How to clean your face – and mask – properly to prevent maskne

Still, despite being such a simple task, many of us aren’t washing our faces properly – or our masks, for that matter.

Don't forget about your morning cleanse  

"Washing your face once a day just isn’t good enough," says beauty editor and expert Leigh van den Berg. “Obviously you want to cleanse at night to remove make-up, oil and pollution, but don’t forget about washing when you wake up. Your skin produces oil while you sleep and bacteria can also build up overnight,” she says. It’s a good idea to wash your face the moment you get home, rather than wait for bedtime.  

Do you have to double up?  

"Despite the complicated, multi-step cleansing routines many influencers punt on YouTube, you don’t always have to perform a double cleanse," says Van den Berg. “Double cleansing involves using two different types of cleansers one after the other. If you’ve just woken up, don’t bother with it."

If you’ve been wearing make-up, however, then it makes sense. “A micellar water or oil-based cleanser will make light work of removing foundation and waterproof mascara. Let that do the heavy lifting and then you can use face wash or milky cleanser to finish up.” 

Choose your skincare weapons wisely

If you have oily skin and are worried about maskne, Van den Berg suggests that you choose a cleanser containing spot-busting salicylic acid. “It penetrates deep into your pores, helping to keep them clean and clear,” she says.

If you’ve got a drier skin type, however, she advises a cream cleanser formulated for sensitive skin. “We’re all going to be a lot more conscious about cleansing these days, but you should find a balance between staying hygienic and over-cleansing as the latter can cause irritation,” she says.   

Don’t forget about mask hygiene

"Cleaning your skin and then putting on a dirty face mask is just counterintuitive. Ideally, you want to own multiple masks. If you manage to wear clean underwear every day, there’s no reason why you can’t have a stash of freshly washed face masks," says Van den Berg.

"Experts have stated that you don’t need to go overboard by soaking your mask in bleach or putting it in the microwave. Just popping it in the washing machine on a hot wash is enough to kill any germs. If you don’t own a washing machine, a hand wash using hot water and regular detergent will do the trick. Just lather it up really well and give it a good scrub for at least 30 seconds. You really want to wash it, not just rinse it."

IMAGE CREDIT: 123rf.com