The typical quarantine routine consists of overeating, sleeping, and skin care. I don’t know about you, but I’ve mastered the overeating and sleeping segments and am now ready to take on skin care. Since spa getaways are a no-go these days, the assumption is that we have to forgo certain luxuries, like facials. Luckily, that doesn’t have to be the case. Take it from Halle Berry—she’s doing the quarantine life just like the rest of us and hasn’t sacrificed a second of her skin care. Seriously, her glowing skin is what dreams are made of. (Just look at her.) But how does she do it?
Turns out she gets by with a little help from her esthetician. Berry recently treated us all to a special self-care Sunday with an inside look at her at-home facial routine. The 15-minute tutorial features a fresh-faced Berry applying face masks to her already flawless skin, guided by her go-to skin guru. Since we haven’t all become master estheticians in quarantine yet, I figured it was time to turn to a specialist—specifically, Halle Berry’s skin specialist—to get the insider secrets on everything skin care.
Glow Up
The woman behind Berry’s glowing complexion is celebrity esthetician Olga Lorencin. Olga, aka The Acid Queen, breaks down Berry’s skin care regimen, telling Betches, “Her standard routine is very simple, but it’s consistent.” If I’ve learned anything in all my years, it’s that simplicity is key in all aspects of life, especially when it comes to your skin. So is consistency (things I whisper in the mirror to force myself to wash off my makeup after a night out). Lorencin says, “She uses a rehydrating cleanser morning and night along with a rebalancing toner and a lactic acid hydrating serum.” She also adds that Berry is “very in tune with her skin”, something I hope to say about myself one day.
While having a crazy amount of skin envy over celebrities is fine, it’s important to focus on and figure out your own skin needs. However, that’s often easier said than done, and according to Lorencin, figuring out what your skin needs is the most difficult part for most people. It can be especially tricky to nail down what your skin needs if you don’t have any particularly concerning issues. But whether you have clear skin or not, nobody is immune to the frustrations of establishing a successful skin care routine. So, like all those brand marketing emails we received in April, we’re all in this together! The Acid Queen recommends, “If the products that you are using are working, stick with it. However, if you have a skin condition or concern, see an esthetician so they can figure out what you need.” When in doubt, always seek out a specialist.
Routine Rundown
And the secret to flawless skin care is—drumroll please—it depends. (Sorry, that probably wasn’t worth a drumroll, but it was fun, wasn’t it?) On anti-aging, Lorencin says, “It can vary vastly from person to person, but de-aging ingredients are universally the same. It just depends on how we use them and in what combination.”
When it comes to how many products we should be stocking up on, Lorencin advises, “As little products as possible, anywhere from 4-10. Don’t overdo it! Layers upon layers will just cancel each other out or cause your skin to be confused.” Lorencin continues, “Buying random skin care products produces random results.” This probably means that the bucket of youth promising serums under my bathroom sink isn’t quite as effective as I had initially hoped.
Lorencin also breaks down the different products that we should be using in the morning versus at night. “At night, it’s a good time to use retinols and exfoliating products that contain AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) and BHA (beta hydroxy acid). In the morning, it’s a good time to use antioxidants like Vitamin C, whereas hydrating and collagen building products can be used both day and night, such as peptides, ceramides, and hyaluronic acids, etc.”
In addition to applying the proper blend of serums and lotions, your face can also benefit from an occasional massage. Facial massages are an effective measure for pampering yourself with some much needed TLC. Lorencin explains that, when done properly, facial massages can reduce puffiness and help prevent wrinkles.
Facial Features
Move over, cucumbers—the at-home facial has received a serious upgrade. From professional kits to DIY recipes, there are endless possibilities to soothe your skin and turn any day into a self-care day. According to Lorencin, step one of doing a facial at home is “making sure you are using facial masks on exfoliated skin, or they won’t do very much.” Help yourself get the best results by allowing the mask to easily find its way to your clean skin. Once your skin is prepped, you can then opt for either a homemade or professional facial mix, depending on your budget.
Weighing the pros and cons of each method, Lorencin says, “Homemade masks are nice and won’t cause side effects, but they also most likely won’t produce very transformational results.” For more noticeable results, you may want to consider investing in a professional facial kit. It may be more pricey, but getting skin like Halle Berry? Priceless. (Actually, it’s more like $98, but you get the idea.)
While Lorencin has created facial kits for Halle Berry-level results, she also favors an easy and delicious at-home recipe that you can make with ingredients found in your kitchen (or borrowed from your hot neighbor). All you need is 1 teaspoon of full-fat Greek yogurt (substitute coconut yogurt for a vegan option), and 1 teaspoon of honey. If you’re feeling really fancy, you can also add in a slice of avocado and a few drops of avocado oil to soothe dry skin or a dash of powdered charcoal for acneic skin. According to Berry and Lorencin’s IGTV video, adding a few drops of chlorophyll to either mix can help fight breakouts and reduce inflammation. The next step is to apply the mask (obvi) to your face and neck—don’t neglect your neck!—and leave on for the standard 15 to 20 minutes. Lorencin also advises limiting homestyle facials to once or twice a week. Treat yourself, but don’t overdo it. Balance, baby.
