We can not function without change. Whether it be a minor change in our diet plan or as major as seasonal change. Like any other thing every season has its own benefits and drawbacks but they are indeed an important thing for life. People have different tastes for seasons. Some people like the cold, jittery winds and dark evenings of winter, some like the colors of spring, some like the aura of dry yellow leaves of autumn and some like sunny, breezy and rainy days of summer. My concern here is related to my favorite and the ongoing season, summer. Summer may not be your favorite season of the year but it sure does strike the globe with lots of benefits for us. Apart from the scorching heat and hot air blowing on our faces in mid days of summer it has its own perks. For example: We got to eat lots of amazing fruits and get to wear all our beautiful, cool, vibrant, colorful clothes. In short, summer sure does come with a bang but we can not forget what this scorching heat of summer brings, an annoying, stinky procedure i.e, sweating which becomes one hell of a problem for skin especially oily skin and also causes quite a problem in make-up application. So I tried to come up with the solutions of all summer skin care problems and their solutions.
OILY SKIN
SKIN CARE:
Some of the most common problems for oily skinned people in summer is acne, break-outs, pores blockage and extra greasiness ( which causes a number of problems during make-up application) and to getting rid of these we often go for chemical creams. But ladies, here is one thing to keep in mind that before investing money in expensive chemical creams don’t forget to apply some simple home remedies first and keep your skin clean (wash your face whenever you come home from your regular face wash) , exfoliate properly (i.e., getting rid of dead cells) and keep your skin hydrated. Take oil free diet (mostly seasonal fruits and boiled vegetables) because you are what you eat.
1- Acne : When you go out and your skin directly faces heat it starts to sweat and due to excessive sweating your skin oil along with the dust and germs from the air blocks skin pores. Blocking of pores is what causes acne.
REMEDY: Fuller earth is the most effective thing for acne prone skin. A very basic and easy home remedy for acne is just take a spoon full of fuller earth and add a few drops of rose water in it ( add water drops gradually so you can control the thickness). Make a thick paste and apply it with a mask brush. Let it dry under a fan and wash after 20 mints. It will not only absorb the excess oil ( which is the main reason of acne) but also clears impurities and dark spots on skin.
2- Extra shine and stickiness: Excess oil on the skin due to UV rays makes skin shinier than usual and sticky. To avoid stickiness, moisturize your skin regularly. There is a misconception that moisturizing oily skin only increases shine but that is not true. If you want a healthy and fresh skin, keep it moisturized but don’t forget to use a water based moisturizer, or you can moisturize skin with a very cheap yet effective thing which is easily available at home: Take one egg white. Whisk it properly with a fork and add a few drops of lemon juice in it. Apply it on your face and wash when it dries.
MAKE-UP APPLICATION:
Applying make-up and getting glowing skin all day/night and enjoying the parties with full glitz and glamour sounds very positive until it is related to oily skin because oily skinned people are mostly stuck with blotting papers due to greasiness within an hour or two after their make-up. Here are some do’s and don’ts for oily skin make over.
1- Try out some home-made masks to control oil before make-up application. This one is quite helpful if you have enough time. Take a spoon full of lemon juice and honey. Mix them together and apply this thick pack for 20 mints.
2- Exfoliate your skin along with a toner. If you are using chemical creams for moisturizing or exfoliation they should be water based.
3- Use primers for both eyes and face or apply a make-up setting spray. This will help in blocking oil from coming to the upper surface of your skin.
4- Use powder bases and compact powders instead of liquid. Try to use mineral make-up.
5- Blend your make-up properly and add a final touch of setting spray.
NORMAL/COMBINATION SKIN
Normal or combination skin doesn’t seems to have a problem in summers as normal skin is when you don’t have any sensitivity or don’t have large open pores and have quite a radiant skin complexion. Combination skin is when you have dry or normal skin on some parts of the skin and oily on the T-zone i.e., forehead, nose and chin. Moreover they have slightly open pores as compared to normal skin and a bit shiny skin. Combination skin often have whiteheads and blackheads.
Do’s and Don’ts :
Don’t face direct sunlight or wear sunscreen while going in open.
Keep your skin clean, hydrated and moisturized.
Wipe out all your make-up properly before going to bed.
To treat blackheads and whiteheads exfoliate twice a week.
Take a healthy diet.
Apply oil-free primer before eye and face make up for combination skin.
Use compact powder only on the T-zone area.
DRY SKIN
Skin Care:
The warmth and joy that summer brings is cherished most by dry skinned people. This season is rather great news for such people as they kick off dry patches and crackling on their skin and take a fresh start with clear skin due to high moisture and humidity. The problem they have to face due to UV rays and environmental factors is of skin ageing, wrinkles and fine lines. To prevent this make sure to use day and night cream regularly and if you’re 40+ use anti ageing creams to avoid early wrinkles and loose skin. If your skin is extra dry you can replace your night cream with coconut oil or petroleum jelly. Have a good moisturizer in your regular use or you can use a home made one.
Ingredients: Papaya (1/2 ripe)
Honey 1 tbsp
Method: Mash the papaya and add honey in it. Apply it on face. Let it stay for half an hour and rinse it. Repeat this twice a week for glowing and smooth skin.
Make-up Application:
As said prior, summer doesn’t cause much damage to dry skin, and neither does make-up application seems to be a big problem. Just moisturize and exfoliate properly before applying make-up. Liquid foundations or beauty balms are more suitable for dry skin to avoid flaking and patches. Exfoliate dry lips with sugar and honey before applying lipsticks. Do not use compact/cake powder. Do not apply make up with finger as it will absorb the moisture from your skin.
These were few of the skin care hacks that we need on regular basis, but remember one thing that our skin is one of the vitals and it needs good care which is only possible with a good diet. So, eat healthy, drink water ( approx 8 glasses a day) and sleep properly for a radiant glow. Until next time
Regards,
