Lockdown Self Care Series: "Mask Face" and Movement
As I have been venturing outside more, not because any kind of order is lifted and I’m breaking free from lockdown, but quite the opposite. I have the joy of cleaning, creating signage, and setting up our Spa for a safe and “COVID prepared” reopening. During my time cleaning at the Spa, I noticed something very interesting. Firstly, my mask got like super damp from my face sweat, TMI I know, but I feel like I am not going to be the only person experiencing this. After cleaning and bearing through my gross, sweaty mask, I felt back aches and muscle cramps. This being due to the lack of walking, working and daily movement I used to do and then suddenly jumped back in to, even if only one day of it. So that is what inspired this week’s series, my personal experiences venturing slowly back into more “activity” still dowsed in hand sanitizer and physical distancing.
Mask It: Life Inside Your Mask
What happens inside our face masks when we wear them?
While skin excessively moisturized by sweat and humidity is susceptible to irritation, so can over-dry skin lead to greater inflammation by cracks and fissures. Further, masks may trap heat, causing greater humidity and increasing skin fragility.
-Allison Gasparini, Increased Face Mask Wear Can Lead to Skin Irritations www.forbes.com
Our masks create a seal around our noses and mouths, this is awesome for preventing the spread of COVID-19 but also creates a very damp ecosystem trap for our skin. We know from Epidermis Explained, that the ecosystem of our skin is very delicate, and even the most minor imbalance can result in skin issues.
"Sweat and things like oil and makeup once they're on your skin and then you cover them with a mask, it becomes occluded. And when you're breathing into the mask, all that humidity it just accelerates the process of causing acne," said dermatologist Dr. Shirley Chi.”
-John Greggory, Maskne: How to Protect Your Skin From Side Effects of Wearing a Mask Amid a Pandemic, abc7.com
This quote says it perfectly, covering up sweat, makeup and oil under your mask will increase your chances of a break out. Treating this can be irritating, as chances are you are still going to have to wear your mask, so I’ve come up with some preventative measures to keep you from breaking out.
Before Masking Up:
Make sure you are always using clean, dry mask to start with. Don’t reuse any masks or filters. Hang masks to dry in a clear, sunny space for 1-2 days.
Honestly, no one is really seeing our faces and, depending on your lighting, you can blur some skin irregularities on Zoom chats. With that said, maybe take a break from wearing face makeup, at least in this covered area of your face.
Always start with clean, fresh skin.
Wearing a physical SPF has many perks: it can block UV and blue light rays, Zinc is a skin healer, a physical SPF can be “chalky” which will leave your skin dry to the touch.
While Wearing Your Mask:
If you know you are going to be speaking a lot, bring back up masks and filters. That way, as soon as your mask starts getting damp, you can swap it out
Pack a small pocket tissue pack, wash your hands, take one out and safely pat try your skin under your mask. Discard, and wash hands again.
Minimize talking, as much as you can
After Removing Your Mask:
Wash your face, this will remove any extra dirt or debris and make you feel refreshed after being under a mask.
Try putting your toner in the fridge to give you a chilled mist. This will help refine your pores, and feed your good bacteria of your skin’s barrier.
Use a facial mask (the kind that is in your skincare routine!) bi-weekly instead of just once a week. This might include using a clay mask or Tea Tree mask in your T-Zone and a hydrating mask elsewhere.
Wash your mask if it is reusable, hang in a sunny, dry place.
Be aware of touching your face when you’re home, or any friction or repetitive motion that could result in a breakout. If you feel a break out starting to creep in, head on over to my Ask A Pro: Treating A Pimple blog. Stay consistent with your home care routine as your skin is going to need it more now than ever. Drinking more water will also help our bodies be able to regulate and minimize skin issues. Hopefully this helps, I have noticed there isn’t a lot on the subject and will probably add to this as we learn more!
Making Movement Mandatory
We all know how good movement and staying active are for us, but is anyone else having a hard time fitting it consistently into your new work from home lifestyle? I used to have a schedule, I did vinyasa at a beautiful studio down the street from my house Monday, spin class Wednesday and then it felt like Pilates everyday on a reformer at a studio. Needless to say, fitness and movement were a part of my daily life. When we went into lockdown and I shifted my work to a more digital platform, movement took a seat in the back.
It wasn’t that I didn’t want to, it was that there were other things now that took precedent in my day. Doing the dishes from all the meals I’m cooking at home. Staring out my window. Talking to the plants as studies have showed that it is good for them. More staring out my window, closing it any time I hear a person. I found it strange how I own all this stuff to help me workout at home, and I’v done it successfully before, but this time feels different. The first hurdle for me to get over was my hesitation to making movement a part of my day. There are so many times I can stop, take 20-30 minutes and do a quick YouTube video or one from my personal collection of workout DVD’s. My motivation will have to be refreshed everyday, but dang it it’s worth it, and here’s some science to back that up:
“Excessive sitting is a fairly new problem in human history, according to Dr. Levine. “Two hundred years ago, 90 percent of the world lived in agricultural communities,” he explains. “People sat for three to five hours per day, but only to take breaks from working. Modern Americans sit for 13 to 15 hours per day.”
-The Importance of Movement, The Mayo Clinic
Some tips for staying active at home, and remember, going outside into the world is one of them.
Indoor Activities:
If you live in a place where walking for 10-15 minutes solid won’t drive your neighbors who are also working from home nuts, do that!
Weight training- easy to do anytime and there are so many videos and apps to help you. Don’t have weight? Use canned food, or fill water bottles with dried beans or sand. You can get creative when finding things around your house to use as weights, small dogs work too and love the extra attention.
Get on YouTube or any of the amazing apps out there, and do some yoga. You don’t need a lot of space, it won’t disturb your neighbors, and stretching lubricates the joints, something we really need while working from home.
Turn on some favorite tunes and get your dance on! This can also incorporate others, Friday Night House Dance Party for you and your quarantine buddy, or maybe a zoom flash mob rehearsal for when the future?
Outdoor Activities:
Talk a 20-30 minute walk, maybe listen to a great audiobook or your favorite podcast
Go bike riding, there are a lot less cars on the road right now, but please be careful of the ones that are out. Wear your helmet and use a light when needed.
Pull some weeds or plant something if you have a garden. If you don’t, maybe repot a plant or get some fresh ones. I recommend plants that give off oxygen, and if your like me and live in a poorly lit apartment, ones that like the shade. Check out my Pinterest board here for ideas.
The main point in this all is to find a way, that brings you joy to MOVE! And then keep doing that every day, you spirits will be lifted, you’ll have more productive days, better sleep and feign off that COVID 15lbs I’ve heard about…. Take it from this amazing woman:
Be good to yourself, be good to your mask and the skin underneath it, but most importantly be good to the world and those in it, by starting with balancing ourselves first.
Till next time, be good to your skin and even better to yourself,
xx eri