Beat the heat

KATHMANDU: The scorching heat, the dust and the humidity, summer is definitely here. Not only do we have to worry about coping with such weather but we also have to take better care of our skin. All those chilly days of winter must have made our skin dry thus we should take an extra care to get back the glowing complexion.

And it isn’t that hard if you just follow these skincare regimens.

Exfoliate to rejuvenate

•Experts say the best way to get your skin ready for summer is with regular exfoliation, which gets rid of dead, dry skin cells.

•Wet your entire body in the bath or shower.

•Apply exfoliating cleanser to your loofah or washcloth, and scrub, using gentle, circular motions.

•Don’t go overboard, less is more when it comes to exfoliating.

•Exfoliate no more than once a day or a couple of times a week.

Hydration through moisturiser

•After you exfoliate, moisturising your winter dry skin is key. If your skin is only a little dry, you can use a liquid moisturiser and if it’s very dry, you can use a cream moisturiser. Use it after you exfoliate, shave, and shower. In particular moisturising after you shave puts the skin barrier back until your own body can do it.

•It’s hot and humid during the summer, so you really want to make sure that whatever moisturiser you choose it is noncomedogenic, which doesn’t clog your pores and cause unsightly breakouts.

Sun protection

•There are lots of things you can do to make skin look good, but the most important thing is sun protection.

•People with fairer skin and lighter eyes often need stronger sun block than their darker counterparts.

•Everyone should wear a sunscreen with SPF of 15 or higher with a broad-spectrum agent that protects against UVA and UVB rays.

•Apply it generously. Put on enough to cover your entire body, no matter how much it takes.

•Sunscreen takes 15-20 minutes to kick into high gear, so apply it before you leave the house.

•Reapply it frequently. Remember that it only lasts for about two hours. Sunscreens should be reapplied every two hours or after swimming or perspiring heavily.

•And don’t forget your scars. The sun can lighten or darken scars so make sure to be extra careful and use an SPF of 30 or higher on those parts.