How To Treat Mask Acne, Aka, Maskne.

Maskne [mask-nee] (noun)

• Acne and blemishes caused by wearing a face mask.

If I had looked into a crystal ball late last year, I would never have guessed that maskne was in my skin’s future. No one saw it coming. As it turns out, sweaty, steamy breath paired with dirty, bacteria-filled masks is the perfect combo for acne and pimple break outs. 2020 just keeps coming at us, and our clear complexions. We really must give a huge shoutout to the incredible front-line and healthcare workers who wear masks all day long. It’s tough.

The question is, how are we going to deal with it if wearing masks is the new normal? We’re going to kick bacteria’s butt, that’s how we’re going to deal with it. Using our Gly C Refine Range of products that are packed with heavy-hitting Glycolic Acid for supremely clean, fresh and smooth-looking skin. Glycolic Acid (better known as Alpha Hydroxy Acid or AHA) isn’t as scary as it sounds, not even in the slightest — it’s one of the best secrets to smoothing out bumpy, breakout-prone skin.

THE 6-STEP RITUAL

Step. 1: Gentle Facial Cream Cleanser with Glycolic Acid

A critical step when treating maskne is making sure you wash away all that dirt, dead skin cells and bacteria that has built up under that mask area. For sensitive skin types, this creamy cleanser is comforting and won’t strip the skin of its natural, protective oils. We recommend cleansing both morning and most importantly, at night once you’ve finished wearing the mask for the day.

Step 2: Facial Toning Mist – 8% Glycolic Acid

There’s a whole new climate on your skin’s surface with all that constant (and necessary) mask wearing and our skin experts suggest using this oil-free toner to balance the skin surface’s pH level after cleansing. Symptoms of skin that isn’t in balance are dullness, irritation and redness — the last thing we want when we’re already dealing with maskne.

Step 3: Micro Dermabrasion Facial Exfoliating Scrub

Exfoliating is vital to not only buff away dead skin cells to help skin look and feel smoother, but it also means that your moisturisers and other products are able to penetrate and work more effectively. Its key ingredients are Glycolic Acid coupled with radiance-boosting Vitamin C. Fun fact: this product uses the same particle as a professional Micro Dermabrasion machine.

Step 4: Vitamin C Potent Antioxidant Oil

The newest member of our range, this Vitamin C spiked oil helps to restore radiance and it feels so luxuriously soothing on inflamed, angry skin. Added Hyaluronic Acid and Vitamin E work together for a hit of hydration, delivering noticeably healthier-looking skin.

Step 5:  Stage 1 Gentle Moisture Cream 5% 

Next up, layer on a calming moisturiser that’s filled with skin-loving antioxidants. We call this one the do-it-all cream because it’s formulated with 5% AHA, BHA & PHA Complex, plus Vitamin C and it’s enhanced with Niacinamide, which all work to help refine texture, diminish the look of pigmentation, and deeply nourish skin.

Step 6: All-Purpose Hand Santiser Spray

An insider tip to prevent future maskne flare-ups is to use our Fast-Acting Sanitiser Spray to kill the acne-causing bacteria building up in your mask. Simply douse your mask in the spray then allow to dry out overnight for use the following day. Smart.