During the holiday season, we often focus the most on our looks. After all, between Diwali card parties, Durga Puja pandals, mehendi to pheras, Christmas to New Year, it’s the busiest time in our social calendars. To have a glowing face is the easiest way to feel and look your best.
Be it men or women, getting that perfect look helps you be more confident. I often meet men who grow out beards that may not suit them due to their sallow and dull skin. With just a few adjustments in your everyday routine, the beard becomes a choice, not a necessity.
Your skin tells your story.
To make sure it gets a glow of a lifetime, you need to understand that your physical and mental health reflect on your skin.
Dullness is caused by accumulation of dead skin. And there are a plethora of reasons for it. The most common ones are dryness, dehydration, uneven skin texture, stress, lack of sleep, chronic sun exposure, and pollution among others.
Here are some basic ways to take care of yourself and your skin:
Moisturise
Your skincare routine should include washing your face twice a day, using a toner to even out the pores and moisturising day and night to help maintain the nourishment.
H2-Woah
Hydration is key to healthy skin. Drink two to three litres of water each day and add lime or ginger to it for an immunity boost. Hydration maintains the elasticity of skin and helps flush out the toxins in the body, giving you pique skin health.
Sunscreen is a saviour
A common misconception is that you just need to dab a bit of sunscreen in the morning and you’re good for the day. When in fact, sunscreen is your pocket-sized skin protector for all-day use.
Men, in particular, should include it into their daily routine. Ideally, one should apply an ample amount of sunscreen with SPF 26+, equivalent to about half the length of a finger.
It’s essential to use sunscreen not only in the morning but also in the evening, especially if you’re going to a location that has a lot of exposure to light.
Also read: Your skin needs a first-aid box. It can come in handy for your dog too
Healthy diet = healthy skin
Like most things in life, skin health is all about diet. Eating a nutritional meal with balanced carbohydrates, protein, fats and fiber makes for a consistent skin texture. Foods with high water content, such as watermelon and soups are the best foot forward when focusing on skin health. Sugar is the worst offender because the insulin spikes caused by its consumption lead to inflammation, which, in turn, can make your skin look lifeless.
A diet rich in fresh vegetables and fruits is also a diet rich in antioxidants, and your skin will thank you for it. To optimise your diet, add zinc-rich foods to it like whole grains, nuts, and poultry. Antioxidants protect the skin from damage and aging, while zinc supports the healthy functioning of oil glands for skin repair.
Sweat it out
Regular exercise is a sure shot way to care for your skin. Aerobic exercises, such as cardio, enhance blood circulation, and help in removing toxins from the body. Working out also lowers inflammation levels, thus reducing flare-ups and breakouts.
General guidelines recommend 150 minutes of aerobic activity per week to keep a healthy heart and mind. But even 10-15 minutes of daily exercise can keep your skin fresh. If you can include meditation into your routine with cardio, you’re giving yourself a good chance at the fountain of youth.
Exfoliation is everything
Exfoliation, to scrub off the dead skin, is a must for both men and women. I would recommend it one to three times per week, depending on your skin type.
My favourite face pack—suited for all genders, skin types and age group—is a mixture of tomato juice and sandalwood powder. It’s a soothing pack and beneficial for Indian skin and its pigmentation patterns.
Other products such as lemon, sugar scrubs, honey, yogurt, cucumber, Fuller’s earth (multani mitti), and sandalwood are all tried and tested for a better glowing skin.
Support your skin
For women, using makeup that is gentle on the skin bridges the gap between skincare and self-confidence. For men, using hair fiber sprays for thinning hair can make a world of a difference. It can last up to 48 hours and can resist water, be it a shower or a swimming pool.
Of course, if you’re dealing with a major baldness pattern, it is better to get proper treatment for it. Keeping your hair and makeup top-notch improves your skin’s radiance.
Also read: That cream you are applying won’t lighten your scar. It requires deeper treatment
Boost the basics
There are more than a few ways to ensure your skin stays healthy and glowing.
Those who have scars won’t benefit from just water and sunscreen. They need additional products such as hyaluronic acid or serums that plump up the skin and lighten scars.
For women who apply makeup, make sure your base is a sunscreen (gel for those with oily skin, cream-based for dry skin). Finish it up with a matte finish foundation and never use primer directly if you want your future self to thank you.
It is equally important to take off makeup to let your skin breathe. I prefer using oil on a cotton ball to remove eye makeup and lipstick, but the key is to always have a set routine for makeup removal.
Start by washing your face with rose or cucumber water. Then use a face cleanser on a cotton ball to deep-clean your face, not missing out on the inner canthus of your eyes and chin. Follow it up with a serum and night cream. This routine helps cope with the skin damage one must have endured during the day due to environmental factors and prevents clogged pores due to makeup.
In any routine, be it day or night, it is important to seal the skin with moisturiser. Keep your face slightly wet while applying the moisturiser to make sure it gets absorbed more deeply into the skin, almost “locking” it in.
The serum+cream combination is underrated and, in my experience, has been a game changer for people of all age groups. Those with acne prone skin can use an acne cream with niacinamide and get a dewy glow. As someone who uses bare minimum makeup, niacinamide has been a blessing to even out my skin tone, calm down any blemish and bring my glow up.
But as a doctor, I will say one thing—all of this won’t work if you don’t prioritise your internal well-being. Positive thinking, navigating stress, getting adequate sleep, maintaining a proper diet and taking supplement—all give you a healthy glow.
In the upcoming winter season, it’s better to learn how to cope in stressful situations than let your skin take the brunt of it.
Dr Deepali Bhardwaj is a dermatologist, anti-allergy specialist, laser surgeon and internationally trained aesthetician. She tweets @dermatdoc. Views are personal.
(Edited by Ratan Priya)