BEST MASKNE TREATMENTS - SKINFIX 911 OINTMENT, BEST MASKNE CREAM FOR DRYNESS AND IRRITATION, BEST SLUGGING TREATMENT
This review was originally part of my blog article titled, Best Maskne Treatments - Zitsticka Killa Zit Patches, Balm Labs Clear Balm Serum, Skinfix 911 Ointment and Self/Ish Exfoliating Pads. You can catch the full piece here.
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I consider myself lucky for a lot of things. I’ve traveled the world — from Cape Town to Tokyo, Singapore to Moscow. I found what I love to do (write!) early on in my career and it nourishes me every single day.
And, I haven’t experienced maskne — until very recently. My luck ran out I guess!
Two weeks ago, I got a blemish just to the side of my right nostril. It got big and awful! Then, two days later, another blemish formed just below my bottom lip. Ugh, again?!
I knew things were out of whack when one also appeared along my jawline at just about the same time. Suddenly, I had three blemishes going on at once. I was mortified. That hasn’t happened in twenty years.
It was my first attack of the dreaded maskne!
If you haven’t yet experienced maskne, you likely will. I like to think that I take phenomenally great care of my skin, doing everything I know how to to keep my pores clear and refreshed each day. If you’re experiencing maskne now, I feel your pain!
What is maskne and how do you treat maskne?
I found a really good piece in Shape magazine from a couple of months ago titled, 'Maskne' Is a Very Real Thing—Here's How to Beat Face Mask Breakouts. You can catch the full article here.
What is 'maskne' and why does it happen?
Maskne occurs when sweat, skin oils, and bacteria are trapped on the skin while wearing your mask, says Elizabeth Mullans, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist at Uptown Dermatology in Houston, Texas. Face masks can cause irritation by either physically rubbing against the skin, which can damage the skin's protective barrier, or by trapping moisture, which can cause acne, she adds.
This type of acne is called acne mechanica, which includes any skin issues due to pressure, friction, rubbing, squeezing, or stretching. It's different from other kinds of acne (like the pimples that show up around your period, for example, which are hormonal) because it occurs only in areas where the mask sits against the skin, says Ife J. Rodney, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist and founding director of Eternal Dermatology Aesthetics in Fulton, Maryland. “In healthy skin, there are normal amounts of bacteria and yeast that live there, but when pores become clogged because of excess sweat and moisture from the mask, these organisms overgrow, leading to pimples or acne cysts,” she explains.
Fortunately, I have everything I need to take care of these new, sudden and irritating breakouts all around my mouth and nose. And I didn’t think it would be very kind of me not to pay it forward, as they say. If maskne can happen to me, it can happen to you!
So, I’ve put together what I call the Skincarma Maskne Essentials — a collection of the best products to treat maskne and best skincare to prevent maskne from occurring in the first place.
My maskne essentials include: Zitsticka Killa Patches, SELF/ish Exfoliating Pads, Balm Labs Clear Balm Serum Hydrator and Skinfix Remedy+ 911 Ointment.
Skinfix | Remedy+ 911 Ointment
Perhaps the most distressing symptom of maskne is the irritation — the dryness, redness, chafing and peeling. It’s especially disconcerting if that’s not something you regularly manage. Let me tell you, it feels like a three-alarm fire!
I’ve recently discovered an incredibly effective treatment from clinical brand Skinfix, the experts in the treatment of eczema and perioral dermatitis around the mouth. The Skinfix Remedy+ 911 Ointment is the perfect emergency salve for soothing the more serious mask-induced irritation around the mouth and nose.
911 Ointment is a thick, rich unctuous treatment that instantly soothes chafed, irritated skin — exactly what you need for a serious maskne flare-up.
It’s formulated with a deeply moisturizing and protective blend of Cupuaçu Seed Butter, Petrolatum, Sunflower Seed Oil, Beeswax and Shea Butter.
But its star active is the .5% concentration of Allantoin which Skinfix says, “helps promote optimal healing of minor cuts, scrapes and burns and temporarily protects chapped or cracked skin.”
Similar to centella asiatica and cannabidiol, Allantoin is an effective treatment for sensitive skin and skin irritations like the dryness and chafing the mask can cause. In fact, Allantoin is rated among the best ingredients for skin by the experts on the Paula’s Choice Research Team.
What is allantoin?
Allantoin is defined by the Paula’s Choice Research Team as a “by-product of uric acid extracted from urea and considered an effective skin-soothing and skin-conditioning agent.”
Just a few months ago, there was an intriguing piece in Allure magazine titled, Why K-Beauty Ingredient Allantoin Deserves a Place in Your Sensitive Skin-Care Routine. I found this most notable:
Although allantoin has been around for a while, it's recently risen in popularity in Seoul because many Korean beauty consumers struggle with sensitive skin, Soko Glam’s Charlotte Cho tells Allure. “Allantoin is right up there next to the cica and madecassoside trends — all are skin-soothing, skin-calming ingredients used for sensitive skin-friendly products.”.
How does allantoin benefit skin?
Allantoin’s shortlist of soothing benefits include anti-inflammation and hydration, lists cosmetic chemist Ginger King, making it just the gentle ingredient needed for sensitive skin.
The versatile ingredient also acts as a skin protectant much like petroleum jelly. You can often find it in anti-acne, sun care, and lip products for this reason, as it shields skin from chapping and can help improve minor wounds.
For immediate relief of the most serious maskne symptoms, you can’t go wrong with the Skinfix Remedy+ 911 Ointment. Because it’s a heavier treatment, it’s best to apply it around the mouth before bed.
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the Skinfix Remedy+ 911 Ointment for $24 here.
The Ingredient List of the Zitsticka Killa Patches:
sii|h, Oligopeptide-76, Salicylic Acid 
exf|aacne|so|pres, Niacinamide cci|sb|aacne|h, Sodium Hydroxide buff, Tea Tree Oil so|aacne|aox|amic|perf, Vitamin E aox 0-3 0-3, Alcohol 
amic|solv|vcThe Ingredient List of the Balm Labs Clear Balm Serum Hydrator:
Water (Aqua), Squalane, Glycerin, Propanediol, Niacinamide, Lecithin, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Polysorbate 80, Phenoxyethanol, Yeast Extract, Soy Amino Acids, Cannabidiol, Caprylyl Glycol, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Maltodextrin, Bixa Orellana Seed Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Hyaluronic Acid.
The Ingredient List of the SELF/ish Exfoliating Pads:
Aqua, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, DMI, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Saccharum Officinarum (Sugar Cane) Extract, Willow Bark Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Extract, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract, Acer Saccharum (Sugar Maple) Extract, Mandelic Acid, Malic Acid, Gallic Acid, Ferulic Acid, Ellagic Acid, Cyanocobalamin, Bakuchiol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Ethylhexylglycerin, Lactic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Linoleic Acid, Tocopherol, Linolenic Acid, Oleic Acid, Glycerin, Citric Acid, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Polysorbate 20, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Limonene, Linalool.
The Ingredient List of the Skinfix Remedy+ 911 Ointment:
emo 0 0, Beeswax emo|vc|emu|perf 0 0-2, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter emo|vc, Theobroma Grandiflorum (Cupuaçu) Seed Butter, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract so|emo|h, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil emo, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil emo|perf 0 4, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil emo 0 0-2, Tocopherol aox 0-3 0-3, Bisabolol so
