How to do skin care during festival

Diwali is here again. We brighten up our faces with a beautiful glow. Everyone wants to look their best, but unfortunately, they often end up looking at their worst due to the consumption of unhealthy rich food, stress due to hectic shopping, the pollution in the air due to incessant firecrackers and lack of time for skincare.

happy attitude to life and a stress-free mind is the most essential ingredient to get a special glow on skin, so you need to start making an effort to achieve that before you start the beauty routine. Having taken this initial step, let us move a step further. That is the skincare which is very important keeping in mind the added pollution and the stress.  

Precautions during Diwali :

Limit your sweet intake:  overdose on sugary and fried goodies, in a few days it'll start showing on your face -- breakouts, dull skin, weight gain, not to mention allergies thanks to the artificial colors and flavors that go into mass-produced sweets. Make sure to include plenty of fresh fruit and raw vegetables in your diet.

Don’t stop working out: Do not compromise on your health. Continue your exercise regime as usual and you'll be thankful at the end of the season that you didn't pile on the pounds.

Hydrate yourself: Use a water-based moisturizer frequently and drink plenty of water to hydrate your skin. Lukewarm water to which honey and lemon can be added takes away the puffiness of face caused by fluid retention at night.

Protect your skin from firecrackers: Stay at least six to seven feet away from lit fireworks. If you have sensitive skin, it's a good idea to tie a cotton scarf over your face while lighting or watching fireworks. Wash your face thoroughly with mild soap and water immediately afterward and follow up with a moisturizer. In case of burns, wash the area immediately with cool running water for 10 minutes or longer, till the burning sensation eases. Apply an antibiotic cream on mild burns and consult a doctor immediately.

Care from the skin : Excessive exposure to pollution can cause premature aging and wrinkles on the skin. Excessive humidity can cause acne eruption, fungal infections and a host of other skin diseases. Skin stays excessively sticky and greasy and should be washed every few hours with a gel face wash.

Basics of skincare:

Cleansing: Toxins from the body and pollutants from the environment give the skin a dull look. Instead of soap use a face wash. Gel or foam for normal to oily skin and crème cleansers for those with dry skin.

Makeup remover: For those using makeup, use extra makeup remover wipes prior to cleansing the face. Available with leading cosmetic brands, cold milk, as well as baby oil, is a good makeup remover especially for dry skins.

Moisturizing: Different skin types have different requirements. Choose from creams for dry skin, lotions for normal skin and gels for oily skin. No matter the skin type, always moisturize prior to sleeping.

Scrubbing: Exfoliation removes dead skin cells; but skin cells shed every 28 days so use scrub only once a week or once a month (depending on skin type). Use bran soaked in water, moong dal scrub or ones available in the market. Do not over scrub as it removes all moisture from the skin and may also harm the skin.

Masks: Fruits like papaya, banana have the capacity to dissolve toxins when applied, oily skin can use Multani mitti or clay pack.

Avoid cheaper formulas that tend to be less refined. And remember, contrary to popular belief, natural skincare is not always suitable for sensitive skin. You only have to be allergic to pollen to understand easily why natural can, in some cases, not be the way forward.' Says by Dr.Manju Keshari, Skin Expert and Senior Dermatologist at KEMPS Skin Clinic, Vaishali, Ghaziabad.