Skincare Tips to Help You Glow this Eid!

We are already halfway through Ramadan and the excitement of Eid is starting to settle in. Of course this year we will see it in a different light but hey, it’s still Eid!

And as it is approaching quickly, we must get back to our skincare routine to shine our brightest on the big day.

While staying at home, we are all guilty of not taking care of our skin because we aren’t going out and nobody is watching. But since it’s Eid, we must, at all costs try to find better solutions that will help us in the long run as well.

Please note that like everything, skincare needs time as well. Don’t expect a miraculous transformation. However, you will still see some good results and you will be happy with your skin.

Also, this post is for everyone. Its meant for all genders, age groups and even skin color or skin type. We are all human and we are awesome in our own way!

1. Repair Your Skin Barrier

Our skin is changing all the time. It is designed to get rid of dead skin cells, regenerate and rejuvenate on its own. However, when we try to interfere in its perfectly programmed cycle, we disrupt this healthy function.

This may sound like some ‘science-y stuff’ but we will break it into parts so it is easier to understand. Your skin barrier is basically the topmost layer of your skin cells. When it’s healthy, your skin looks plump and hydrated.

And if you are someone who doesn’t wear sunscreen, rubs scrubs aggressively, uses very hot/cold water, use harsh chemicals including the lemon in your kitchen (we will get to it in a bit), chances are you already have a damaged skin barrier.

When you have a damaged barrier, it becomes easier for irritants and bacteria to penetrate into the skin, thus causing redness, dryness, itchiness, flakiness, acne, etc.

But don’t worry, there’s good news. You can fix this damage.

Here are some tips to help fix your skin barrier:

• Use a mild cleanser twice a day, morning and night (not the ones that give you a nice foam – they strip away all the nutrients that you need). Wash it off with lukewarm water. Extreme temperatures (both hot and cold water) can leave your skin dry.
• Use products that are hydrating, nourishing and moisturizing. They will provide sufficient nutrients that your skin needs to help restore and protect your skin barrier.
• Instead of rubbing a scrub or a brush on those open pores, switch to a chemical exfoliant i.e AHA, BHA, or PHA. And just because they are called chemicalexfoliants doesn’t mean they are bad for your skin. They are actually way gentler than your apricot scrub. They also help improve the texture and tone of your skin.
• Wear sunscreen, EVERYDAY! Staying at home? Use SPF. Rainy day? Use SPF. It’s cold outside? Use SPF. The sun’s rays are everywhere and they not only give you a sunburn (if exposed for longer) but can actually change the structure of the skin cells. So it is damaging us in more ways than you can imagine.

Don’t Forget to Eat Healthy!

With a healthy, perfectly balanced diet you can outshine a light bulb in no time. Even though it’s Ramadan and you are fasting, you can still make and enjoy delicious and healthy food in suhoor and iftar.

2. Use a Vitamin C Serum

Before you put your phone away and go into the kitchen to make a DIY maskwith lemons, read this and get that thought out of your head right away!

While lemons (or any citrus fruit) are a great source of Vitamin C, you shouldn’t use them directly on your skin. That is because they are highly acidic and can leave you with red, irritated and inflamed skin. It can even burn your skin because of how concentrated it is.

If you are someone who uses lemons in a homemade mask and goes out in the sun without a sunscreen, you are likely to get sensitized skin with flakiness and peeling. Let’s not do this anymore.

Instead, go for a Vitamin C serum. Unlike the raw lemon, it is formulated with a certain amount of concentration and it will have other ingredients as well that your skin can benefit from.

Vitamin C serums are designed to brighten the dullness and target specific dark conditions, such as spots and acne scars. They are a great source of antioxidants as well. They will protect you from the harmful rays of the skin and other potential toxins. Just wear an SPF every day, and you are good to go.

Effective Vitamin C serums can give you desired results in 3-4 weeks or more. Which means, you still have some time to fade them dark spots before Eid. So hurry up and get a serum for yourself!

3. Moisturize RELIGIOUSLY

You might be using a good cleanser, exfoliate gently, applying your serums on a daily basis. But all of this means nothing if you are NOT wearing a moisturizer. That’s right. A moisturizer is key.

This is because moisturizers are made to seal all the products in your skin so that they don’t evaporate. They make a film on top of your other products and help them stay in the skin and do its job.

We know how moisturizers can be too thick, oily, greasy and they can clog your pores too. Finding a good moisturizer is a struggle but once you have found your holy grail, never let that go. I repeat, NEVER LET THAT GO!

People who have oily skin are probably thinking they don’t need a moisturizer, but the truth is, they do.

Most of the time, people get confused by thinking they have oily skin when in actuality, they have dehydrated skin. This in layman’s term means that your skin loses essential water levels. To combat that water loss, it produces more sebum and oil to maintain it’s functionality.

What you need to do is to look for products that are hydrating and moisturizing at the same. These products are more of a gel or pudding type texture that absorb easily and doesn’t leave greasiness behind.