Soothing Skin Suggestions for Essential Workers and Mask Wearers
Unusual times call for unique beauty methods
Whether you have had a dedicated skin care regimen in the past, or you are noticing the effects of wearing a mask, updating the way you take care of your skin is essential during this unique time.
Of course, the best way to start the mask wearing healing process is to book one of my facials where the sole focus is on cleansing, calming, healing, and proper hydration. You’ll leave this facial feeling like a million bucks, and we can also chat about home care needed to maintain results.
Skin Care Regimen for a Mask Wearers
The following regimen and ingredients are recommended to soothe and hydrate your face, as the most important thing you can do for your skin right now is keep it clean and well moisturized.
AM Routine
Cleanse: Avoid gel cleansers with harsh ingredients and instead use a gentle cleanser with calming ingredients like Vitamin E, Chamomile, Rose Water, and Aloe which nourish the skin without clogging your pores.
Tone: Mist your skin with a toner that has an antioxidant base. Antioxidants will protect your skin from free radical damage. Common antioxidants are Vitamin A, Vitamin B3, and Vitamin E, which will help strengthen the skin barrier and heal skin.
Moisturize: Apply a light moisturizer to protect and calm skin. Licorice root and raspberry seed oil (Rubus idaeus) are ingredients that help to reduce inflammation-and even heal old breakout spots that are still inflamed but no longer active.
Protect: Chemical-free sunscreens are recommended for sensitive skin. Products with a physical sun blockers like zinc oxide and titanium oxide as main ingredients will protect your skin from damaging UVA and UVB rays. There is also no wait needed as it protects you as soon as applied!
PM Routine
Cleanse: Wash with a mild gel fruit based enzyme cleanser to remove skin-disrupting debris that can accumulate under the mask. Look for papaya or kiwi enzymes. Gently massage into skin for 30-60 seconds, then rinse. Give your skin some love-you deserve it!
Repair: Your skin repairs while you sleep, so look for products that will boost the process. Serums with chamomile, brown and red algae, hyaluronic acid and acai berry are healing. In the evening we also want to use our retinoids to help accelerate skin turnover.
Heal: Breakouts are bound to happen with the stress of these unusual times combined with heat,friction, and debris accumulation. Spot treatment with willow bark(salicylic acid) will help to penetrate clogged pores, reduce breakouts, and prevent future breakouts. Other helpful ingredients are licorice root extract, calendula, tea tree, and tamanu oil, which promote clear skin.
Moisturize: Night-time moisturizers should be a little heavier (unless your skin tends to be oily) as they can absorb all night and work while you are sleeping. Look for products with ingredients like emu oil, shea butter, avocado oil, sunflower seed oil (helianthus annuus), and mango butter.
