Take necessary steps for skin care, your skin will glow

By Sumati Bhardwaj | Category: Beauty | 09-06-2020

Good skin is clean, smooth, and free from spots and blemishes; however, as the body's outer layer, it is constantly affected by dust, dirt, pollution, cosmetics, and weather. Especially the skin on the face, which is more delicate and sensitive than the rest of the body, can fall prey to premature lines and wrinkles if not properly cared for, making one appear older. To bring a glow and firmness to the face and to keep it fresh in the coming season, some measures are described here that are useful for everyone.

  1. To maintain moisture in the skin, drink at least 8-10 glasses of water daily. This keeps the skin's temperature regulated, improves digestion, opens pores through sweating, and removes waste fluids from the body. The skin's radiance increases, so make a habit of drinking plenty of water for beautiful skin. If possible, drink water at a normal or lukewarm temperature. Additionally, wash your face by splashing it with plain water three to four times a day; use a gentle soap, scrub, or face wash only when bathing.

  2. Include plenty of green leafy vegetables, lentils, yogurt, and fruits in your diet. Daily consumption of vitamin C-rich foods like tomatoes, lemons, oranges, amla, and kiwi in any form will keep your skin youthful and radiant for a long time.

  3. Prolonged sun exposure not only affects the skin's complexion, but the sun's ultraviolet rays can also destroy its natural glow and create a risk of sunburn. Therefore, when going out in the sun, apply a sunscreen cream or lotion with at least SPF 30 on your face and other exposed areas. Walk in the shade, and wear sunglasses and use an umbrella to protect your eyes from the sun. After prolonged sun exposure or if there is a risk of sunburn, apply fresh, refrigerated aloe vera gel, or grated cucumber frozen into ice cubes on your face. Alternatively, you can place chilled watermelon slices on the skin for 20-25 minutes to soothe the heat and irritation.

  4. For cleansing the skin, besides using cleansing milk, you can clean your face with a cotton ball soaked in raw milk or cucumber juice. This will clean the pores and allow the skin to breathe easily. Once a week, use a powder made from gram flour or rice flour mixed with bran or dried and ground orange peels; add turmeric, lemon juice, and two drops of glycerin to it for cleansing. This removes dead skin cells and leaves the skin feeling fresh. While various scrubs are available in the market to remove dead skin cells, a homemade scrub made with 1 spoon of coffee and 3-4 drops of glycerin is the best.

  5. Moisturize your skin twice a day—after bathing and before sleeping at night. You can use any commercially available moisturizing lotion or cream, but for best results, apply a paste of chironji (soaked and ground in raw milk) or fresh aloe vera gel mixed with a few drops of almond or coconut oil on your face before bed. You will wake up to find your skin extremely soft, fresh, and supple.

  6. Once every fifteen to twenty days, massaging the face with an equal mixture of tomato, lemon, cucumber, and raw potato juice significantly improves the complexion. Additionally, soaking one tablespoon of whole masoor dal (red lentil) with its skin in milk for 4-5 hours, then grinding it into a fine paste and gently rubbing it on the face also enhances the skin's radiance. Commercially available bleaching creams can be used for brightening, but applying natural ingredients to the face not only improves the complexion but also does not cause any harm to the skin.

  7. A light facial massage and proper steaming once a month are also beneficial. After steaming, it is essential to apply a good face pack or mask. Homemade packs are better than those available in the market. Grate raw cabbage, carrots, cucumber, and raw potato in equal amounts and mix with one spoon of fresh cream, aloe vera gel, rice flour, and the oil from one vitamin E capsule. Apply this pack on the face and neck, and wash it off with lukewarm water after 20-25 minutes. Alternatively, beat one egg white with 5-6 drops of honey, then mix in a spoonful of yogurt and cornflour to make a thick paste and apply it to the face. These homemade remedies are excellent for all skin types.

  8. Finally, make exercise a part of your daily routine, stay away from stress, and get plenty of sleep. Your skin will always look fresh and radiant.