MASK HACKS

Wearing a face mask is a way of life now, so make the experience as comfortable as possible by solving these small, common problems

THE PROBLEM: Sweat-induced breakouts or maskne

THE HACK On top of everything else, dealing with breakouts from wearing a mask is the last thing you want. Reduce sweat and moisture condensation on your lower face by using a translucent powder. Before putting a mask on, use a flat, round sponge or beauty blender to press some loose powder along the areas where your mask makes contact with the skin and where you’re most likely to sweat — the nose, around the mouth, along the cheek and chin areas. Allow the powder to settle into the skin for a few minutes and dust off excess with a brush.

THE PROBLEM: Foggy glasses

THE HACK Anyone who wears glasses will tell you this is the worst thing about masks. To prevent misted-up glasses, just before you put on your mask, wash your glasses with soapy water, using dish-washing liquid, and dry with a tissue. The soap coats the lenses with an invisible layer and stops them being prone to the temperature changes that cause them to fog up.

THE PROBLEM:

Chafing elastic and nose wire

THE HACK Sometimes the price of a snug mask fit is painful chafing along sensitive areas like the ears, cheeks and the nose bridge. No-one likes dealing with chafed skin, especially on the face, where it can lead to burst blood capillaries, redness, pigmentation and rashes. To prevent it from happening, identify the areas where you experience chafing the most and before wearing your mask, place pieces of gauze or transparent plasters on those areas to act as a barrier between the mask and the skin and prevent excessive friction.

THE PROBLEM: Mask loops too big

THE HACK Whether your mask is too loose and constantly shifting around on your face or the ear elastics are causing painful chafing, this hack allows you to have control over the tightness of your mask (if you have the mask with ear loops, not the around-the-head ties) and accessorise too. Put on your mask as you normally would and, using a hair clip of your choice, loop it with the end of the elastic and tug until the mask tightness is adjusted to your liking. When happy, pull and clip the hair clip into your hair and repeat on the other side.