I’ll never forget what it was like when we all started wearing masks. It was strange at first, everywhere you went people had on masks, and it definitely took some adjusting to wearing it all the time. Fast forward to a year later and wearing a mask is almost second nature.

Over the last year I’ve not only become very familiar with my mask, and grown quite the collection of them, I’ve also started to deal with a new skin issue I never had before – “maskne”. You know, those cute little pimples that creep up around your nose and mouth. At first they threw me off, and I made my skin go a little crazy with acne cleansers. But, I’ve since adjusted and come up with a routine that keeps my skin clear!

Four Steps to Clearing Maskne

1. Keep It Clean

First, keep you mask clean! I wear a mask for several hours while I’m at work, so I’ve built up a collection of them so I can have a clean one each time without needing to wash them daily. There’s really many reasons why you should have a clean mask, but the amount of makeup and oil that builds up on mine after wearing it for a day is the only reason I need. My favorite masks are nice and light and don’t create to much of a sweaty situation after wearing them for a few hours.

2. Cleanse Gently

Keeping your face clean is just as important as keeping your mask clean, but you have to choose the right cleanser. I’ve written a couple posts about the struggle of using too harsh of a cleanser to clean your face. If your cleanser dries out your skin, it will actually become even more acne and oil prone. So use a gentle cleanser twice a day. My all-time favorite cleanser is Skin Resource.MD Gentle Cleanser. It’s truly gentle and soothing, but still powerful. It’s all I need to remove all of my makeup, even stubborn mascara.

Skin Resource.MD Maskne Kit

You can buy the cleanser on its own, but Skin Resource.MD makes a kit specifically for treating maskne that includes the gentle cleanser, oil-free moisturizer, and antioxidant facial serum. Their dermatologists picked these three products to create an efficient and effective skincare routine for treating maskne. The cleanser is gentle, the moisturizer is oil free when you don’t need any extra oil getting trapped under your mask – and the serum is great for diminishing fine lines and any leftover marks from blemishes. I use all three products daily in addition to a few others I’ll mention next.

3. Exfoliate

Masks trap dead skin cells on your face, leading to bacteria build up and the inevitable maskne. I exfoliate a couple times a week during the cooler months, but will exfoliate more when it’s warmer out. My skin is really dry in the winter and too much exfoliating can irritate it. My favorite two to use are Crystal Clarity and AHA Skin Renewal Serum. I don’t use them on the same day, but one day I may use Crystal Clarity in the shower, and another day I’ll use Skin Renewal Serum before I put on my creams and serums at night. Both exfoliate, which is great for clearing up maskne, but the AHA Skin Renewal Serum also has antioxidants and is great for anti-aging.

4. Spot Treatments

Whenever I run into a really stubborn blemish I pull out the BHA Treatment Gel. BHA Treatment Gel also exfoliates, but in addition to exfoliating, it includes a plethora of powerful ingredients for cleansing and reducing inflammation and scaring. 

It’s been a few months now that I’ve been able to keep my maskne under control and I’m hoping that this routine will keep it away, even as it get’s warmer and a little hotter under that mask! If you’re struggling with maskne, I hope this helps you too.

-Brooke