By Zsarlene B. Chua, Senor Reporter
LAST year, I started wearing face masks. It feels like a lifetime ago today, but I decided to wear face masks because having to deal with pollution during my daily commute was triggering my allergies. But while I did not get allergies as often thanks to the masks, I also had to deal with a downside, acne, because the moist environment inside the mask allows bacteria to grow.
Last year, when wearing face masks was optional and they were used only while using public transport (and if we were sick but still needed to go to work), acne that developed while wearing masks didn’t have a name. Now it does — maskne ( a portmanteau of the words “mask” and “acne”).
So this piece is all about product and routine recommendations for people who are now dealing with maskne coming from a person who had already experienced it before the COVID-19 pandemic came to town. (This writer has been working and staying at home for almost six months now and has not gone outside — so no masks for me.)
The first and probably the most important step in any skincare routine is cleansing. If you’re spending a lot of time outside, it means that you’ve been wearing a mask for the last six months, and the moist environment that is created behind the mask is a breeding ground for bacteria. That’s why it’s important to clean your skin at the end of the day and in the morning before putting the mask on again.
A good cleanser which has been on my rotation since last year is Hada Labo. The Japanese brand launched in the country last year and prides itself on using hyaluronic acid in its formulas. Hyaluronic acid is a molecule that attracts and retains moisture from the air to hydrate the skin, which is important because if the skin is properly hydrated, it means that the skin will function properly: keeping bacteria away.
As a person with dry skin, I have been using the Gokujyun Hydrating Face Wash (P385/100g). I love this facial wash because it doesn’t dry out my skin, but for those with oily to combination skin that needs help with oil control, try out the Hada Labo face wash with Japanese Green Tea extract (P295/100g). This face wash is said to help control and remove excess oil. It also has bentonite clay which absorbs excess dirt, oil, and impurities from pores.
Another recommendation is the Celeteque Acne Solutions Exfoliating Cleansing Stick (P295/30g). It comes in a solid stick form and contains tea tree oil to treat acne. You use it by rotating the dial on the bottom of the product as you would a deodorant stick and apply it in gentle, circular motions on wet skin. The product has physical micro-exfoliants that could make your skin more sensitive if you go rough on it. Also, while the product says that it can be used every day, I advise using it maybe three times a week maximum because you don’t need to scrub your skin clean that often.
Note that if you use makeup throughout the day, you should double-cleanse with a balm or oil cleanser before using a face wash. I like Palmers Facial Cleansing Oil (P550/150ml) because it does remove makeup quickly.
The next step is to tone. Toners prepare the skin so the next products (serum, facial oil, or moisturizer) will be absorbed into the skin better. While I usually require my toners to be hydrating because I have dry skin, when irritation and acne do come, I want a toner that will calm the irritation. This is why I like the Calendula Herbal-Extract Toner from Kiehl’s (P2,425/250ml). It uses calendula flowers (also called marigolds) which is meant to soothe the skin. The brand recommends it for people with normal to oily skin types, but as a person with dry skin, I use this toner whenever I need my skin to calm down for a minute before I put on my favorite toner next. You don’t have to do this if you feel that your toner does enough for you.
Going back to exfoliation which I touched on a bit earlier with Celeteque, people may also need chemical exfoliation (which is a gentler form of exfoliation as it get rids of dead skin cells without rubbing the skin raw) and it doesn’t matter what kind of skin you have — your skin usually needs help getting rid of dead skin cells. I have been loving the Diva White AHA BHA Glass Glow Skin Serum (P199/15ml) because it has niacinamide (it improves skin texture and controls oil production), tea tree, and for acne-prone skin: it has salicylic acid. I have been using it twice a week for months now so a little bottle goes a long way. Another plus: Diva White is a local beauty brand.
After cleansing, toning, and exfoliating (twice or thrice a week, max, for the later), I would recommend you use a serum or moisturizer you know that works for you. Even if you have oily skin, try water gel moisturizers because all skin types need moisture because it helps keep the balance of the skin healthy.
But if you find yourself developing dark spots and blemishes as a consequence of a maskne outbreak, you may need to use a spot corrector to even out skin tone. The AHC Peony Bright Spot Corrector (P1,799/20ml) is a good one. It’s a cream used on dark spots and blemishes that uses pink peony extract and vitamin C derivatives to even out skin tone.
And the most important part of one’s routine is to put on sunscreen in the morning. Vitamin C and chemical exfoliants may make the skin sensitive to sunlight (and it doesn’t care if the skin in question is behind a mask). So please, please, please put on sunscreen everyday.
Times are hard and wearing a mask every day and general stress can wreak havoc on one’s skin, but no matter how busy or how stressed you are, carve a few minutes out of your day to take care of your skin and yourself. It’s important, now more than ever, to focus on what keeps you feeling beautiful and happy.
The products mentioned above are available in Watsons (online and at physical stores), in BeautyMNL, or in their respective official stores on e-commerce websites such as Lazada and Shopee.
