With every season, our skin care regimen must change. For the Monsoons too there are specific do’s and don’ts on how to take care of skin and the right diet. Well-known beautician, Shahnaz Husain speaks about what needs to be factored in while taking care of skin.
''Cleansing and refreshing the skin are important during the monsoons, in order to remove sweat and oil deposits. A face wash containing ingredients like tulsi and neem would be ideal. Deep pore cleansing with scrubs help to prevent pore clogging and blackheads. Make a facial scrub at home by mixing rice flour or ground almonds with curd and a pinch of turmeric. For acne and sensitive skin, avoid scrubs. After cleansing, tone the skin with chilled skin tonic or rose water. Toning also helps to close the pores. Go for “clean-ups” to a good beauty salon where stubborn blackheads will be extracted. A flower based skin tonic or freshener is a boon in humid weather. Keep rose-based skin tonic or rose water, in the fridge, with cotton wool pads soaking in. Wipe the face with it to cleanse and refresh the skin. Carry moist tissues when you are out during the day. After wiping the face with wet tissue, use compact powder. It helps to refresh the skin and remove the oily look''.
Diet is also important for healthy skin. The body's immunity naturally becomes poor because of the infections one commonly faces in monsoon. These include flu,cough,typhoid and common cold. So, it's important that you need to take care of your food and the water you drink. Because there is a chances of getting a skin problem also. When asked what kind of diet we should follow, Shahnaz says: ''The hot and humid season is the time for cool drinks, not only to replenish fluids, but also to keep the body cool and to stay hydrated. This is also another way of meeting the body’s fluid requirement during the monsoons. Nimbu paani or lime juice is an ideal drink during the summer. You can add one teaspoon honey and a pinch of salt. If you suffer from any specific diseases, like diabetes, you should take the advice of your doctor regarding additives, like salt, sugar or honey, to cold drinks and fruit juices. Avoid aerated drinks and take fresh fruit juices instead. Fruit juices should be taken freshly extracted and diluted with water. Herbal drinks, containing extracts of rose and khus can also be taken during monsoons, as these are natural coolants have been used since ancient times.
Add a little lemon juice to herbal drinks. Instead of a hot cup of tea, take iced tea (without milk), adding one teaspoon honey, a little lemon juice and ice. Avoid heavy, spicy and fried food. Include clear soups, lassi, yogurt, fresh fruits, salads and sprouts in your daily diet. Fresh fruits and salads also contribute to the body’s requirement of water. In fact, nature provides us with the fruits that are suitable for the season. Instead of having rich desserts, take yogurt with honey, or fresh fruits. These make delicious desserts too”.
The monsoon weather blowing you every now and then, you might like the seasonal changes that makes you feel better. But meanwhile people forget to take care of their skin and health,as you know you need to take extra care of your skin and health during seasonal changes.
When asked why it's important to take care of skin especially in monsoon? Shahnaz says ''The skin is more prone to eruptions and heat rash during the monsoons. High humidity at this time poses a problem, especially for those with oily or combination skins. Sweat and oil secretions increase during the monsoons.
These are deposited on the skin, making it look dull. Oil and sweat also attract more dirt and pollutants, which adhere to the skin and lead to problems like pimples and rash.
An acne condition can also get aggravated. Pores get clogged. Rash, eruptions, open pores, dull skin are some of the skin problems during the monsoons''. And to prevent all these problems, there are some natural remedies that you can prepare by yourself at home which Shahnaz suggests the following, as listed below
1 . Fruit packs are ideal during this season. Mix together fruits like watermelon, mango, banana, apricot, and apply on the face. Wash off after half an hour. Oats, wheat bran, or ground almonds can be added to the pack.
2 . Mix cucumber juice with rose water and apply on the face. Wash off with plain water after 15 minutes. It works as an astringent toner, reducing oiliness and closing the pores.
For oily and blackhead prone skin, mix oats with egg white and apply on the face once or twice a week. When it dries, moisten with water and rub on the skin gently. Then wash off with plenty of water.
3. Mix multani mitti with rose water into a paste and apply on the face. Wash it off when it is dry.
4 . Boil neem leaves over a low fire. Cool and strain. Make a paste of the leaves and apply daily on the face. Wash it off with plain water after half an hour.
If anyone who ignore sunscreen during monsoons,here's what Shahnaz say about it, ''It is important to apply sunscreen during the monsoons, because they protect us from the UV rays of the sun, which are present during the day, even in cloudy weather. However, a non-oily sunscreen lotion may be used''.
We know that everyone is conscious about their skin. But if you think bleaching is one of the best way you are doing, you are quite wrong. She says:
''We do not advocate bleaching, as it dries out the skin. Facials may be taken during the Monsoons. For oily skin, the facial should not include massage with cream. It should comprise of cleansing, exfoliation, toning, mask and protection.
Dry skins, may be massaged with cream. However, in humid weather, the skin should be protected from pore clogging and rashes. We recommend application of a sandalwood protective cream mixed with matte moisturiser during the humid season''.
