Every Batch Made From Scratch.™
"I love, love this lotion!
Use it on my face every day and at 65 years old it’s hard to find a lotion that hydrates the skin all day. This one does." -- Audrey A.
Wearing a mask can be hard on your skin but gentle skin care can prevent it from causing skin problems.
We never dreamed that one day we’d all be told to wear masks daily to try and prevent the spread of a virus.
Some people hate them. Nobody loves them. Most people simply tolerate them. The one thing we can probably all agree on is that masks can also be hard on your skin, causing problems that range from acne and peeling skin to rashes and itchiness.
To help prevent skin problems from developing under your mask, here are nine tips you can use to help reduce the incidents of skin irritation or help repair irritation if it happens.
You can see the blog post here.
1. Cleanse and moisturize your face daily.
Gentle skin care can prevent skin problems. When washing your face, use a mild, fragrance-free cleanser. Dry skin is a common face-mask skin problem. Applying moisturizer adds a protective layer that can reduce dryness.
2. Apply moisturizer
After step one above, you want to apply moisturizer immediately afterwards. The problem is choosing the best one that will add to or preserve your skin’s natural moisture without adding skin-drying chemicals.
We recommend My Skin’s Friend or similar products that are organic and contain no alcohols or other chemicals.
My Skin's Friend Sweet Potato, Honey Aloe and Melon Fresh are all excellent ways to inexpensively keep your skin moisturized organically.
You can prevent breakouts from your moisturizer by using a moisturizer formulated for your skin type. When selecting moisturizer, follow this guide:
Any of My Skin's Friend lotions mentioned are made for all skin types. Apply moisturizer before and after wearing a mask. Moisturizer can prevent problems, especially if you have dry or sensitive skin.
3. Protect your lips by applying an organic lib balm.
Dry skin and chapped lips are common face-mask skin problems. You can prevent chapped lips by applying the balm to your lips. Some health professionals recommend using petroleum jelly. Personally, I've never liked the idea of using that since it is derived from pertroleum. I prefer something natural and organic if possible. I like Burt's.
Apply the balm to your lips:
To prevent breakouts, take care to apply the balm only to your lips. The menthol in some can actually irritate your skin if you apply it to areas other than your lips.
4. Skip the makeup when wearing a mask.
Beneath a mask, makeup is more likely to clog your pores and lead to breakouts. If makeup is necessary, use only products labeled “non-comedogenic” or “oil free.” These kinds are less likely to clog pores.
5. Avoid trying new skin care products that can irritate your skin.
Wearing a mask for even a short time can make your skin more sensitive. To reduce skin problems, avoid trying harsh products, such as a chemical peel, exfoliant, or retinoid for the first time. Retinoids can irritate your skin
TIP: “If you’ve been using a retinoid (or retinol), apply it at bedtime and don’t increase the amount that you apply.
6. Use less of certain skin care products if your face becomes irritated.
When you cover your face with a mask, some skin care products that you’ve used in the past may irritate your skin. If this happens, you might want to cut back on products that can irritate your skin, such as:
Products with alcohol may irritate your skin if it has been chafed by the constant rubbing of the mask. Exfoliation of those areas that are not irritated can be accomplished by using My Skin's Friend Enzyme Peel vs an acid based formula. Our formula doesn't burn the skin. It exfoliates by using our proprietary enzyme formula to gently dissolve the "glue" that holds old, dead skin cells together so you can wipe them away without damaging the underlying layer of new skin.
7. Wear the right mask.
The mask mandate in many states has given birth to an entire industry of custom designs and sizes so to reduce skin problems, look for masks that offer the following:
You want a snug fit across your nose, on the sides, and under your chin. I see people wearing masks occasionally that are under their nose and/or with bulges around the nose that would allow a small animal to pass through, much less a virus.
A snug, comfortable fit also reduces skin problems. If the mask feels too tight or slides around on your face, it can irritate your skin. What other problems might a misfitting mask present? You’re also more likely to adjust a poorly fitting mask. When you touch your mask, you can transfer germs to your mask and your face. That completely negates the reason you're wearing one in the first place. This is all new to us and these tips are compiled here to help you get through this pandemic as comfortably as possible.
The fabric is also important. Avoid synthetic fabrics, such as nylon, polyester, and rayon. These are more likely to irritate your skin and cause breakouts.
8. Stop behind-the-ear soreness
Safe places to remove your mask include:
9. Wash your cloth masks.
Many health care organizations now recommend that you wash a cloth mask after each use. Washing it also removes oils and skin cells that collect inside the mask, which could lead to a skin problem. You can wash a cloth mask in a washing machine or by hand. Both ways remove germs and other particles. Just be sure to:
Follow the washing instructions on each mask.
If you have a skin condition, such as acne or rosacea, it’s especially important to follow your treatment plan prescribed by your dermatologist. This can help keep the condition under control.
What if you still develop a face-mask skin problem
Life gets busy. Sometimes, it’s hard to care for your skin as planned. If a skin problem develops despite all you do to help prevent it, see your dermatologist. They’re trained to recognize and treat skin problems, even those caused by the very thing being used to protect your health.
It's never too early or too late to care for your skin
Catie is one of our youngest customers. She wrote us a few months ago and sent some photos showing how My Skin's Friend had maintained her skin perfectly as she crossed into her 30's.
We salute Catie on her proactive stance to maintain healthy skin at every age. It's never too early or too late to practice good skin care and we're here to help every step of the way.
Thank you Catie for being My Skin's Friend.
Everything that goes on your skin can get into your body. Feed it organically.
We believe in living in harmony with the environment and all the creatures that depend on the environment—including the other 7.5 billion people who live here. For us, that means supporting sustainability in several different ways.
Our mission is to concentrate the best of nature's organic bounty into the cleanest, most effective skin and hair care products available while being good stewards of our environment.
"I love the Enzyme Peel. I usually do it at night because it turns my skin bright red. However, in the morning my skin is glowing."
-- Estrella B.
"This stuff is absolutely AMAZING. I was using Mario Badescu with toxic preservative and it broke me out fiercely for months. As soon as I switched to this one my skin CLEARED!
--Stephanie C
"There has been a definite improvement in my skin since I started using it about a month ago, which is really pretty good considering that I've been battling the flu and bronchitis for part of the time and didn't apply it every day. My skin tone is more even and I see a slight reduction in some of the fine lines. I used this in conjunction with the Fast Firming Organic Face Lift Formula which I had been using for a while. I had seen some results with those products and adding this in really amped up the impact."
--Renee
"I love the fact that this product is organic with only natural ingredients. It also has the right kind of vitamin C and at the right concentration to boost collagen production.
I have done a lot of research on what the right Vitamin C for anti-aging and this product has it.
My skin developed a glow after a few days of use and I did notice a lightening of under eye circles. I would highly recommend the product. "
--Charlamane L.