Now that the monsoon is here, our skin, hair and well-being take a beating too. Team Viva speaks to the experts to elaborate on home hacks to fight the menace
While the monsoon is much-awaited for the relief that the showers bring after the hot dry summer heat, the season can also bring unending woes for your general health and well-being. The increase in humidity, grime and pollution intensifies your skin, hair and systemic woes. And in an age of herbalism, there are many preventives that lie in our homes and which can be put to good use.
Skin
Shahnaz Husain
High humidity during the monsoon poses a problem, especially for those with oily or combination skins. Oily skins look even more oily and dull due to sweat and oil secretions. In turn, the sweat on the skin attracts dirt and pollutants from the atmosphere, further aggravating problems.
Skin fresheners play a crucial role in a skin care routine during the hot and humid season. They restore the normal skin balance, keep the pores unclogged, stimulate blood circulation to the skin surface and keep the skin glowing. Rose water makes a good toner and freshener. One can also use green tea, apple cider vinegar, cucumber juice and even white wine to tone the skin.
A flower-based skin tonic or freshener is a boon in humid weather. Keep rose skin tonic or rose water in the fridge. Wipe your face often with it often using cotton wool pads. This refreshes the skin and also tightens the pores.
To further enhance its benefits, mix rose water with cucumber juice and apply on skin. Combining the mix with lemon juice reduces oiliness and tones the skin. Cucumber slices can be rubbed on the skin to cool and refresh it.
Add one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to one-and-a-half cup water. Soak cotton wool pads and use. This is a good skin toner. White wine is another good toner. Soak cotton wool pads in it and wipe the skin while patting it briskly. Deep pore cleansing with a facial scrub is essential, to keep them free of hardened oil. Use a facial scrub twice a week. Apply it on the face and rub gently on the skin, using a circular motion. Then, rinse off with plain water.
Clays like Fuller’s Earth (multani mitti) have a cooling effect and reduces oiliness. Mix one tablespoon Fuller’s Earth with rose water. Apply on the face and wash it off after 15 to 20 minutes.
Mix cucumber juice (or pulp) with two teaspoons powdered milk and one egg white. Make a smooth paste. Apply on face and neck and rinse off with water after half an hour.
If there is rash, pimples or acne, wash the face with a medicated soap or cleanser twice a day, morning and night. Buy an astringent lotion and mix it with rose water in equal quantities. Wipe the face with the mix, using cotton wool, several times a day. Apply sandalwood paste on eruptions.
J Tara Herron, director, The Imperial Spa and Salon
The humidity is good for your skin and helps impurities flow out from deep within the pores and also keeps hydration at a maximum. So this is a great time to do regular exfoliation and cleansing rituals using dried crushed rose petals with soothing aloe vera gel blended with lemon juice for oily skin or rose water for dryer skin conditions.
Eyes can become puffy at this time of year, so it’s good to make your own morning or bedtime cooling eye ritual. Just soak a couple of chamomile tea bags or green tea bags in warm water in a small bowl to start the diffusion, cover, and put in the fridge. In the morning when you get up apply the cotton wool pads to your eyes for five-seven minutes and see the amazing results. It is always good to apply a little eye balm to hydrate the delicate eye tissue after the treatment to keep the skin rejuvenated.
Krishan Rawat, salon manager, Hyatt Regency Delhi
Use a soap-free cleanser and a good scrub to keep your skin moist at all times. Follow it up with an alcohol-free toner as the high humidity could open up your pores
Often people stop using sunscreen once the climate turns cool, but one must continue to do it even if it is cloudy.
The high humidity during monsoon means that heavy make-up would result in streaks across the face. It would be better to opt for water-proof make-up. A lotion-based serum, which keeps the skin rehydrated and brightens it up is strongly recommended.
Jayan A. Narayanan, manager, NeoVeda Spa, The Metropolitan Hotel & Spa
Add a night cream to your monsoon skin care regime as it rejuvenates your skin. Try using saffron and sandalwood infused products for this season as saffron is potent in revitalising the circulatory system while sandalwood nourishes the skin leaving it soft and supple.
