From foggy glasses to 'maskne': 4 mask hacks you need ASAP
Wearing a face mask is a way of life now, but it doesn’t have to be a pain. Our tips will help solve the small but common annoyances that come with doing your bit to limit the spread of Covid-19.
The problem: Sweat-induced breakouts or “maskne”
The hack: On top of everything else that is going on, dealing with breakouts from wearing a mask is the last thing you need.
Reduce the chances of sweat and moisture condensation buildup by using a translucent powder. Before putting a mask on, use a flat, round sponge or beauty blender to press some loose powder along the areas where your mask makes contact with the skin and are most likely to sweat, such as the nose, around the mouth, and along the cheeks and chin areas.
Allow the powder to settle into the skin for a few minutes and lightly dust off excess with a brush. This helps prevent any oil or moisture coming up to the surface of the skin and keeps the face dry.
The problem: Foggy glasses
The hack: Anyone who wears glasses will tell you that the worst part about wearing a mask is dealing with lenses steaming up as you breathe. It’s pretty unavoidable if you have a mask that isn’t fully secured at the nose to mitigate air flow to your lenses.
So, short of shopping for a new mask that will prevent fogging, what can you do? Just before you wear your mask, wash your glasses with soapy water, preferably dishwashing liquid, and dry the lenses with a tissue.
The soap helps to coat the lenses with an invisible layer that stops the glasses being prone to temperature changes that can cause them to fog up.
The problem: Chafing elastics and nose wires
The hack: Sometimes the price of a snug mask fit is painful chafing along sensitive areas such as the ears, cheeks and the nose bridge. Chafed skin on the face can lead to burst blood capillaries, redness, pigmentation, and rashes.
To prevent it from happening, identify the areas where you experience chafing the most and, before wearing your mask, place pieces of gauze or transparent plasters on those areas to act as a barrier between mask and skin and prevent excessive friction.
The problem: Mask loops too big
The hack: Whether your mask is too loose and constantly shifting around on your face or the ear elastics are causing painful chafing, this hack allows you to control the tightness of your mask, and accessorise too.
Put on your mask as you normally would and loop a hair clip of your choice onto the end of the elastic. Tug until the mask tightness is adjusted to your liking, then clip the hairclip into your hair and repeat on the other side.
WATCH: How to accessorize with your mask