Earlier this week as I was washing my face, I noticed an unwanted visitor. A pimple. Between stress, masks, hormones, and a quarantine diet at this point, a pimple isn’t completely a surprise. 16-year-old me would have probably freaked out with no idea how to “fix” it but over the years I’ve picked up a handful of tips and tricks for treating breakouts and maskne.
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#1
Double Cleanse
I talked a lot about double cleansing in my Face Cleansing Tips post but it’s worth mentioning again. At the end of the day, you should be washing your face twice. The first cleanse will remove makeup, dirt, sweat, and other “gunk” on the top layer of your face, but it’s important to rinse and cleanse one more time to clean out your pores. Most breakouts occur as a result of excess oil and buildup in your pores. So by double cleansing and taking the time to thoroughly clean all layers of your skin, you’re preventing breakouts.
#2
Spot Treat
Despite all the preventative care, some stubborn pimples prevail through. You can always treat these pesky breakouts with on the spot treatment. Benzoyl peroxide and Salicylic acid are probably some of the most popular skincare ingredients for breakouts. I tend to use a cleanser with salicylic acid in it around my monthly breakouts as a form of preventative care. Right now, my favorite on the spot treatment is Clean and Clear Persa-10 gel spot treatment, but I also linked a handful of other favorites below.
#3
Facial Detox Mask
If you’re trying to deep clean your pores, you should try a detox face mask. Detox face masks are perfect for ridding your pores of any bacteria and pimples in the making. Keep in mind with these types of treatments there is usually a purging period. So expect all of those “pimples-in-the-making” to come to the surface. This doesn’t always mean the mask isn’t working, it simply means the mask is doing its job of purging your pores of toxins and bacteria. My favorite mask of all time is the Aztec Clay Mask. According to my mood, I’ll mix it with apple cider vinegar or just water.
#4
Good Face Mask Practice
For the foreseeable future, wearing a mask has officially integrated itself into our daily lives. While wearing a mask helps reduce the spread of germs, many have found masks to be irritating to their skin resulting in “maskne” (acne from wearing masks). One way you can prevent irritation from wearing masks is by practicing good mask hygiene. Clean your hands before and after you apply your mask. Only wear a clean mask and replace your mask every so often if you have to wear a mask for extended periods of time.
#5
Minimize Touching Your Face
Whether you’re wearing a mask or not, touching your face is a big no-no. Our hands tend to carry a lot of germs because we are constantly touching different things throughout the day. When we touch our face we are carrying those germs from our hands directly to our face. At the very least, we’re clogging our pores with additional “gunk”. This additional gunk eventually turns into maskne and breakouts. The simple act of being conscious of not touching your face throughout the day can help reduce breakouts.
Lastly, the key to skincare is patience. Don’t expect a miracle product to give you flawless skin overnight. The fruits of good skincare habits take time to produce. Also, trust your gut. EveryBODY is different. What works for me product-wise, may not work for you. If in the past, you’ve experienced breakouts from products with fragrances in it, avoid it! I’m a huge advocate for paying attention to the ingredients in your cosmetic products. If you’re unaware of what an ingredient is, check out Paula’s Skincare Dictionary!
Hopefully, these tips are helpful so the next time you’re dealing with breakouts and maskne you actually feel confident enough to tackle these unwanted visitors. I’d love to hear in the comments below what is your go-to solution for dealing with breakouts!
XO
Michelle
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