How Going Makeup-Free During The Pandemic Benefits Your Skin
When I bought my first concealer in sixth grade (a pen-style twist-up from CoverGirl), I didn’t anticipate that it would take a pandemic for me to quit my newfound routine. But nearly 20 years later, I’ve gone four months without so much as mascara coating my eyelashes.
My accidental experiment revealed something unexpected. When a month and then another went by and my skin was looking clearer than ever, I realized that my makeup habit might have been exacerbating my breakouts. After dealing with acne for what feels like a lifetime, has it really been the thing I put on to cover it up that’s been causing it in the first place?
I asked Laura Marinelli, a microbiologist and scientific adviser for Ellis Day Skin Science, if skin really needs to breathe. The answer is yes.
“While it’s true that the top layer of skin does take in oxygen from the air, there is another important reason to give our skin a break from tons of heavy products,” Marinelli said. “Most makeup and many skin care products create a temporary blockage, which can interfere with the skin’s natural turnover process.”
Makeup can create what Marinelli calls “an artificial wall on our skin,” which can lead to a buildup of acne-causing material, such as dead skin cells, sweat, oil and environmental debris. “Giving your skin an occasional break from your normal makeup regimen and, of course, removing all your makeup every night, can support your skin’s natural healing and rejuvenation properties,” Marinelli explained.
Michelle Henry, a New York-based board-certified dermatologist, agrees that makeup can have an effect on breakouts. “If you’re wearing makeup that’s very oily, heavy and occlusive, the more potential there is for oil, dirt and debris to accumulate in your pores and cause acne,” she warns, suggesting that a break from heavy makeup can be good for skin. However, she said those wearing lighter, oil-free or powder-based makeup and experiencing breakouts...
