New Year Skincare Tips from Shahnaz Husain
Beauty Guru Shahnaz Husain lists down a few tips for the perfect skincare routine in 2021.
It is time for a New You in the New Year. It is also time to achieve skin beauty. Remember that seasonal changes influence the skin. The New Year comes during winter and the dry season when the skin loses moisture to the air. So, your skincare routine should help to prevent moisture loss and replenish moisture.
There are many harmful air pollutants in urban areas, which can actually irritate the skin. So, proper cleansing, according to skin type is very important. If the skin is very dry, avoid soap. Cleanse twice a day, with a cleansing cream or gel, containing aloe vera. Apply the cleanser and wipe it off with moist cotton wool. For combination skin, use cleansing milk and for oily skin, a face wash containing ingredients like neem and tulsi is ideal. Apply it on the face and wipe off with moist cotton wool and rinse off the face wash. After cleansing in the morning, tone the skin, using rose water or rose-based skin tonic. Using cotton wool, wipe the skin and then pat it briskly.
Moisture is most important for the skin. Moisture helps to keep the skin soft, smooth, and supple. Moisturizers are available in both liquid and cream forms. For dry and dehydrated skin, it is better to use a moisturizing cream. A liquid moisturizer should be used under make-up. For combination skin, apply a moisturizing lotion, while for normal to oily skin, apply non-oily products, like a matte moisturizer mixed with a sandalwood cream. Apply sunscreen before going out in the sun to protect the skin from moisture loss. For dry and dehydrated skin, a sun block cream is better, while for oily skin, use a sunscreen gel.
Normal to dry skins should also be nourished with a good night cream. Look for a nourishing cream, containing ingredients rich in Vitamins A and E. Spread the cream lightly on the face. After cleansing, apply the nourishing cream and massage it on the skin, with upward and outward movements, for 3 to 4 minutes. Then wipe off all cream with moist cotton wool before bedtime.
There are certain areas of the face that also need special care. The skincare methods for these areas are the same for all skin types.
Eyes: Apply an outer-eye cream around the eyes and wipe it off after 10 minutes, with moist cotton wool. Do not massage the skin around the eyes, as the skin can get pulled or stretched. The skin around the eyes is very delicate and should be treated very gently.
Lips: The skin on the lips is also very thin and lacks oil glands. That is why it can become dry and chaps easily. Remove lipstick from the lips every night, using a cleansing gel. After cleansing, apply an almond cream on the lips and leave it on all night.
Here are some home remedies: For all skin types, apply aloe vera gel daily on the face and wash off with plain water after 15 minutes.
For dry skin, take four tablespoons of honey, one cup of milk, four teaspoons of wheat germ oil. Mix together and keep in a glass jar with a lid. Apply a little of this lotion on the face, neck, and hands daily. Rinse off with water after 15 minutes.
For oily skin, take 100 ml rose water and add one teaspoon pure glycerin. Mix well and keep in an airtight bottle. Apply a little of this lotion to relieve dryness on the face and hands.
For a face mask, mix half a teaspoon honey, one teaspoon rose water and one teaspoon dried milk powder. Mix into a paste and apply on the face. Remove after 20 minutes with water.
Diet also helps to achieve glowing skin. Also, in these times of the Covid pandemic, our diet should not only help the skin but also strengthen our immune system. So, have citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables, orange vegetables, and fruits, like papaya and carrots. Fruit and vegetable juices, freshly extracted are ideal. They provide nutrition and cleanse the system. There is no doubt that if the body is supplied with adequate nutrients and wastes are eliminated efficiently, we can achieve healthy, glowing skin in the New Year.
*Views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to Beaute Espace Media/Beauty Launchpad India