Summer’s begun… time to you enjoy your chilled drinks and ice creams and make trips to hill stations & beaches. Do not neglect your skin in the holiday mood.
So what should you be doing to take care of this vital organ of your body ?
Step 1 : Cleanse twice or thrice a day with a face wash suited to your skin type. Oily or acne prone skin : choose from tea tree oil to glycolic or salicylic acid based face wash. A mint or cucumber based body wash.
Normal skin : Aloe vera or mint or cucumber based face and body wash.
Dry Skin : Jojoba oil or any moisturising face and body wash
Sensitive skin : neutral pH non soap liquid wash
Step 2 : Bath over, what next ?
Wear clothes only after wiping yourself completely dry. Dust some anti-fungal powder (clotrimazole dusting powder is available at any chemist) on your feet, underarms, all body folds & groin to prevent fungal & bacterial infections due to accumulation of sweat in these areas.
Use a prickly heat powder on your chest and back. This will prevent sweat ducts from getting clogged and giving rise to that irritating itchy prickly heat. Ice,calamine lotion and aloe vera lotion can be applied to soothen the skin affected with prickly heat.
Step 3 : Wear light coloured cotton clothes. Change clothes,especially inner wear at least twice a day. Bacterial and fungal infections of the underarms and groin are more common when one sweats profusely.
Avoid closed shoes which can harbour fungal infections in the web spaces of the toes. Wear cotton socks if you have to wear closed shoes to work.
Humidity causes our skin to sweat and attracts dirt and pollutants more easily. This attracts bacteria leading to infection of the skin and hair leading to boils. Such boils or furuncles are most commonly caused due to a bacteria called Staphyloccocus.Other bacterial infections include impetigo, folliculitis & cellulitis. Make sure your clothes are washed in hot water in order to kill all the germs. You can bathe twice a day too.
Step 4 :
Do not step out without using a sunblock with SPF 30 on routine days.Use SPF 50 if you are on a beach holiday or at a hill station. Re-apply sunscreen every 2-3 hrs if you are outdoors. Make it a habit to wear wide rimmed sun glasses, hats,scarves & use umbrellas to prevent sun burns,pigmentation,tan & allergic rash. Limit your outdoor activities between 10am to 4pm.
Step 5 : Use oil free make up which will not bleed if you sweat. Mineral powder foundations are preferable over mousse or creams. Water proof eyeliner or kohl , wet lip glosses are trendy and more user friendly in summers
Bedtime ritual :
Remove your make up.
Take a shower.
Dust a pleasant refreshing powder on the chest ,back and all body folds.
Apply a water based light moisturiser on the arms and legs.
A vitamin C based serum is rich in antioxidants. It protects the skin from free radicals and damage due to UV rays . Apply about 3 to 4 drops on the entire face and neck.
A light moisturiser for the face would complete your night time skin care ritual.
Five must haves in my bag :
- sunscreen – both UVA & UVB protective . Reapply if sweat has wiped off the previous application or if you are outdoors for over two hours.
- wet wipes – dap to wipe the sweat and grime
- thermal water mist – These waters are obtained from springs which are rich in minerals and trace elements. Hold the mist about five or six inches away from your face and spritz. Wait for a minute and blot the excess. This hydrates the skin , prevents your make up from blotching and keeps you fresh.
You may also use a mist as a toner. Spritz and then apply a moisturiser on the damp skin. This traps the moisture within and keeps your skin hydrated. - oil free moisturiser or hydrating skin lotion – gel based or water based. Apply on the hands and feets whenever the skin feels dehydrated.
- Hydrating lip balm with SPF. Avoid lip licking or pursing your lips when you feel thirsty. Drink water and use a lip balm