Origani Australia - Luxury Certified Organic Skincare

Is Covid-19 making our skin more Sensitive? 

September 17, 2020

Posted by Moniruz Zaman

Is Covid-19 making our skin more Sensitive
The short answer is, to some degree, yes.
We are all fatigued from this global crisis talk. It is dreary and worrying and mood-killing. Yes, on top of all the new restrictions, our skin is becoming more sensitive! So how can we keep our skin healthy and beautiful?

Mandatory mask wearing

Origani Covid 19 skincare
Origani is Australian born, and we are proud to be. In Australia we have been rather fortunate overall...except our little home-town Melbourne is struggling a little. With the number of cases on the increase, it’s now mandatory to wear face coverings when out and about, including when undertaking daily exercise (with the exception of running) according to the Department of Health and Human Services Victoria.

Whilst there are certain medical and practical reasons meaning a mask sometimes cannot be worn, protecting your skin isn’t one of them!
So to help you out, we are focussing on what we can do to ensure our skin doesn’t suffer from hiding undercover all day.

According to Professor of Dermatology at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in America, Dr. Adam Friedman, skin may experience irritation after long days of wearing face masks, as sweat, oil and condensation from your own breath creates a warm and humid environment, which can lead to irritation, clogged pores and breakouts. We know this even pre-coronavirus from studies on the effect of evaporative cooling of respiratory protective devices on skin temperature, thermal sensation, and comfort (1993, John B Pierce Laboratory).

To combat this, you should:

  1. Dispose of or wash your face mask - masks should only be worn for a short period before they become somewhat ineffective. If you are wearing a disposable face mask, make sure you dispose after every use. Or if you have a reusable face mask, pop it in the wash! It is important not only in protecting you from COVID-19, but in preventing bacteria build up.
  2. Opt for a tightly woven, natural fabric like cotton, as supported by dermatologist, Noelani Gonzales. You can even reuse old t-shirts to create the inner barrier in a homemade mask. Avoid synthetic materials as they are more likely to make you sweat.
  3. Create a skin barrier - by applying moisturiser before putting on your face mask, you can decrease friction between the skin and mask, lowering the risk of dry, cracked skin according to Dr. Craig Kaffet,  dermatologist. Just make sure you use non-comedogenic products, and wash your face mask after each use! We recommend our Dermassure Clear & Calm Matte Comfort Moisturiser if you have a more oily to combination skin type prone to breakouts.
For a further breakdown on how to protect your skin from while wearing a mask, read more here.

Origani is an Australian luxury organic skincare brand. We proudly formulate and produce cruelty-free, certified organic, vegan skincare and makeup.
Sustainable Luxury Without Compromise.