Monsoon Glow 101

Tired of bad skin and messy hair in the rainy season? Here’s how you can turn things around

Little changes in your beauty routine can go a long way in keeping your skin and hair glowing this season. Here’s what you need to keep in mind to keep dazzling in the drizzle:

Keep your skin clean

Splash cold or lukewarm water on your face. You can also use a mild facepack. Tone your skin at night after moisturising to close the open pores. If you have dry skin, you may skip this part. Use a light moisturiser.

Get rid of dead skin

A gentle exfoliating scrub can be used twice a week. This will get rid of the dead skin cells, give a glow and reduce blackheads and whiteheads.

Sunproof yourself

You can get a tan even during monsoons. The high UV index combined with high humidity levels destroys the skin. At the same time, using a sunscreen is a challenge as we tend to sweat and drip during this season. Go for water-resistant sunscreens with SPF of 30 or more.

Try a sexy bun

During rains, do not leave your hair loose/open as they can get oily after mingling with the rainwater and sweat. You can accessorise your bun with colourful hats, caps and bandanas.

Facemask for your skin

Use a facemask two-three times a week to reduce griminess. Go for fruit facials as they work as mild peels. A mask made of tomato juice or cucumber juice leaves the skin cool and fresh. You can also apply fresh cut fruit pieces on the face.

Healthy diet

Go for bright fruits and vegetables available at this time of the year. Snack on blueberries, strawberries, melons and pears, which are rich in anti-oxidants.

Stay hydrated

Dehydration can occur due to excessive loss of water and salts with sweat. This water needs to be replaced. An adult female needs about 2 litres of water and an adult male, about 2.5 litres of water. This can be had as clear water, tender coconut water (which also replaces the salts) or green tea (a rich source of anti-oxidants).

Don’t be lazy, work-out:

An active lifestyle and regular physical exercise of 30 to 45 minutes a day will stimulate blood flow to skin and other organs. The increased oxygen supply and feel-good hormones during exercise leave you with a clear, rosy complexion.

Treat yourself to head massages:

Go for gentle massages twothree times a week with coconut or olive oil. Besides being relaxing, the movements increase blood and nutrients supply to the scalp skin, and the oil moisturises the hair shaft, thereby reducing split ends. If the oil is left on the hair, it works as a magnet for environmental dust and pollutants, so shampoo it off in an hour.