Skincare during this Season of Mask Wearing

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I live in North Carolina and our Governor has mandated that everyone wear a mask in public. There are a few exceptions to that rule, but generally, most people should be wearing a mask any time they are in a public place or around others.

All this mask-wearing is taking a toll on the skin, so I’m sharing a few skincare face masks in order to prevent “mask acne” or “mask-ne”.

Fresh Umbrian Clay Pore Purifying Mask – This is one of my very favorites for times I need a deep, pore-cleansing experience. I use this much more often in the summer than in the winter.

Charlotte Tilbury Goddess Clay Mask – This is a clay mask I’d use year-round because it isn’t overly drying. Sometimes my skin can feel tight after a clay mask, but that does not happen with this one!

Laneige Mini Pore Waterclay Mask – I love the gel/clay consistency in this mask and imagine it would be nice for dry skin that still needs to be cleaned.

Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask to Clear Pores – This is one of the first clay masks I tried and it worked wonderfully.

More than ever before, though, it’s important to keep your hands off your skin as much as possible. When safe, take the mask off at let your skin “breathe”. Wash the mask regularly and if you’re able to choose a lighter coverage makeup for this time, you may be happier with the longevity and look of your makeup! I’ve decided just to press on with my normal makeup routine, including setting it with Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray, and touching up when necessary.

As far as masks go, I’ve tried a few and have a couple recommendations for you:

My friend Jordan highly recommends this mask if you have acne-prone skin. It’s made with a special fabric that has Silvadur antimicrobial technology to help keep bacteria and other unwanted elements from settling into the mask.

I have a silk face mask from Slip that I wear occasionally, but I’ve found it to just be too thick in the heat of the summer.

Beyond that, I’ve been most pleased with the pleated face masks from Nordstrom. Here is a similar version. They tie around your neck and the ear loops are adjustable. They are the most convenient and comfortable masks I’ve worn yet!

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Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog says · 11.24.20

Thanks for the tips! A month ago, my face broke out for the first time in nearly ten years thanks to constant mask-wearing! It sucks so much, but we gotta make do!

Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com

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Casey says · 11.24.20

Are any of these brands cruelty free? This is a genuine question for me only, definitely not judging or caring if anyone else chooses cruelty free. I am just finding it hard to find a good mask that also doesn’t test on animals and you always have great product recommendations. These sound amazing!

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Kate says · 11.24.20

Hi Casey! I’m not totally sure off the top of my head, but usually the FAQ section of a brand’s webpage has that info!

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Rose says · 11.29.20

Hi Casey 🙂

I know for a fact that Origins and fresh are definitely cruelty-free. Charlotte Tilbury is technically cruelty-free, but available in China which means they can’t really be certified cruelty-free for reasons that are complicated to explain. I’m not familiar with Laneige so can’t comment on that brand unfortunately.

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Alissa says · 11.24.20

Thanks for this post! Do you have any recommendations on facial cleansers and moisturizers that would work well for wearing masks 12hrs at a time? Thank you!

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Meagan says · 11.25.20

Thank you for sharing the antimicrobial masks. I am having such a hard time right now with my skin breaking out. It’s so itchy and every time I put on a mask to go out, I am guaranteed to get painful cystic for days after. I am taking extra good care of my skin by washing it morning and night but it’s drying out my skin so bad and then the adding moisturizer seems to worsen the acne all over. Gah! Bought niacinimide and zinc to try and help too. Excited to get these masks!

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Lisa Hlastala says · 11.25.20

Having trouble getting products through your affiliate links nothing opens. Could be me, but thought it was worth a mention.

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Kate says · 11.26.20

Sorry about that! There was a large outage yesterday and that affected the links. They should be working now!

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Cookie Backer says · 11.28.20

Do you ever recommend affordable products? Not everyone has the money you do.

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Kate says · 11.28.20

I do recommend a variety of products, but when I’m recommending products personally, I’m going to recommend what I have had experience with.

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Kathryn says · 11.30.20

I totally understand. The Fresh clay mask she recommends lasts me a year. If you only use once or twice a week, it easily lasts. So yes it’s $58 but that breaks down to around $1 per week which is even cheaper than the individual sheet masks sold at Walmart and Target. The other thing I like about the Fresh mask is that you can buy the smaller size first to see if you like it. I’ve always found that is the best way to buy new beauty products before making a big investment.

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Claudia Pierce says · 11.29.20

I work in a hospital and have to wear either a surgical mask or N95 mask all shift. After months of fighting mask acne I finally found a routine that works for me.
Regular daily cleanse and moisturizer routine
Clay mask 1-2 times a week
No makeup (absolutely none!) under the mask
Light layer of benzoyl peroxide gel/cream to acne prone areas (my chin is the worst for me) just before I leave the house.

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