Are you surprised? Wearing a face mask while working all day in the salon has some stylists experiencing “maskne”—breakouts and irritation. Maggie Staszuck, licensed esthetician with the American Society of Skincare Professionals, offers some suggestions for both skin and mask cleaning routines.
- For stylists who are wearing masks for a long period of time, it’s important that they keep their skin clean. Ideally, the skin should also be free of powder/foundation. The friction of the mask combined with oil and dirt on the skin can lead to irritation and break outs.
- Masks that are reusable should be washed daily and those that are disposable, tossed. Since it is inevitable that oil, makeup, and “dirt” from the day will accumulate on the mask (not to mention the condensation from breathing), this is a perfect breeding ground for bacteria.
- Stylists should also keep their skin well hydrated. Skin that is dehydrated, flakey, and already compromised is more likely to develop irritation and break outs than skin that has a healthy barrier.
- Stylists should apply their moisturizer to clean skin at least 30 minutes before applying their mask.
- For stylists with an oilier skin type, they should consider using a product that aids in oil absorption. Products with Zinc are a great option because they are healing and mattifying.
- Stylists should take a break every 2 hours to remove the mask and try not to touch their face.
- For breakouts or irritation that occur, do not pick! This spreads bacteria and makes the wound healing process longer. Avoid aggressive spot treatment products and treat with care. Think soothing, healing instead.
“Acne comes from an unbalanced body, such as an upset in the digestive track or the hormonal system,” says skincare expert and celebrity esthetician Vicki Morav. “High stress levels can cause overworked adrenals that may result in acne both directly and indirectly. It all comes down to the individual chemical, emotional, mental and physical body.”
When adult acne is driven by stress, the body can’t eliminate the chemicals fast enough, says Morav, which overworks the lymphatic system and causes it to slow down. Hormones, another common reason for adult acne, are particularly challenged during menopause. “Our body consists of a chain with many links. All the links depend on one another to do the job and if one link falls off the entire chain falls apart.
“We are genetically built in certain ways and when for any reason the body undergoes a lot of stress or growth it is easy for the skin to be used as a channel to eliminate impurities,” Morav says.
Here are some of her skincare picks for dealing with adult breakouts:
Exfoliating & Resurfacing
-MBR Enzyme Cleansing Booster ($227): Mix this powder that’s rich in fruit enzymes with a few drops of water to instantly dissolve impurities and remove dead skin cells while optimally prepping the skin for the following step in your routine.
-Biologique Recherche Lotion P50 1970: This face toner contains a special blend of acids that gently exfoliate the skin, purify and shrink enlarged pores, regulates oil production and rebalances the pH of the skin. Thanks to onion extract, this toner is not drying and leaves the skin feeling hydrated and moisturized after each use.
Healing
-White Magic by Vicki Morav ($108): This unique powder is formulated with pearls and shells to help heal, brighten and balance the skin. White Magic works universally with any cream mask of moisturizer.
Moisturizing
-Z.Bigatti Restoration Skin Treatment Facial Cream ($155): Formulated to provide every essential ingredient to repair, nourish and protect the skin in one indulgent step. This age-defying cream optimizes skin tone and texture, fades the appearance of find lines and wrinkles and provides resistance to damaging elements.
-Forlle’d Hyalogy Platinum Face Cream ($196): This low molecular weight ionized platinum face cream helps to effectively protect against free radicals and improves the skin’s structure and tone from within.
All products are available online at vickimorav.com.
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