HYDERABAD: September is Skincare Awareness Month and with the increasing anxiety pertaining to the spike in the Covid-19 positive cases coupled with total cut-down on social outings for entertainment, excursions, gatherings and more. No wonder then that the inherent stress, which keeps building silently up, adds to more sleepless nights, unnecessary worrying, and snapping at the drop of a hat. It leads to sallow skin combined with dullness coupled with acne, dark circles, and patches. And no it won’t just disappear with over-the-counter gels or lotions.
You need expert advice. Beauty expert Shahnaz Husain offers quick tips for a healthier acne-prone skin even during these troubled times. She says, “Acne is one of the most common skin conditions. It can lead to deep, permanent scars. So, it is important that the condition be controlled before spreading. Consult a skincare clinic or specialist in good time. Acne occurs mainly on oily skin and starts with a blackhead. Avoid neglecting blackheads. After cleansing, apply an astringent lotion.”
Smooth tones
She further shares the goodness of green tea as a cupful has an astringent effect and reduces oiliness when applied on the face. The tip is to soak green tea leaves or a teabag in hot water for half an hour. Cool and strain and apply the liquid on the skin. Another way is to apply Sandalwood paste on the eruptions. In some acute cases, she suggests mixing together one teaspoon cinnamon powder, half teaspoon methi seed powder, lemon juice and a few drops of honey. It should be a sticky paste. Apply it only on pimples or acne and leave on for an hour. Shahnaz shares another quick tip, “Add two drops of tea tree oil to two tablespoons of rose water. Applying this helps.”
Eye care
Many people are also not able to sleep due to anxiety given the spike in the positive cases. It happens because the skin around the eyes is quite delicate and thinner than the rest of the face. It has no oil glands and is one of the first areas to manifest problems like dark circles and puffiness. These problems can develop due to less hours of sleep, illness, stress, nutritional deficiencies and absence of proper skincare. The Padma Shri awardee and beauty expert offers suggestions, “For puffiness, try some simple home remedies: Apply a compress of cold water directly over closed lids. Grated potatoes or potato juice, applied around the eyes also helps. So do tea bags. Steep them in hot water, allow to cool; use them as eye pads. Include the area around eyes in daily skincare. Extremely gentle movements and a light touch are essential.”
Tips for sparkling eyes
Mix cucumber juice and egg white. Apply under your eyes daily for 20 minutes. Wash off with plain water. Before going out in the sun, apply a sunscreen lotion sparingly under the eyes. Add a drop of water to it before applying, to give a lighter coverage. For dark circles, apply pure almond oil sparingly around the eyes and massage it lightly on the skin, using only the ring finger, for one minute under each eye. Leave on for 15 minutes and wipe off gently with moist cotton wool.