How to protect your skin while wearing a mask – Telegraph.co.uk

Ok, youve bought the mask (some of the manufacturers weve featured on the Telegraph report orders coming in at 2 am), youve even worn it out. And now youre wondering whether its responsible for that rash on your chin.

Front line medical teams whove been wearing masks for up to 20 hours on the trot, have been experiencing eczema and rosacea flare-ups. Their mask wearing is extreme and theyre working in intense heat, buteven short bursts of mask wearing could create an unfamiliar environment for your skin.

First letstry to eliminate any potential rashes by washing our cotton masks in non-biological soap powder (after each wear). Next,eczema. Vitamin E rich creams and oils can soothe. Our beauty director Sonia Haria recommends La Roche Posays Cicaplast Baume B5 for flare-ups of bad skin. She even uses it on her son, who has a patch of eczema on his cheek. Its 7.50 for 40 mls.

Rosacea is more complicated. Like most skin conditions, its root causes are in the gut so any supplement that counters inflammation might improve symptoms. Liquorice, Green Tea and Aloe Vera could also help. Burdock Root can boost the livers ability to remove toxins and purify the bloodstream, which can dramatically improve rosacea and also has antimicrobial properties (try Swansons Burdock capsules, 11.50).

For less dramatic break-outs, its useful to have salicylic acid on standby, although it may also dry surrounding skin. Alexandra Soveral has just reformulated her Spotless gel, 23. AlongsideFrench lavender, lemongrass and rose, it now contains a prebiotic to help your skin fortify itself against future breakouts.It creates an antiseptic, antibacterial shield over the infected area so your face mask shouldnt become a breeding ground (although you should wash it between wears anyway).

For general optimal skin health in these face-mask times, the usual rules apply and then some. Keep skin scrupulously cleansed and hydrated to keep it as smooth and frictionless as possible. This may mean applying moisturiser or a mister, several times a day, says Dr Barbara Sturm. Your hyaluronic serum becomes even more of a daily must-have because it will help keep skin plump. Her Calming Serum works to soothe and fortify skin, 175 for 30 ml (it does last ages though).

Meanwhile, you can buy Garden of Wisdoms Hyaluronic acid for 9 for 30ml. Their Niacinamide serum with vitamin B3, also 9 for 30ml, will regulate sebum production, helping to prevent acne breakouts, and improve skins elasticity and softness.

The aim of the game is to strengthen skin as much as possible. Any potion rich in lipids will help if youre wearing masks, says Ning Li, founder of new sustainably sourced French beauty brand Typology which has been donating its face creams to French care workers.

Some of them send us pictures of their faces and the mask elastic has really caused some problems because they have to wear it so tight. Put simply, lipids arefats and oils - so thats yes to prickly pear which has acquired a cult following recently (try Typologys Botanical Oil, rich in both Vitamin E and prickly Pear, 29.80).

Meanwhile, Kate Somerville has just launched a new range called DeliKate. The Recovery Cream moisturiser, 69,is thick, sinks in quickly and is packed full of lipids and ceramides (a waxy form of fatty acid). It was originally developed for her clinic patients to use after having peels. (Please dont do peels unless you really need to for acne, and certainly not at the moment). In California, she's been donating the product to nurses and doctors to help with the skin blisters from masks. It should do the trick for you.

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How to protect your skin while wearing a mask - Telegraph.co.uk