Nourish your skin in humid conditions

In monsoon oily skins look even more oily and dull, due to sweat and oil secretions being deposited on the skin. Sweat on the skin and scalp also attract dirt and pollutants from the atmosphere more easily.

Deep pore cleansing with facial scrubs is important, in order to keep the pores free of clogged oil and dirt. After washing or cleansing the skin in the morning, use a facial scrub twice a week. Apply it on the face and rub gently on the skin in a circular motion.

Then, rinse off with plenty of plain water. You can make a facial scrub at home. For oily skin, mix rice flour with a little rose water. For normal to dry skin, mix the rice flour with curd. Or, you can mix ground almonds with curd. For oily skins, a scrub can be used daily. For dry skin, use it twice a week.

For extremely dry and sensitive skin, avoid scrubs. It is important to rinse the face well with water in order to get rid of all residues and sweat deposits. In fact, during the rainy season, wash the face several times with plain water. Night time cleansing is a must, to remove the impurities that have collected on the skin during the day.

A flower based skin tonic or freshener is a boon in humid weather. Rose water can be mixed with witch hazel to make a refreshing skin tonic. Witch hazel will be available at a pharmacy. For oily skin, mix them in equal quantities.

For dry skin, mix one part witch hazel with three parts rose water. Keep the mixture in a bottle in the fridge. Wipe the face with it, using cotton wool pads. It not only refreshes the skin, but also helps to tighten the pores and prevent spots and pimples.

In humid weather, the skin can be prone to blackheads and eruptions. Preventing blackheads helps in the prevention of acne. If there are blackheads, a facial scrub should be used on the blackhead-prone areas. But do not apply scrubs on acne, pimples or rash.

The scrub can also be applied on open pores and the marks left by acne. Or, mix oatmeal with egg white and apply on the face twice a week. Wash it off when it is dry. Stubborn blackheads should be removed at a skin-care clinic, by a trained therapist, using proper methods. Pinching blackheads, or trying to remove them at home, not only leads to infection, but also scarring.

Avoid touching the face, without washing your hands and never pick or pinch blackheads and pimples.
Oily products, like heavy nourishing creams, should not be used when the weather is humid. If your skin is dry, you will find it looking and feeling better during the Monsoons.

A light, liquid moisturizer should serve your purpose, both to keep the skin moisturized and as a base for make-up.

If you are out during the day, carry a small bottle of skin tonic in your handbag, so that you can use it whenever the skin feels sweaty and greasy. Wet tissues and skin cleansing pads are also useful for refreshing the skin. After wiping the face with wet tissue, use compact powder. It helps to refresh the skin and remove the oily look.

By: Shahnaz Hussain