Mirror, Mirror on the wall,
Who is the fairest of us all?
Do you often look at yourself in the mirror and wonder why you look so pale? Are you always hoping for glowing skin, but the mirror shows you stale? As they say, the mirror never lies – and, it is up to you to make every effort possible in taking good care of your skin.
A number of internal as well as external factors contribute and determine the type of skin you have. These include the climate in which you live, changing temperature, exposure to the sun, health problems and your general health, hormonal changes in your body, your skin care regime or lack of it, the type of soap you use, smoking etc., These can bring about a change in your skin as well.
Don’t be surprised if you go through phases of having oily, dry, and overtly sensitive skin from time to time.
Your facial skin requires a good deal of care as it is exposed to a number of elements throughout the day.
Know your skin type
If you want to take proper care of your skin, you must begin by identifying your skin type. This can be done by understanding your facial skin and how it reacts to different conditions.
Though skin types vary from person to person, here are some of the commonly identified varieties:
- Normal skin. Healthy or normal skin does not show any signs of dryness or oiliness. It does not pull when you smile
- Oily skin has a greasy sheen with no dry areas and tans easily. It may be caused by over-active glands
- Dry skin appears to be flaky and may be caused due to the inability of the skin to produce necessary oils
- Combination skin has some oily and some dry, or normal, areas. People with such skin may have oily skin around the chin, nose and forehead [T Zone], and dry skin on the cheeks and other areas.
- Sensitive skin reacts quickly to both hot and cold climates and could have allergic tendency.
If, on washing your face and wiping it after some time with a tissue, the tissue gets greasy, you have oily skin; if the tissue stays the way it was, you have normal skin; if the tissue gets oily only when wiping the T Zone, you have combination skin, and if the tissue has skin flakes, you have dry skin.
If you are having trouble identifying the kind of skin you have, it is best to consult a dermatologist and discuss any specific problems that you may be facing.
Now that you know your skin type, start taking good care of it on a regular basis to look good and feel healthy, clean and beautiful.
Your skin is the largest organ of your body and requires complete care. To enjoy healthy skin, you must adopt a healthy lifestyle and cleanse your body from within and outside.
- Drink plenty of water, at least 8–12 glasses everyday
- Eat a balanced diet that includes green vegetables and fruits
- Make sure you get enough sleep
- Protect your skin from over-exposure to sun rays by using shades and a sunscreen lotion that suits your skin
- Stay away from alcohol and smoking, if you want good skin
- Never leave make-up on your face – remove it with a cleanser and wash your face properly
- Revitalise your body with essential vitamins.
- Cleanse and moisturise your normal skin with a mild soap and light moisturiser to remove dirt and grime
- For dry and flaky skin, cleanse with good quality cream-based cleansers and moisturise and massage with essential oils
- Cleanse oily skin with mild cleansers that come off easily when rinsed once or twice during the day. Make sure to use water-based moisturisers and stay away from oil-based products
- Treat the dry and oily areas of your face separately if you have combination skin
- Be extra careful if you have sensitive skin as this kind of skin may react to different products. When in doubt, consult your dermatologist.
You are the best judge of your skin. So, make sure to take care of it. Never experiment with your skin as this can adversely affect and harm.
Diet for Skin
With the view to provide humans a glowing and healthy skin, ayurveda mentions certain diets that are nutritious and help eliminate skin ailments.
- Food eaten should be warm, freshly cooked and must be in proper quantity
- All persons must eat after the previous meal consumed is digested and again the urge to eat [hunger] arises
- Virudh anna [food that is incompatible with each other] should not be taken. Fruit salads prepared in milk or milk preparations must be avoided with fish
- Food must be chewed properly and must not be eaten too fast or too slow
- The environment around while consuming food must be clean, pleasant and hygienic
- Spicy, very hot, oily, fried and pungent food must be avoided and, thus, junk-food, fast-food from outside must also be avoided
- Fat intake must be reduced and fibre fruits and vegetables must be consumed along with all substances that are roughage for the body as it is good for health and helps prevent constipation
- Large amount of water, liquids, juices etc., must be taken to reduce dryness of the intestine. Fluid intake also helps prevent skin disorders and makes it glowing.
– Team CW