How the pandemic has changed the world of beauty

With the frequent use of face mask, moisture and friction can cause mask-related acne (or mask-ne) to occur, but what if the mask you’re wearing can also care for your skin?

Enter the CUIONS Copper Silk Face Mask from Dr TWL Dermaceuticals. It’s made with a unique material that is more hygienic than your regular face mask. It’s tested to kill off the Staphylococcus Aureus bacteria which can cause secondary skin infections in acne and worsen eczema. It also emits copper ions that are clinically tested to help promote collagen synthesis. Furthermore, it has a UPF50 certification, which helps block out harmful UV rays (but you should still wear your sunscreen). We don’t know about you, but if the mask-wearing continues for a few more months, we might as well make the time spent wearing it count.

(Read also “5 Ways To Set Your Makeup So It Doesn’t Transfer Onto Your Face Mask“)

If there’s one thing that we’ve noticed from wearing a face mask, it’s that there’s more emphasis placed on the eye area now that the rest of the face is covered up. As a side effect, we end up emoting more with our eyes, which can lead to deeper lines on the forehead and between the brows.

IDS Clinic recognises the concerns that people may have about the upper face area, which is why they created MaskTox (a play on the words “Mask” and “Botox”), a treatment that uses Botox to help smooth out fine lines and wrinkles on the forehead area. Each treatment takes only about 15 minutes, and a review done after two weeks in case revision is required. They also recommend two to three treatments a year to maintain the results.

Having half your face covered up doesn’t mean you should pay any less attention to it though. If anything, we think it’s also a good opportunity to go for treatments that have a bit of downtime since no one can tell anyway.

One of the treatments we’ve tried during this period is Profhilo from Dr Kevin Chua Medical & Aesthetics. Unlike a regular filler or skin booster, this injectable treatment is in a category of its own. Five points on each side of the face are injected with Profhilo, an injectable containing hyaluronic acid that’s cross-linked with patented technology. In simple terms, Profhilo lasts longer in skin compared to non-crosslinked hyaluronic acid, and improves hydration, as well as collagen and elastin synthesis.

In the few weeks that follow the Profhilo treatment, you can see an improvement in the overall texture, hydration and smoothness of the skin, as well as a more contoured jawline. [Ed’s notes: My very pronounced nasolabial lines also appeared less prominent a few weeks after treatment.]

They recommend two treatments, one month apart for the best results. Although there isn’t a downtime per se for this treatment, it helps that a mask can cover up any redness associated with the injection points post-treatment.

This article was first published in Harper’s Bazaar.

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