There’s something truly soothing about the pit-patter sound of rain, with soft splashes of raindrops touching your warm skin and freshness in the air, we all have a love-hate relationship with the monsoon. While gloomy skies take over, we prefer to stay in and enjoy a warm cup of tea or maybe some comfort food. But one thing that takes a major hit with the rising humidity and stickiness is our skin. From excessive shine to acne and oily skin, as the season changes it’s imperative to dial up on your monsoon skincare is a wise idea. From switching those creams with power-base options to, anti-bacterial creams and waterproof makeup.
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As all beauty mavericks know, there are some dos and don’ts for skincare with every season. While some people believe skipping on sunscreen is the answer to combating oiliness, Dr Geetika Goel, consultant at Clinic Dermatech thinks otherwise. We caught up with Dr Goel to know more about monsoon skincare dos and don’ts.
Photo Courtesy: Clinic Dermatech
Don’ts:
1. Do not skip on sunscreen. It is recommended to use an SPF 30 or higher sunscreen for your monsoon skincare regime.
2. Moisturising is key. Don’t skip on the step and opt for a monsoon-friendly face gel moisturiser that doesn’t make your skin feel sticky.
4. Do not forget to exfoliate as it is the build-up of dead cells, oil and bacteria that leads to breaking out of the skin or making it look dull and lifeless. Face washes with vitamin C and glycolic acid are a good choice for deep cleansing of the skin at the same time shielding it against environmental stressors.
Do’s
1. Switch to gel-based or cooling sunscreens to avoid stickiness in the monsoon. Make sure to use sunscreens labelled PA+++ for maximum benefits.
2. Use moisturisers that are non-comedogenic or do not clog pores. Opt for gel-based moisturizers.
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3. Switch to hyaluronic acid serums that are intensely hydrating and included in most anti-ageing products. In case you have oily, greasy skin, you may want to avoid heavy formulas that contain hyaluronic acid.
4. Ensure to use hydrating skin products and consume lots of liquid fruits and drink 4-6 litres of water every day.
5. Clay masks and oil-control face washes form an excellent addition to your skincare during humid weather. Look for naturally-sourced ingredients in your formulations like soybean seed, mulberry extract, lactobacillus, etc.
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5. In case you notice any changes in your skin health you can’t explain, immediately contact a dermatologist. Monsoon weather conditions are humid and hot, thus forming perfect breeding grounds for microorganisms that cause skin infections.
While this clears out a lot of doubts in our heads, the next question is – what is the basic CTM routine one should follow and what are the ingredients to look out for when picking your beauty stash? As the rain sets in we caught up with Dr Madhuri Agrawal, Founder and Medical Director Yavana Aesthetics Clinic and Dr Geetika Goel, Clinic Dermatech to know more about monsoon skincare.
Cleansing
Monsoon skincare is all about doubling up on cleansing. Cleansing is essential in the monsoon months, Dr Madhuri suggests using a mild, soap-free cleanser for your face twice daily. While Dr Goel also recommends using a balancing cleanser. Dr Goel further adds, “You can also double cleanse, a method of cleansing your face twice, first with detoxifying cleansing milk to remove makeup, SPF and oil residues, followed by a face wash suited to your skin type.”
Photo Courtesy: Dr Madhuri
For acne-prone skin, Dr Madhuri suggests a chemical exfoliant for dead skin exfoliation twice a week with salicylic acid. Some of the ingredients you should keep an eye out for include rice bran, orange blossom and licorice root extract for a good cleansing.
Once your skin is freshly cleansed, follow up the monsoon skincare regime with a toner to seal the pores. “Use alcohol-free toners that help regulate skin pH levels. During monsoons, skin is more prone to fungal and bacterial infections and hence, keeping the barriers intact is of high value,” says Dr Geetika.
Serums
Then use a serum for that added benefit, “Serums extend unmatched benefits for both face and under-eye areas, improving the skin quality at deeper levels.” Another switch you must make for your monsoon skincare regime is the addition of hyaluronic acid cautions Dr Madhuri. Hyaluronic acid nourishes and soothes your skin. “Start with hyaluronic acid on damp skin containing low molecular weight HA, Vitamin B5, licorice extract. I recommend the Hydro Drip Hyaluronic Acid Serum from OTT Skyncare which contains Vitamin B5, Purple Rice Extract, and Licorice Root Extract and has a lightweight formulation that helps to hydrate, repair and improve the texture of your skin.”
That oily sticky feeling might be urging you to skip moisturizer in your monsoon skincare regimen, but we’d say no. Switch it up with a gel-based moisturiser for the rainy season, lock in the benefits of the serum and finish off with a moisturiser. “Moisturizers are essential to seal the ingredients of serum into the skin. Even during humid weather, don’t forget to apply moisturizers as they help restore and hydrate the skin effectively,” emphasises Dr Goel. Further giving it a nod Dr Madhur shares, “Don’t forget the moisturiser to repair the skin. Ingredients such as ceramides, niacinamide, aquaxyl and squalene help to nourish and hydrate the skin. A Vitamin C serum enriched with brighlette, alpha arbutin, and mulberry extract helps to correct dull, uneven patchy skin. “
Monsoon skincare doesn’t mean skipping out on sunscreen! Don’t let the gloomy skies fool you. Sunscreen is an all-season staple, so be it spring, summer, monsoon or winter, this is an MVP. “Just like moisturizer, sunscreen is often restricted to the summer and winter seasons,” says Dr Goel. “However, you need to apply a good quantity – 2 fingers of sunscreen on your face during the monsoon season as well because the sun rays can still cause serious damage. Consider opting for CIEL brightening sunscreen SPF 40 (serum texture) and 50 (cooling matte texture) for most benefits.”N
But when you’re finding the perfect one, be sure to take Dr Madhuri’s advice, “A broad-spectrum sunscreen is essential even on a cloudy day as the UV rays can penetrate the cloud cover and harm the skin. Sunscreen must be used daily to prevent skin damage in monsoons.” She further suggests looking for products that are dermatologically tested and based on floral alchemy as it provides effective skincare for multiple skin concerns.
