Summer beauty tips: Try cucumber and oatmeal to fight acne

Summer worsens certain skin issues like acne. Here are kitchen ingredients to help you combat this problem.

By: Sanyukta Baijal | | Updated: April 25, 2020 5:13 am

Accumulated sebum can clog the pores and lead to acne breakouts.

Acne is a stubborn condition of the skin that affects people all year round. However, it worsens during the dog days of summer. A research published in The Journal of Dermatology found that 56% of the study participants had worse symptoms of this skin problem in the summer. However, only 11% of them experienced more acne outbreaks during the winter. Also Read - Congested skin can cause acne flareups: A few tips to avoid this

This skin condition occurs when oil or dead skin cells clog your hair follicles and lead to whiteheads, blackheads or pimples. Hormonal disorder is known to be the most common culprit behind acne. Though face is the favourite hotspot of these pimples, they can be found on your chest, upper back and shoulders. Also Read - Psoriasis to eczema: Here’s how stress mess with your skin

WHAT WORSENS ACNE IN THE SUMMER?

Excessive heat and humidity can make you sweat more. This makes your skin cells more sticky. Additionally, the dead skin cells pile up as debris on the outer surface of the skin and get mixed with your sebum (an oily substance secreted by glands in the skin). This whole process depletes the oxygen reserve of your skin, creating an environment, congenial for bacteria to thrive. This leads to inflammation of your skin causing pimples. Also Read - These kitchen ingredients can help you fight winter acne

HOW TO GET RID OF ACNE?

We are actually spoilt for choice when it comes to picking up a commercially available skin care product for acne. But they may come with side effects. How about trying some natural ingredients that are hiding in your kitchen? They don’t come with side effects. In fact, your acne-fighting kitchen ingredients will be your only resort amidst the COVID-19 lockdown. Rummage through your kitchen shelf and you’ll find many common foods that will help you arm up against your summer acne breakout.

Cucumber and oatmeal face mask

Cucumber consists of 96% water which helps in hydrating your skin and reducingyour acne problem. Oatmeal, on the other hand, contains zinc which reduces inflammation and kills acne-causing bacteria.

How to

Blend 1 cup cucumber and 1 cup of oatmeal together
Mix 1 tsp of this mixture with 1 tsp of yogurt and apply it to your face.
Leave it on for 30 minutes before rinsing with water.

Honey mask

Honey is an excellent source of antioxidants.According to several studies,they are more beneficial in reducing acne than benzoyl peroxide and retinoids, commonly used for the treatment of this condition.

How to

Rinse your face with warm water before applying this maskto open up pores.
Now apply honey on the affected area and leave it on for 30 minutes.
Wash the honey off with warm water and later rinse your face with cold water in order to close the sin pores.

Lemon-egg face mask

Lemons are loaded with high levels of antioxidants as well citric acid which are great for treating skin problems.Eggs whites have an enzyme-like property called lysozyme which kills acne-causing bacteria. Eggs also have certain compounds that make your skin radiant and healthy.

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