No more ‘maskne’ – a skincare expert on how to avoid breakouts and irritation

With the last few months of lockdown playing havoc on our skin and face coverings becoming our new everyday essential, a new skin issue has arisen.

Ever heard of 'maskne?' Many of us have seen changes in our skin over the course of the last few months, and the reality is that wearing a mask may lead to breakouts, acne, redness and discomfort for the skin, but luckily, we can combat this with a few simple changes to our skincare regime. We recently chatted with skin expert and founder of Organic Apoteke, Dr Nitasha Buldeo, and got her to share her best skincare tips for clear, glowing skin and how to best combat the dreaded 'maskne' phenomenon. “Wearing a mask over the face can cause inflammation on the underlying skin, which can result in red, itchy or burning skin," Nitasha "Also, if masks are not cleaned properly, they may cause bacteria to enter pores and result in breakouts. Perspiration under masks in hot conditions (think public transport, hot weather) can also cause congestion of skin pores that may also result in spots and cysts." Sounds grim? I know. But luckily, Nitasha has some good advice. “More importantly is washing your face often. We’re correctly told to wash our hands regularly but if you then think how often you are touching your face – you realise how your hands are passing dirt and germs to our face." The skincare guru explains: "Try to get into the habit of washing your face when you arrive at work, return home, and go to bed, alongside your usual cleansing in the morning. I realise it may not be ideal if you’re wearing makeup but trust me, it does help." As for what she recommends, Nitasha says: “My go-to product for cleansing your skin throughout the day is our Organic Apoteke Active Face Cleanse Gel. It actively cools and soothes skin with antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, using a unique herbal blend of certified organic ingredients of Lemon, Neem and Tea Tree." She has another great ip: "You can also decant into a small travel bottle and carry in your handbag for work or on-the-go cleansing too.” The skincare expert also recommends taking extra care of our skin this time, by using masks and comforting and hydrating skincare products, choosing ones with clean ingredients that won't irritate the skin. "Also, in the Organic Apoteke range we have the Detox Face Mask, a deeply purifying treatment and the Active Face Hydrate Gel, which soothes and hydrates for the ultimate Detox Collection to tackle Maskne.” As for other things we can do to look after our skin, Nitasha says: “For me, I think we should be using reusable face masks – they’re kinder to the environment and we certainly don’t need to be adding all those disposable masks to the mountains of ocean waste already happening. If you wear a reusable mask, still ensure they are not only changed daily, but are cleaned correctly and regularly.”