Honestly, when it comes to skin care, just do whatever Halle Berry does.
Images: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com; halleberry / Instagram
In case anyone has forgotten, there’s still a pandemic going on. Unfortunately, the virus doesn’t have as short of an attention span as the President does. In efforts to slow the spread, the CDC has strongly recommended that we all wear face coverings when out in public and when social distancing isn’t an option. So, because the coronavirus hasn’t disappeared like that guy that you went on one FaceTime date with in the beginning of all this, it looks like face masks and coverings are here to stay. While masks can be great for avoiding exes and covering up breakouts, they can also be irritating your skin (and contributing to those breakouts in the first place).
If we can all agree on one thing, it’s that nobody enjoys acne, and if your skin has been particularly angry during the age of COVID-19, just know that you’re not alone. Take note of your breakouts. If your acne falls under where your face mask sits, then you may be a victim of maskne, aka mask acne. Like COVID-19, maskne doesn’t discriminate. It’s a skin issue that can affect everyone: people who are already prone to acne, people who normally have clear skin, and literally anyone who is abiding by the CDC’s face mask recommendation. Luckily, I spoke with a dermatologist to get the breakdown on these breakouts: why they’re happening, and how to prevent and treat them.
What Is Maskne?
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I spoke with dermatologist and RealSelf contributor Dr. Sonia Badreshia-Bansal, and it turns out that your maskne is actually Acne Mechanica—a skin issue that is triggered by excess heat, pressure, friction, or rubbing. Dr. Badreshia-Bansal explains, “Acne Mechanica is a special type of acne that occurs in areas of occlusion.”
“Sweat, dirt, and oil under the areas of occlusion then cause clogging of the pores, resulting in inflammation,” she adds. Acne Mechanica has traditionally affected athletes, especially those who wear helmets and shoulder pads, but now that the whole world is wearing masks on their face, literally anyone can get it.
How can you tell your typical breakouts apart from maskne? Dr. Badreshia-Bansal says that, “Acne Mechanica is distributed to the area of occlusion, so maskne will affect the area that the mask is protecting, which normally involves the lower half of the face.” Go look at your face in the mirror, when you connect the dots where your pimples are, do they all coincidentally hang out where your mask lies on your face? If the answer is yes, then you, my friend, have maskne.
How To Prevent Maskne
Like I said before, face masks are here to stay, so prevention is key. Just because your skin has survived against masks so far, doesn’t mean that you are immune to the annoyances of maskne. To use a sports reference, the best offense is a good defense, so start taking preventative measures now, rather than having to correct later. Start by opting for a breathable and soft cotton mask. Using a cotton mask will help ease any harsh rubbing and friction, and since it’s reusable you’ll be able to wash it regularly—ideally, between each use—to keep it fresh and clean. Dr. Badreshia-Bansal also advises wearers, “Wash or wipe any dirt or sweat off of the face as soon as you can, because oil and dirt can get trapped under your mask and cause breakouts.” The warmer it continues to get outside, the more pertinent that advice gets. Don’t sweat it—literally.
Another pre-emptive step, according to Dr. Dr. Badreshia-Bansal, is to “Apply a topical vitamin A serum such as a retinol, adapalene, or tretinoin.” You may also want to consider passing on full glam for now. Dr. Badreshia-Bansal recommends electing for mineral-based makeup as opposed to heavy foundations. I’m not saying that you have to fully embrace the all-natural look, but you should consider skipping full-coverage foundations that can clog your pores. After all, no one is seeing half of your face anyway.
How To Treat It
Suffering from maskne? No need to freak out, because just like any form of acne, there is an arsenal of lotions and potions aimed at treating and clearing up all of your skin sorrows. Dr. Badreshia-Bansal advises that you should treat maskne “the same as other forms of acne.” She recommends, “Use a benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid-based cleansers.” With that advice in mind, you should continue your standard skincare routine: wash your face regularly, exfoliate your skin, and moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! Moisturized skin is happy skin, just make sure you’re using an oil-free moisturizer.
Most importantly, don’t panic if your breakouts are a result of wearing face masks. Just do what you would normally do when you break out—blame your boyfriend and do a purifying clay mask. After you accomplish that, spot treat your problem areas with your go-to pimple nullifier, and whatever you do, resist the urge to pop. Get your pimple popping fix from YouTube like the rest of us and leave your face alone! If you have an especially aggravated spot you can also apply a thin layer of Aquaphor (or Vaseline, salve, etc.) over it before you put your mask on to help eliminate friction and further irritation.
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We’ve been looking at this all wrong. credit + permission: @samanthamatt1
Maskne is a vicious cycle. You break out, you hide it with a mask, and then break out more, causing you to wear your mask more, and so on and so forth. Face masks are more than a fashion statement, so we’re going to have to adapt and learn to live with them, like it or not. Just remember to regularly wash your face, wash your mask, and to have some chocolate—the chocolate won’t help with your skin, but hey, you deserve it.
Images: Michael Amadeus / Unsplash; aj_hernandez, betches / Instagram
