Who knew that at 34 years old the thing that would cause me such stress about my physical appearance is the same thing that bothered me at 14? By now, you’ve probably heard of the term maskne and seen news segments on it, read blog posts about it, or heard your friends complain about it, because it is a REAL THING these days. Like REAL REAL.

When you combine the oils on your face + the summer heat + make up + the hunidity in the mask from breathing, the result is what is now known as maskne. And guys, if you are reading this, you aren’t immune from it.

Because I’ve struggled with this for a few months now, I figured I would share my tips for what I am doing to try to prevent or lessen the effects of maskne.

Here are some tips to prevent maskne. Make sure you scroll to the bottom for an AMAZING giveaway under the last tip!

1. Wash your face every morning and every evening.

What is happening under your mask is creating a breeding ground for bacteria, irritation, and clogged pores. You want to start with a clean fresh face daily and as soon as possible after removing your mask, cleanse your face as thoroughly as possible. Think of it as starting with a clean slate every day, and then wiping away all of the grime and dirt and bacteria of the day in the evening.

2. If you wear your mask for many hours at a time, consider replacing or cleaning it every 4 hours.

If possible, replace your mask every 4 hours. If not, use a spray bottle with rubbing alcohol to spray on the inside of your mask, wipe it down, and let it dry before putting it back on.

3. Keep your skin hydrated.

Moisturizer keeps your skin hydrated and acts like a barrier to friction from your mask. You want to look for fragrance and oil free moisturizers. A favorite ingredient to look for is hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid has many benefits for your skin including promoting healthier, more supple skin. I love the Neutrogena Hydro Boost line and have used the Hydro Boost serum for over a year!

4. Avoid wearing make up on the lower half of your face.

I know, I know. Just recently we were in the doctor’s office for the twins’ 2 year old wellness check up. I took off my mask to grab a breath of fresh air while waiting for the doctor to come in, and was seriously grossed out by the make up and lipstick that was on the inside of my mask. It didn’t help that it was August, 100 degrees, and I was sweating. I’m pretty sure I did some serious damage to my pores that day.

If you will be wearing a mask all day, try skipping the make up on the lower half of your face. Try doing eye make up only. I know that is a hard concept to accept, but if maskne is a serious concern for you, it’s worth a try, right? What’s worse? Your coworkers/friends/family seeing you without make up or with half sweated off make up and maskne?

5. Treat your mask like underwear

Kind of a unique back to school bulletin board, but it gets the point across. All of these are key points to helping prevent maskne. I now have a small collection of masks that I keep in my car for trips to the grocery store, daycare pickup/drop-off, running into restaurants, etc. I have to make a conscious effort to remember to bring them in and wash them after each wearing.

6. BOOK A FACIAL!

This needs to move from “nice to have” bucket to the “must have” bucket in your budget. I am not even kidding. An aesthetician can do things to your face that you absolutely cannot do at home – I’m talking blue light therapy, deep cleaning your pores, dermabrasion, peels, and so much more.

I had my last facial done a few weeks ago and my number one concern was maskne. Ana, from Radiant Skin Studio, suggested we do a blue light facial. The blue light wavelength has an antimicrobial effect, making it effective at killing several types of bacteria that can collect in you pores and oil glands and cause break outs.

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This picture is kind of hard to see what’s going on – but it’s me, laying underneath the blue light therapy 😉

GIVEAWAY

And, the BEST part is, I am so excited to host a giveaway with Ana. One lucky follower will receive a FREE Maskne Facial. Y’all, this is a big deal. The giveaway is happening on Instagram, but I’ll summarize it for you here:

• follow @toasttopostblog
• follow @radiantskinstudio_htx
• tag as many friends as you would like
• 1 entry per comment: more tags = more entries
• Giveaway closes Thursday, September 17
• This giveaway is not sponsored, endorsed, or administered by Instagram. Must be 18 years or older to enter. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win.
• Lastly, this giveaway is for the actual facial itself. There is no cash option. Ana is located in the West Houston area: 12530 Westheimer Ste H (inside UPTOWN SALONS), Houston, TX. It is VERY easy to get to from Katy, Fulshear, Sugarland, El Campo, West Houston, etc.

I also have an Intensive Aftercare peel off mask with electrolytes that I will be randomly sending to one of the participants as well!

Well friends, this has definitely not been my most glamorous topic to chat about, but one that is necessary! There have been studies done to back up the theory that when people are self conscious about the way they look, it has an overall negative affect on their self-esteem and confidence. I don’t know about you, but being a 34 year and worrying about acne is a total BUZZ KILL for me, and I have found these tips to be helpful in finding a solution to lessen this problem.

Cheers – MP