Heal Your Skin From Mask Damage With These Products to Restore Your Glow

With our city having waved goodbye to the mask mandate, it’s time to address some unsavoury side-effects of keeping your beautiful face under wraps over the past few years.

Masks are an effective barrier of protection against the spread of bacteria through emitted droplets. However, this also means the entrapment of moisture and bacteria that causes acne breakouts, subsequent pigmentation or scarring, irritation, as well as other signs of skin damage.

Although wearing a mask in public spaces is now optional, the persistence of skin issues that have appeared because of these fabric dividers can still be faced (see what we did there) with a few adjustments to your daily skincare routine. Read on for The Beat Asia’s picks of products to reverse the long-term imprint of masks.

For Cleansing: Foaming Face Wash

Going back to basics, the first step that needs to be established for your skincare routine to be worth it is having a clean and well-moisturized skin. Crucial for preventing skin irritation and breakouts, you should wash your face daily using a pH-balanced cleanser to help remove oil, dirt, and bacteria that get trapped in the mask barrier.

Fun to pump and bouncy to the touch, their foaming cleanser is a good choice for washing off impurities without natural ceramides being washed off. Curél is a brand known to have specifically formulated, fragrance-free products with a pH range of 4.0 to 6.5, which matches the skin's natural pH.

Curél: HK$150, Click here to buy

For Mascne: Effaclar Duo Acne Spot Treatment

The ecosystem that grew in the space between your face and your mask makes for the perfect host for acne to thrive. Trapping moisture, sweat, impurities, dead skin cells, and oil in your pores, the bacteria clogs and festers into pesty pimples that can continue to grow in a cycle even after ditching your face coverings. Burrowing past the surface to target the growth at its bacterial roots, Benzoyl Peroxide is a fast-acting acne ingredient that is commonly used to prevent breakouts.

This targeted treatment cream uses miniscule benzoyl peroxide that can penetrate deep into the pores, making it a great choice for raised acne blemishes. Additionally, Effaclar Duo contains Lipo-Hydroxy Acid derived from salicylic acid, which acts as a skin exfoliant to remove dead skin and renew your skin's natural glow.

La Roche-Posay: HK$245, Click here to buy

For Sensitive Skin Flare-ups: Antirougeurs CALM Redness-Relief Soothing Mask

Wearing masks can alter the skin microbiome, leading to the worsening or triggering of skin conditions such as rosacea, perioral dermatitis, and seborrheic dermatitis. Especially during the hot and humid Hong Kong summers, masks can cause miliaria, otherwise known as heat rash, which comes as a build-up of sweat under the mask.

One solution is to use products that promote skin microcirculation and soothe the skin. This soothing mask is a gel-textured application that contains Avène’s thermal spring water and Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, an active ingredient that reduces the feeling of discomfort and intensely soothes the skin. This mask is helpful for sensitive skin prone to rashes and visibly reduces redness.

For more severe skin conditions, it is recommended to see a dermatologist who can prescribe prescription medications.

Avène: HK$176, Click here to buy

For Healing Your Complexion: AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution

Formulated with a key amount of Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs), which are a group of acids that help exfoliate the surface of the skin, this solution by The Ordinary helps target visible blemishes, uneven skin tone, and texture.

As a chemical-based peeler, this item exfoliates multiple layers of the skin to help it look more even overall. It also includes derivatives of Tasmanian pepperberry and black carrot, both naturally grown ingredients that can reduce irritation when using skincare products that include acid-based ingredients. However, it's essential to use them as directed and with caution to avoid any potential skin irritation. Sensitive types should consult their dermatologist before trying out this product.

The Ordinary: HK$78, Click here to buy