5 SUMMER ESSENTIALS FOR YOUR SKIN
Summer is already here and your skin must be at the mercy of sweat, oil, dirt and bacteria. Dr Kiran Lohia shares a few tips to help you sail through the season.
Oh, the glories of sun and humidity. It’s essential to take care of your skin throughout the summer season to help your skin do its job better and longer. And, guess what it’s not hard to do so with these 5 summer skincare essentials mentioned below:
Sunscreen – If you don’t have a sunscreen, then that’s the first thing you should be investing in for not just summer but year-round, no matter the weather! It protects against UVA and UVB rays and keeps your skin healthy and happy. Apply two tbsp of sunscreen 15 to 30 minutes before stepping outside and reapply it after every two hours. Why do you need so much sunscreen? It needs to form a barrier strong enough to withstand those sun rays. If the barrier is weak with too little sunscreen, then it doesn’t work.
Change Your Moisturiser – I know it sounds crazy, but a moisturiser is great for summers. It may feel like it is too much on the skin because it will clog the pores, the reality is that if you choose a nice water-based lotion or gel, you will hydrate without occluding. Heat makes us sweat more and lose moisture, so it’s very important to use a lightweight moisturiser in this season. Moisturising is also very important if you spend a lot of time in an air-conditioned environment as that blowing cold dry air can dry out your skin, making your wrinkles and fine lines more pronounced.
Salicylic Acid-Based Cleanser – Summer is the cruellest season of all and can be very sweaty, so it is best to keep a cleanser with you all the time to get cleaner skin, on the go, all summer long. Importantly, look for cleansers with salicylic acid that cut through the grease. They exfoliate within the pores, thereby reducing that extra sebum production and preventing those unwanted zits. Get a gentle, pH-balanced facial cleanser according to your skin type. Don’t overdo it as too much cleansing can cause dryness and irritation.
Lip Balm With Sunblock – Lips need extra care all year round as they lack the natural glands to keep them moist. With the high heat, not only will your lips get dry, they also can get pigmented. Yes, your lips can get pigmentation too! So, get a lip balm with an SPF of 15 or higher to hydrate, soothe and protect your dry lips, and reapply copious amounts regularly to keep that sunblock and moisture fresh.
Blotting Paper – Now all of us want to wash our faces throughout the day during the summer heat, but the more you wash the more it will damage your skin. Our bodies are physiologically designed for balance, so when you overwash, you overdry your skin and it decides to start overproducing oil to compensate. You end up in a terrible skin cycle. Instead of washing your face more than 2-3 times a day, look for blotting papers to reduce oil on the skin. You will look fresher, and you won’t dehydrate your skin.
Dr Kiran Lohia is renowned as the top skin specialist in Delhi. She has the distinction of being one of the few physicians worldwide with both Cosmetic Formulation and Dermatology degrees, making her a worldwide expert on skin care products and their topical applications. Follow her on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram and website.
