How to survive face masks: a complete beauty guide
Face masks have become a part of our day-to-day lives, and while they protect our health, our skin has started to suffer. Whether you wear one on the daily commute or just every now and then, you’ve probably started to notice the effects; not only is our skin in poor shape, but beauty routines have flown out of the window too!
Self-care is important. It can help us to wake up in the morning and wind down at night. It makes us feel pampered and good about ourselves, and even though lockdown is coming to an end, we all still need the TLC our beauty routines provide. So, if you’re worried that the start of face masks means the end of beautiful skin, take a look at our top tips to keep you fighting fit inside and out…
Skincare
Start with a cleanser
As regularly as you wear your mask, you should cleanse your skin! Many people have been experiencing irritations like eczema and acne as a result of daily wear. The build-up of heat and dirt leads to clogged pores, which means that a cleanser is essential. Start and end the day by washing your face with a cleanser of your choice. Try a balm for a heavy-duty cleanse, good for removing makeup, or a gel-based cleanser for a basic every day clean.
Fight dryness with a moisturiser
Just like in any skincare routine, moisturiser is key. Keeping the skin moisturised is now particularly important as the air you’re breathing in and out behind your mask dries the skin out faster. This time, change your heavier moisturiser for a lighter one while you’re out – lighter moisturisers are less likely to clog the pores and are great for oiler or acne-prone skin.
Lather up with lip balm
You know that feeling when you’re on an airplane, and your lips start to hurt and crack from the dryness? Well, that’s largely down to the constant blasting of circulating air hitting you, and your mask is doing the exact same thing! Prevent dry and cracked lips with some lip balm, or a lip primer if you’re wearing a lipstick, and don’t forget to take it out with you for top-ups!
Sunscreen is still necessary! Whether you can see the sun or not, UV rays are still there, and even if part of your face is covered, the rest isn’t! Apply a light sunscreen to the exposed areas of your face like you normally would. Avoid the areas covered by your mask as this will clog your pores.
Wash your mask
Just like you wash your face, you should wash your mask regularly! Your mask collects dirt and oil the same way the skin does, so treat it to its own self-care routine. Remember to keep your skin in mind and wash with fragrance and dye-free products.
Makeup
Primers and foundations
You know how to help your skin stay healthy, now you want to give it a boost but without compromising on all that hard work! First things first – prime! Primers create a layer which helps to stop excess dirt and oils entering the skin as well as keeping your makeup in place all day long, so if you’ve never used a primer before, now is your time!
Try swapping out your heavy-duty foundation for lighter coverage or preferably, a tinted moisturiser. Tinted moisturisers harness the power of skincare while giving you an even and glowing complexion, which feels barely there on the skin and won’t clog your pores.
Eyes, eyes, eyes!
As much as we all love a bold lip look, it’s all about the eyes for now. Play with colours and boldness, get inspired online and recreate something you love! It will be important to keep things in place all day, so prime your lids and brow zone with an eyeshadow primer. Not only will this help your look last all day, but it will also improve shadow pigments and help with blending.
Set, set, set!
Setting your makeup has never been more important! While you can still expect a small amount of residue, finding a good spray or powder will be the key to an all-day flawless look. For a matte finish, try a loose or pressed powder and press onto the skin with a dense powder brush, or for more of a dewy finish, try a setting spray – you can even find some that have a touch of glow for a quick highlight you can top-up throughout the day!
