If you are noticing an increase in your acne breakouts or if you are experiencing acne for the first time in your life, then you are not alone!

Whether you are wearing your face mask for a full 8-hour workday or to run random errands for a few minutes at a time, there has been an increase in acne since we have all started wearing masks.

In fact, there is a name for it; “maskne”!

Okay great, so it maybe makes a little more sense why your breakouts are happening, but you just want to know what the heck you can do about it. We get it!

Today, we're sharing a few simple tips to help you manage your maskne so you can wave goodbye to those pesky pimples once and for all. 

Avoid sweating with your mask on

Certain bacteria and yeast that feeds blemishes tend to increase in humid weather. And wearing a mask only further accelerates this. Even in dry climates, breathing with your mask on creates a more "humid" environment under the mask. That can create excess sweat that stays trapped on on the skin and clogs the pores. 

This can be especially difficult if you exercise at a public gym or fitness facility that requires wearing masks or if you're engaging in other activities that cause you to sweat while wearing a mask. 

Where it's possible, try exercising at home or outside. That way you can avoid wearing a mask entirely. 

If you end up getting too sweaty in your mask anyway, following the other steps below will help to minimize further breakouts!

Avoid makeup and heavy products if you can

It's no secret that certain makeup can block your pores. Especially heavy-coverage long-wear foundations and compacts. 

On days off, if you are just running short errands or going to the gym, you may want to avoid heavy makeup and stick to lighter bb creams instead. 

Be sure the products you apply are not going to clog up your pores because this pore-clogging action will only be further intensified when you put a mask on top of it. 

When in doubt, avoid using anything on your skin that contains ingredients from this list. 

Wash cloth masks daily

If you are wearing a cloth mask it needs to be washed once a day, period. Cloth picks up bacteria quickly, which you will then be putting back on your face the very next day. If daily washing isn't an option, the next best thing is to wash them as frequently as possible. 

If it fits your budget, you may prefer surgical masks, simply because many are antibacterial, which alone is better for your skin. They are lighter, allow your skin to breathe more, and they get switched out frequently. 

Cleanse daily 

Cleansing your skin is more important now than ever. 

You want to be sure you are getting rid of excess oil and grime that may have built up under your mask leading to those big painful bumps on your chin, neck and cheeks. 

Our scrubs are the perfect cleanser. They're formulated with clean, non-toxic ingredients that provide a deep-down clean. You can also use them to exfoliate once per week which removes dead skin that may clog up the pores. 

Bonus Tip: Use a Serum/Oil to Relieve Mask Irritation

A few months into the pandemic, we were happy to receive this message from one of our customers who is a nurse. 

I just wanted to send you a message and thank you. I’m a nurses and since the Covid pandemic started we have been told that we have to wear Surgical face mask whenever in the hospital and N95 when working with covid patients. By the end of my 12 hour shift my face hurts and feels so dry. There are always deep intend from the mask. The only thing that feels my skin feel better is applying your serum. I honestly don’t know what I would do without it and how my skin would be doing. So thank you for making such a great product!!

While it can be very frustrating dealing with acne that you know could easily be avoided by not wearing a mask, we hope these tips will help you to get your maskne under control!