When we all head back into the world again on ‘freedom day’ (whenever that is!) the current guidelines are that we will still need to wear masks in enclosed spaces. In fact, it’s likely that we’ll be wearing masks on public transport and indoors for many months to come, so I think it’s important to consider our post-lockdown skincare.
Choosing the right kind of face coverings and updating our cleansing routine can help to prevent outbreaks of the dreaded ‘maskne’ – the blemishes often caused by regular mask wearing – and we all need to stay vigilant about sanitising our hands. After all, anything on your hands can easily be transferred on your face, not just the virus. Grime, germs, bacteria, yeast – it can all cause flare ups on your skin.
Here’s how to take care of your skin this summer with some natural and super-clean skincare solutions…
ANTIMICROBIAL MASKS
Let’s start with the mask itself. If you’re going to be wearing a mask regularly it might as well be a good quality one that can be washed and reused multiple times. Washing your masks will help to keep them clean – the first step in preventing ‘maskne’ – and it’s now possible to get masks that contain silver, which is antimicrobial and antiviral. The Silver Life silver face covering meets the World Health Organisation’s recommendations for mask use during the pandemic and it uses silver-based 3D knitted technology, minimising the build-up of bacteria that causes skin blemishes on the face. Plus, it’s so much better for the environment to have a reusable, washable mask rather than using multiple disposable ones.
ANTI-BLEMISH TREATMENTS
To help prevent ‘maskne’ from appearing on your face, it’s essential to keep the skin clean and moisturised. Use a natural cleanser and a vitamin-rich antioxidant face cream such as the Vitali-Chi cream, which is paraben-free, vegan friendly and contains aloe vera, which is great for healing the skin. Regular cleansing and moisturising will not only help prevent pimples from occurring in the future, but it’ll also help to clear up any existing blemishes. If spots have appeared, you can treat them with a Witch Hazel solution, and apply the anti-blemish skin treatment to the affected area using cotton wool. This should help to clear up breakouts and then you can keep on top of your skin by daily cleansing, not touching your face and wearing an antimicrobial mask.
SOOTHING SKIN CARE
Keeping your hands clean is essential for preventing breakouts on the face at all times. If you’re touching your face with dirty hands, you’re going to transfer bacterial onto your face and possibly cause an infection. So, stay vigilant with your hand-washing routine to make sure that your hands are super-clean at all times. All this hand-washing has been a struggle for me; not because I don’t want to do it, but because I find that most soaps cause my hands to dry out and the skin to become sore. And then you don’t really feel like washing you’re hands as much, do you? The solution is to opt for soothing hand and body wash that is suitable for sensitive and distressed skin, then use hand cream to keep the skin supple.
GENTLE SANITISING
Are you sick of sticky palms for ages after applying hand sanitiser? It’s essential for killing the virus and also for preventing pimple-causing bacteria from transferring onto your face, so it’s time to find a sanitising gel that you’re happy with. Ocean Free is a medical-grade sanitiser that kills 99.999% of bacteria but it’s also super-moisturising, leaving hands feeling soft and refreshed after use. It’s fungicidal and yeasticidal too, so even better at preventing breakouts on your skin. Unlike other brands, this comes in a variety of fragrances and even a kiddie’s version so it feels much more luxurious than most sanitising gels. I’ve taken to using it while I’m at my computer to prevent any muck from my keyboard (we all know how gross they are!) from transferring onto my face and causing pimples.
Taking care of your skin by keeping your face and hands as clean as possible will help to keep ‘maskne’ at bay in our post-lockdown world. What else would you suggest for staying blemish-free this summer? Please leave me a comment below and let me know your tips. Thanks!
PIN IT FOR LATER
Some items in this blog post have been gifted to me and the pink links indicate a gifted product, affiliate link or information source. All thoughts and opinions in this post are based on my own experience and I am not responsible for your experience 🙂
