Summer Skincare Tips by Dr. Jamuna Pai
Don't let the summer sun wreak havoc on your skin. Here are a few tips and remedies that will help your skin get through the season nourished, hydrated and protected.
Avoid direct sunlight as far as possible.
Apply sunscreen with SPF 20 or 30 and repeat the application every 2-3 hours.
Wear appropriate clothing which covers the exposed areas of the body to protect it from sunlight.
Drink lots of water to keep the body hydrated.
Have fresh fruits & vegetables which have high water content like watermelon, muskmelon, grapes, cucumber and lettuce.
Avoid hot, spicy and fried food during summer.
During the summer months, due to heat and humidity levels rising tremendously, the sebaceous glands get over active leading to excess of sebum production. Avoid using harsh abrasives and soap on your face as they can aggravate skin pore enlargement. Try to keep your face free of excess oils as it keeps your pores clean and healthy. Use cleansers and toners that are mild and enriched with AHA (alpha hydroxyl acids) or salicylic acid. They help keep the acid mantle undisturbed and at the same time doesn't make your skin look shiny.
Exfoliation helps to keep these dead cells to a bare minimum thereby leaves the skin looking refreshed. There is no reason why should it not be followed during the summers. This is the time where accumulation of sweat, dirt, grime along with the sebum gives a dull and lifeless appearance to the skin. It’s best to exfoliate the skin 2 to 3 times a week.
Mechanical exfoliation with crushed apricot kernels, orange peel powder helps to remove the dead skin cells gently. Natural face packs containing curd, besan, turmeric, egg white, citrus fruits like orange, papaya & tomatoes help in mild exfoliation, lightening and smoothening of the skin texture.
You can use additional protection by wearing light colour clothes which deflect the sun’s rays, wear broad rimmed hats, sun glasses and if possible carry an umbrella. To help lessen the tan, there are a few packs that you can make at home depending on your skin type. For oily skin you can make a pack with grated cucumber + multani mitti (fuller’s earth) and apply on the face. Leave this pack on the face for 15 minutes and wash off gently.
If your skin is dry, a pack of cucumber mixed with oats and almonds kept in the fridge can be applied to give a cooling and detanning effect. For severe tanning and dry skin the best remedy is to mix sugar, lemon juice and glycerin and scrub the area gently in circular motion. Aloe vera soothes the skin, so can be applied to skin that is tanned and also on the rashes to bring relief from itching.
Take 3 peeled cucumbers and grate them. Add 4-5 almonds to it, put it in the blender to make a paste. Refrigerate it and apply the cool mask on tanned or sun burned skin to help soothe the skin as well as lift off the tan.
Mix about 2 teaspoons of fresh tomato juice with a few drops of lemon juice. Apply this to your face at least once a day, allow it to dry and then rinse your face once more. This will help to control sebum production, but at the same time, won’t make your skin too dry.
Take 2 tbsp of curds, few drops of lime juice and 2 pinch of turmeric powder. Make a paste of smooth consistency and apply on the face. Rinse off after 20 mins. It helps in drying the acne as well as lightening of marks.
Mix a teaspoon each of milk powder, honey, lemon juice, and almond oil. Apply on the face and wash after 15 minutes. This brings glow to the skin and removes darkness due to tanning.
Cut a potato in half and finely grate it to extract out most of the juice. Spread this paste across your skin, allow it to dry and then rinse it off with water. Potato having natural bleaching properties will help lighten the pigmented patches. Use this pack twice a day for several weeks, or until you achieve your desired results.
Take half a cup of apple cider vinegar and dilute it with a cup full of water. Pour this on your hair after shampooing. It helps to restore the shine to the sun-damaged dry and brittle hair.
Click here for Summer skincare treatment options at Blush Clinics.
