Skincare During Summer: Shahnaz Husain Shares DIY Hydrating Masks Recipes

The hot brutal summer months can be harsh on your skin and you need to take just hat little bit of extra care. Check out these tips from Shahnaz Husain.

Staying hydrated is super important for keeping your skin healthy, especially in the summer when the heat and humidity can really affect your skin. Summer skincare is all about making sure your skin stays hydrated helps it stay flexible, glowing, and strong against the elements. We have always been taught that hydration is crucial for skin health, so today let's delve into it deeper to find why hydration is crucial for skin health and ways to keep your skin hydrated, especially during the summer.

How Staying Hydrated Helps Your Skin

Hydration plays a key role in keeping your skin supple and soft. Let's see how it helps.

Keeps Skin Elastic

Water is a big part of the skin's support system, which helps it stay firm and elastic. Drinking enough water can keep your skin looking smooth and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

Prevents Dryness and Irritation

When your skin is dehydrated, it can get dry, irritated, and sensitive. But if you keep it hydrated, you can avoid these issues and keep your skin feeling good.

Helps Skin Repair and Renewal

Water is key for fixing and renewing skin cells. When your skin is well-hydrated, it can fix damage and make new cells more effectively, which is super important for healthy skin.

Getting that Glow

Hydrated skin naturally looks healthy and radiant. Water helps eliminate toxins and improves blood circulation, delivering important nutrients to your skin cells for a glowing complexion.

How To Keep Skin Hydrated In Summer

As the weather warms up, it's super important to switch to skincare products that are light but still give your skin deep hydration to keep it moisturized and healthy. Water is one thing, but then you need to eat healthy foods with a higher water content level. Keep drinking water throughout, also apply these things to keep skin hydrated.

Use Vitamin C

You definitely want to consider using Vitamin C. It's crucial for collagen synthesis, which helps maintain your skin's firmness and elasticity. By boosting collagen production, it can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, keeping your skin looking youthful and resilient.

Oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruits are high in Vitamin C, these fruits help brighten the skin, reduce dark spots, and protect against environmental damage. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries are packed with antioxidants, including Vitamin C, which help to protect the skin and promote a youthful appearance.

Hydrating Masks

Hydrating masks are great for your skin, which is super important in the summer when your skin can get dry. They help to give your skin back the moisture it loses, so it stays soft and smooth. When you've been out in the sun, your skin can get all red and irritated. Hydrating masks often have stuff like aloe vera and cucumber to help calm your skin down and make it feel better right away. It can also make your skin stronger, so it doesn't lose moisture as easily and can defend itself against things that might hurt it. That way, your skin stays hydrated and healthy.

Sheet Masks

These are like a quick drink for your skin, packed with hydrating stuff like aloe vera and glycerin.

Gel Masks

These are like a refreshing treat for your skin, with ingredients like cucumber extract and green tea that can relax and hydrate your skin, especially nice during the hot summer.

DIY Hydrating Masks

If you're a fan of natural skincare, you have the option to craft your own nourishing masks at home using ingredients such as cucumber, aloe vera, and honey. Below are some DIY recipes for you to experiment with:

Cucumber, Milk and Aloe Vera Mask

Ingredients:

1/2 cucumber

2 tablespoons of raw milk

2 tablespoons aloe vera gel

How to apply:

• Blend the cucumber until smooth.
• Mix in the aloe vera gel and raw milk.
• Apply the mixture to your face and leave it on for 20 minutes.
• Rinse off with cool water.

Benefits: Cucumber provides a cooling effect and is rich in water, while aloe vera soothes and hydrates the skin.

Honey, Orange and Yogurt Mask

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons plain yogurt

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon orange zest

How to apply:

• Mix the yogurt and honey until well combined.
• Grate the orange zest and mix it into the paste.
• Apply the mixture to your face and leave it on for 15-20 minutes.
• Rinse off with water and pat your skin dry.

Benefits: Honey is a natural humectant that draws moisture into the skin, and yogurt is rich in lactic acid, which helps exfoliate and hydrate the skin. Oranges have exfoliating properties to help renew the dead skin cells.

Aloe vera and Honey Mask

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon aloe vera gel

1 tablespoon honey

How to apply:

Mix in the honey and aloe vera to make a smooth paste.

Apply this to your face and leave it on for 15-20 minutes.

Rinse off and pat your skin dry.

Benefits: Avocado is rich in healthy fats and vitamins that nourish and hydrate the skin, while honey helps retain moisture.

Implementing A Cooling Skincare Routine

Check out these cooling skincare rituals that you can easily incorporate into your beauty regime.

• Start with a gentle cleanser. Look for cleansers with soothing ingredients like aloe vera, chamomile, or cucumber that cleanse your skin without stripping the natural oils.
• Tone your skin to tighten the pores. Always choose an alcohol-free toner with cooling and hydrating ingredients. Rose water, aloe vera and witch hazel work great as a toner.
• Do not apply heavy creams onto your skin, which clog the pores. Switch to lightweight, gel-based moisturizers that provide hydration without feeling greasy.
• Finish your morning routine with a broad-spectrum sunscreen of at least SPF 30. Never go out without applying sunscreen. Even if you are at home, apply it.
• Double-cleanse your skin in summer. Remove makeup and impurities with an oil-based cleanser and a gentle herbal cleanser.
• Apply a cooling facial mist to hydrate your skin. Mix rose water and cucumber extract and keep them in the fridge for an extra cooling effect. This homemade facial mist will do wonders!
• For extra hydration and to soothe your skin, treat your skin to a cooling gel mask. These masks can help soothe sunburned skin, reduce inflammation, and boost intense hydration. To make these at home, you can use ingredients like tomato, yogurt, cucumber, turmeric, rose water, etc.

(This article is authored by Shahnaz Husain, a Padma Shri Award recipient and pioneer of the Ayurvedic beauty movement and the head of a global network of franchise ventures and 375 formulations.)