Always clean and exfoliate your skin before going to bed with Ayurvedic soap or face wash. Also, avoid heavy makeup during this season as they tend to open pores thus making your skin prone to pimples and spots.
Use a good sunscreen with high SPF level in this season also. Whether it is cloudy or sunny, it protects you from the harsh UV rays and depigmentation.
Hair
Shahnaz Husain
High humidity during the monsoon poses a problem for the hair too. It becomes limp soon after shampooing and loses its shine, body and bounce. The hair also tends to become frizzy, matted and rough. Shampoo hair more frequently during the rainy season especially if the hair is oily. Use a mild herbal shampoo. Rinse your hair well to get rid of all soapy residues. Even short, layered hair require frequent shampoos to maintain body and style.
In cases of sticky dandruff, where the flakes stick to the scalp, hot oil therapy is very useful. Heat sesame seed (til) oil or olive oil. Apply the oil on the scalp with cotton wool, rubbing gently to dislodge the flakes. Then dip a towel in hot water, squeeze out the water and wrap it around the head, like a turban. Keep it on for five minutes. Repeat the hot towel wrap three or four times. leave the oil on overnight. Next morning, apply the juice of a lemon on the scalp and wash your hair after 20 minutes.
Avoid rich conditioners, unless you have very dry hair. Try herbal hair rinse like tea and lemon These can be made by boiling used tea leaves in enough water. Cool this mixture and use it as a rinse after cooling the liquid post shampooing. lemon juice added to a mug of water can also be used as a last rinse. It helps to reduce oiliness and also maintains a PH balance.
Another rinse can be made with marigold flowers. This is particularly useful during hot and humid season. Add a handful of fresh or dried marigold flowers to three cups of hot water. Allow it to stand for an hour. Strain and cool the water and use as a final rinse. It is specially beneficial for dandruff.
To remove dandruff add two handfuls of neem leaves to four cups of hot water. let it stand overnight. Next morning, strain the liquid and rinse hair. It relieves itching and keeps the scalp healthy and free from infections. It is useful in treating dandruff. A paste can be made with the soaked neem leaves and applied on the scalp. It should be rinsed off with water after half an hour.
Some people are also plagued by bad scalp odour due to sweat and oily secretions. To combat this add the juice of a lemon and half a cup of rose water to a mug of water and use it as a last rinse. Alternatively, use a few drops of Eau de cologne to a mug of water and use as a last rinse.
Henna is helpful in cleansing and conditioning the hair. Take two tablespoons of henna and mix four teaspoons each of lemon juice and coffee, two eggs and enough tea water to mix into a paste. Apply on the hair and wash off after half an hour.
To keep the body healthy, during monsoon, pay attention to your diet. The body loses a lot of fluids due to excessive sweating. Drink extra fluids to flush the system. Keep yourself hydrated with water, nimbu paani and fresh fruit juices. Add the juice of a lemon to a glass of water and have it first thing in the morning. Include salads, fruits, sprouts and yoghurt in your daily diet.
J Tara Herron
In this humid weather it is essential that hair should be enriched with oils and proteins. Apply warm Moroccan Argon Oil with one mashed ripe avocado to give your hair a super-enriched treatment. Wrap a warm wet towel around your head and leave the mixture for an hour. Wash off with a hydrating shampoo and oil-based conditioner.
Another hair boost is to massage you scalp with coconut oil mixed with pure essential oils of sandalwood and rose and leave overnight. Shampoo in the morning. To control the frizz, use a powerful heat protecting product while using ionized hair straightening irons for an elegant look or allow bouncy curls.
Krishan Rawat
While stepping out of the house, ensure that your hair is completely dry, else it turns frizzy. Use a mild deep cleansing shampoo at least twice a week. A good hair oil massage boosts the moisture in your hair. Condition it by taking a small quantity and apply at the ends.
Jayan A. Narayanan
Fight hair frizinesss with coconut oil. Mix two tablespoons of coconut oil with two tablespoons of avocado oil and pour into a spray bottle. Mist your hair with the mixture.
The scalp can turn itchy during this season. Dissolve two aspirin pills in one tablespoon of water and two tablespoons of yogurt. Apply the mixture to your scalp and leave it for 15 minutes. Wash and condition your hair.