Is your skin sun kissed or sun burned?

As you tire of soothing your parched throat and struggle to shield yourself from the sun, you angrily wipe the sweat beads off your face. In all certainty, summer is here. Stepping out into the open - to take public transport, to deal with the parking boys as you hand out your car keys or to get yourself a cold drink during lunch break, each day is a battle against the unrelenting weather. 

It is easy to forget that your skin needs special attention because you are caught up meeting deadlines and taking up more work to make the most of the longer summer days. Use this checklist to prepare your skin for, protect it from and flaunt it despite the onslaught of the hot and humid season.

Prepare

Whether or not you believe in the saying what you eat makes who you are, you would agree that eating light food and drinking plenty of water keeps you cool even on the hottest days. What is also true is that eating green vegetables and fruits keeps your skin healthy during the summer months when the skin is prone to infections and outbreak of acne.


Watch your diet

• Treat your body regularly with green vegetables. Add cabbage, kale and sprouts to your daily meals in order to keep your skin healthy even when exposed to the harsh weather conditions. Salads made with seasonal vegetables such as cucumber, tomatoes and mint leaves will refresh your skin.
• Avoid eating fried and fatty food because they add to the heat in your body and may result in acne.
• You must ensure that you eat loads of fresh seasonal fruits each day. Look for juicy fruits such as watermelon, oranges and papaya since these contain water that keeps your skin hydrated.
• Consumption of fish oil that is rich in Omega 3 fatty acids helps retain skin moisture. Don't forget to eat nuts such as almonds to get your quota of good fats. Opt for peanut butter over normal butter to balance your intake of fatty acids.

Drink like a fish

• Drinking water is the best way to hydrate oneself in summer. If the skin is not well-hydrated it can crack, chafe and peel. The skin may also become sweaty and oily on humid summer days, so hydrating it will help wash the oil away.
• Avoid caffeine or aerated drinks as they are acidic in nature and work as diuretic, leading to severe water loss.
• Introduce a lot of cool drinks such as coconut water, fresh lime, fruit juice, aam panna and glucose-based drinks in your diet. Even low-fat dairy fluids like lassi and buttermilk are helpful. Crushes, smoothies and milk shakes will also help your skin beat the heat.

Protect

Whatever you do, stepping out into the sun is something most women cannot avoid. Exposure to its harsh rays not only dries your skin, it can also lead to early wrinkles, dark spots and patches. Protecting it is the primary concern during summer.

Screen the sun

• Sunscreen protects the skin by copying the function of the body's natural screen, melanin. When picking a sunscreen, you should look for protection from both UVA and UVB rays. A sunscreen within the range of SPF 15-30 is ideal for the Indian skin. The SPF value that you pick should depend on the amount of sun exposure you face.
• Sunscreen should be applied at least 20 minutes before going out in the sun. In case you have very oily skin and the sunscreens make you sweat, you should apply a light moisturiser with adequate UV protection.
• Re-apply the sunscreen every four to five hours, irrespective of its SPF value, to ensure proper protection from the burning sun.
• Select a sunscreen with moisturiser or wear it about 10 minutes after you apply a moisturiser.

Wrap yourself up

• It is best to wear cotton clothing in summer. Avoid silk or synthetic clothes since they can irritate the skin. If possible wear full-sleeved clothes to prevent your arms from tanning.
• Cover the exposed parts of your body with an umbrella, a hat or a scarf.
• Wear proper sunglasses to shield the sensitive skin around your eyes from the sun.
• Flaunt
• When the sun brings you down, flaunt your flawless skin to lift your mood. But don't forget to first reverse the damage the sun has already done.

Can the tan

• To reduce the tan, use a natural bleach. Curd helps reduce the tan drastically but you will need to repeat it for a few days.
• A temporary sun tan will fade on its own within two-three weeks. However a deep tan may require exfoliation treatments such as body polishing, mild face cleaning, herbal facial with fruits, natural and organic ingredients, manicure and pedicure.

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Replenish the moisture

Dehydration affects the skin the most during summer months. Due to the heat, you sweat and your body ends up losing water as well as necessary minerals. The skin needs a light moisturiser to replenish and retain its natural moisture content. Even if it's oily in summer, use an oil-control moisturising cream that will help your skin remain smooth, supple and look fresh. 
 

Cool home remedies

• Mash ripe papaya and apply it on the face. Leave for 15-20 minutes before washing it off.
• Use a paste made of two spoons of besan, a pinch of turmeric, raw milk and lemon juice.
• Apply aloe vera gel to reduce and ease the inflammation caused by sun burns.

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