Five things to keep your skin healthy this summer

Are heat boils, tanned and dull-looking skin giving you trouble this summer? Then this is what you need to do to keep them off. 

Five skincare tips to beat the summer 

#1. Exfoliate

Exfoliate, and do it more often in the summers. More than the rest of the year, during summers there is an acceleration of dead skin cell accumulation. If you don’t get rid of them, your skin will look dull and dry. No matter how much lotion or anything else you use, you won’t have glowing skin if you do not exfoliate. Choose a light scrub for your face and body. Or make one at home using some oatmeal and milk or gram flour and yoghurt.

#2. Stay hydrated

All the heat and sweating can leave your body dehydrated and your skin dry. So drinking water and liquids at regular intervals becomes a must for soft, moisturised skin. It’s best to stick to water, green tea and fresh fruit juices (sans sugar), buttermilk and coconut water and the kind. Stay away from aerated drinks, they only do further damage to your skin.

#3. Sun protection

Try and stay indoors between peak sun time between 11 am and 3pm. Also, don’t ever step out without a generous application of your sunscreen. Dermatologist Juvitha Rasquinha stresses on sun screen with a higher SPF: “In the summer season, in addition to an increase in temperature, there in an increase in UV ray intensity that bears down upon the skin. Use of a sunscreen with SPF 30 preferably with a moisturiser is strongly recommended to prevent skin damage from the harsh sun in the summer months.” Also, cover your head, wear sunglasses… they make a difference.

#4. Cool your body

Summer is the time for heat boils and other such notorious skin conditions. A lot of the time, this has to do with body heat. Stock up on natural coolants like tender coconut water, buttermilk, or even barley water to help bring down the heat within your body. And you’ll watch those heat boils disappear.

#5. Want to remove tan? These might help:

Make a paste of one almond, 5 drops of lemon and a teaspoon of milk. Apply on face and leave it on overnight and wash with warm water the next morning. This helps even out complexion and will give you a healthy summer glow! You could also try coconut milk. Leave this too on all night. If you breakout often, then rub on tomato juice all over your face and leave for ten minutes. Do this a few times during the week to get rid of tan.