Best Products to Prevent Maskne
This past spring, my skin was FREAKING out - between hormones and my body putting itself back together from the loss of our first baby, to having to now wear a mask everywhere we went - I can truly say that my skin HATED me.
It has been a humbling journey - I know when your skin is not ok how tough it can be and I am so into clean, beautiful skin. That said, I really worked to get my skin back to a better place and have been so diligent about washing my face, my masks and my pillowcases, to ensure the least amount of bacteria comes on it. Oftentimes we forget how easily the excess oil (not the good oil) can add up.
Here are some of the products that have helped combat my hormonal acne / maskne that many of us are experiencing during this time. Would love to hear your favorites and what has worked for you-
XX,
Brittney
You may have seen this mask on every celebrity lately and wondering why it’s so great. The Discover Night Silk Mask is one of the most gentle masks I’ve come across for your skin - you can truly wear it all day long. Helmed from the founder of the notorious black NIGHT pillow, silk has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties that allows your skin to breathe. Since this mask is created from 100% Mulberry Silk, it will prevent you from the usual build up of bacteria found on other masks that clog your pores. Rather than absorbing the excess oils and other bacterias from your skin the way traditional face masks do, the nonabsorbent material of these silk masks will not irritate your skin and will keep your skin hydrated throughout the day. Also, I love that with every purchase of their NIGHT 100% Silk Face Masks, FIVE 3 Ply Disposable Masks will be donated to healthcare workers until they’ve reached their goal of 60K masks donated. Their colors are gorgeous, but I would definitely recommend washing every 3-4 days in your shower or washer to prevent excess oil that makeup leaves on your mask, etc.
Price: $55 for 7
I am a firm believer in the power of cleansing cloths. When I’m taking off my makeup, after using my BioDerma, I run one of these babies over my skin to ensure that everything is truly off my face before cleansing. In addition, sometimes if I’m feeling extra oily, I will wipe one over my face in the afternoon or post workout to hold me over before my full cleansing routine. M-61 offers several different options, but I found that the ingredient of vitamin E in these works to strengthen and restore my skin barrier, while lavender and green tea work to calm and soothe any incoming or current breakouts. These gentle wipes will remove any extra build up of dirt, oil, even makeup, while still hydrating and soothing your skin.
Price: $24
This serum from iS Clinicals is definitely on the more pricier side, but to me is truly the holy grail. This product is an all-in-one bang for your buck. Packed with gentle exfoliants like Glycolic and Lactic Acid, I have 100% noticed a difference in my skin and blemishes after using it. You will feel the tingling effects of it working as soon as you put it on your skin - the ingredients of Arbutin & Mushroom Extract will work to minimize the appearance of uneven skin tone and instantly brighten your complexion. As an added bonus, it has many anti-aging properties, and helps reduce fine lines and wrinkles.
Price: $138
This patch is used directly on a zit or active breakout. Getting a white head from wearing your mask all day? Put this patch on the pimple and watch as the pimple shrinks overnight. The patch is created by the ingredient, hydrocollid, which works to actively absorb pus and fluids from the blemish, resulting in a faster healing process.
Price: 6.99
Another pricier skin splurge, that took me a few days to pull the trigger on, but I SWEAR by mine and have directly seen the results. This is my second Baby Quasar wand (*I also have the Red light) and LED Light Therapy has been clinically proven to reduce blemishes and prevent future breakouts. The blue light specifically works by penetrating wavelengths deep into your pores killing acne-causing bacteria. Not only is this device easy to use, but also painless and gentle on the skin. I use it at night for about 10/12 minutes on my face before I go to bed and it has definitely helped reduce redness and minimize breakouts from even happening!
Price: $229
LEROSETT Organic Clay Acne Spot Treatment & Clearing FaceMask
I came across this mask from The Skinny Confidential and Melissa Wood Health when I was at a really low place. My entire chin and sides of my face were covered in redness and zits. I definitely noticed a difference after applying this as a spot treatment after a few days. It is made up of 100% rasul clay that is filled with high levels of zinc and other minerals that helps reduce oil production and heals the skin. The micronized super fine clay particles go deeper into your pores creating greater results. **It is extremely drying however, so you need to follow up with a good moisturizer- for me, my favorites are Augustinus Bader's The Cream, First Aid Beauty’s Ultra Repair Cream and Tatcha’s Water Cream in the spring.
Price: $26.95
Last piece of advice- Changing Pillow cases!
You have no idea how much bacteria lives on your pillowcase! Between the oils from your hair and excess oils from your face, I am a huge proponent of changing your pillowcase every 3-4 days, especially if you’re a side sleeper and notice more breakouts on particular sides.