture under the mask area, skin perspires less, gets clogged easily, and the growth of acne-causing bacteria leads to breakouts. 

How can we prevent it?

Our own Tropic CEO and founder, Susie Ma, experienced the complexion cons of wearing her face mask while out and about in town this week, so was keen to share her five-point plan for maintaining your best skin while adhering to health and safety guidelines.

Quote from Susie: “I am definitely experiencing ‘maskne’ after just one day out and about in the heat so wanted to suggest a quick plan of action to help avoid blemishes and keep skin glowing and healthy!”

Before you head out:     

 

1. Go double on the cleanse 

 
Ensure you start with as clean a face as possible by supercharging your cleansing routine. For us, Smoothing Cleanser followed by Clear Skies is the perfect dynamic duo. While Smoothing Cleanser gently melts away your makeup, Clear Skies effortlessly removes any unwanted clouds of excess oil. In fact, according to recent clinical trials, Clear Skies reduces excess sebum on the skin by 81% after one use. 

Feeding your skin’s natural eco flora is imperative to banishing blemishes. Pure Lagoon Blemish Prevention Serum is our favourite antidote to a day of masked missions - the efficacy of the formulation is like no other! When we asked our customers to tell us what they thought, 73% of them told us that Pure Lagoon minimised the amount of new blemishes that formed in previous problem areas. Even your face covering won’t hide your astonishment at the results that this little blue bottle can bring!

You still need to hydrate with an oil or moisturiser but you don’t need to overload on ‘under mask’ areas. Super Greens Nutrient Boost Oil is a fast-absorbing, nutrient-rich oil which will work day and night to keep skin nourished. Our Antioxidant rich Skin Feast Nourishing Cream Concentrate also helps to keep skin healthy with a boost of powerful antioxidants and actives. It provides just the right amount of hydration to keep skin balanced.

 

 When you get home:

 

1. Clean away the day 

As soon as you get home after a prolonged mask-wearing period, double cleanse again with Smoothing Cleanser and Clear Skies to remove any impurities and keep skin feeling as fresh as possible.

 

 

2. Masking nicely

Remedying mask damage with more masks may seem counter-intuitive, but trust us, it works. Our New Horizons Blemish-Clearing Mask with salicylic acid and ginger extract kills blemish causing bacteria and keeps breakouts at bay. Put this on problem areas once or twice a week for gleaming, balanced skin.

  

So next time you’re stepping out of the house armed with your protective facial gear, you can rest easy in the knowledge that your skincare routine will remedy any unwanted blemishes that come out to play. As we adjust to the stresses of this unexpected ‘new normal’, it’s more important than ever to take care of each and every crevice of your complexion.