We all have to wear a protective mask – and that's a good thing. However, women in particular face unexpected problems. Can I still wear lipstick and what about sun protection? Questions after questions – we clarify them.
Makeup and face masks
Let us first clarify the most important question: can make-up make the protective mask less effective? According to Dr. Carrie L. Kovarik, a dermatologist and professor of dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania, shouldn't be, as she explains in an interview with Inquirer.com. Here, however, the opinions of the experts differ widely. But one thing is certain: the combination of foundation, lipstick, sweat, hot breath and friction can cause irritation on the skin.
Of course, the staining of foundation and lipstick will also make the mask dirty. And believe us, it happens very quickly. So if you can't do without foundation at all, you shouldn't wear the mask a second time afterwards. Because the masks absorb the product, bacteria can form here, which you would simply put on again with the mask next time. So be sure to wash the mask or replace it.
If you still want to wear lipstick, you should rather use Liquid Lipsticks, as they dry and do not smudge. In foundations, matt textures also hold better on the skin than glowy foundations.
Avoid pollution
In an interview with Allure, Cassandra M. Pierre, an infectious disease doctor at the Boston Medical Center, advises avoiding anything that causes visible mask contamination. This also applies to tinted day care and sun protection. In general, one should rather resort to light textures that are quickly absorbed into the skin. Only when the product is completely absorbed into the skin, you should put on the mask.
Apropros sun protection. Of course, you should continue to wear it all over your face. "Even if the masks cover half of the face, you should still wear SPF to protect yourself from the harmful UV rays," said dermatologist Shari Sperling to Popsugar. After all, we don't wear the mask for 24 hours – and you know, sun protection is and remains important, especially since the other half of the face is still free.
In the end, everyone has to decide for themselves what they want to do and leave. There is no uniform rule. Nevertheless, wearing face masks is not without it for our skin anyway. You can read why here: Mask requirement – what does this mean for our skin?