Beauty and skincare tips: Tricks to treat monsoon acne at home

While the monsoon might be enjoyable for a lot many of us, curling up with a good book and cup of tea as it pours outside, our skin may not quite enjoy this weather as much. Due to the increase in humidity, our skin becomes greasy, clogged pores are a regular occurrence and you may also find acne occurring more frequently since the weather this season is super humid and humidity can aggravate your acne during monsoon.

Beauty and skincare experts insist that if you already have oily skin, you must take extra care for it. In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Mansi Vyas, Co-Founder of Azafran, shared the measures you must inculcate in your daily skin routine to keep you skin clear, soft and glowing even during monsoon:

1. Use mild cleansers - Since the climate will be humid, your skin will feel super oily. We recommend washing the face twice daily using a gentle cleanser which contains ingredients that help fight acne causing bacteria such as Tea-tree oil, salicylic acid, Neem etc. But keep in mind not to wash your face more than thrice as it may lead to drying of the skin and induce the skin to produce more oil.

2. Avoid scrubbing - Since the weather is already humid, skin will be already damp, scrubbing it repeatedly might cause damage to your skin barrier and vigorous scrubbing can damage the pores and lead to more acne. Scrub your skin once a week gently with a mild scrub.

3. Don't skip moisturizer - You might feel that your skin doesn't need a moisturiser during this season however, its extremely necessary to keep it hydrated so that your oil glands do not secrete extra sebum leading to more acne. Keeping the skin moisturised also keeps the skin barrier intact which helps fight acne causing bacteria and keeping the skin irritation-free.

4. Use mud-based face packs - Mud/clay is rich in minerals and has a unique ability of absorbing excess oil from your skin. Use mud-based face masks twice a week to keep your skin healthy and glowing minus the oiliness! The mud packs also contain several essential minerals which nourish the skin and help reduce blemishes and acne marks.

5. Do not forget sunscreen - Be it any season, UVA and UVB rays can damage your skin and induce pigmentation, wrinkles and reduce the elasticity of skin. Sun can damage the skin and even worsen your acne condition. So even if you don't step out of the house and there's no sun out, make sure you apply sunscreen every day.

Bringing her expertise to the same, Megha Asher, COO and Co-Founder of Juicy Chemistry, too revealed a few skincare tips to bear in mind when dealing with acne during the monsoon:

1. Cleansing - Given how greasy and congested the skin can get, it is important to thoroughly cleanse it with a cleanser that won’t dry out the skin completely and still get the job done.

2. Exfoliation - Exfoliating the skin is essential as it gets rid of dead cells, helps clean out pores, and keeps this skin looking radiant. If acne is an issue, you can opt for a chemical exfoliant such as a BHA serum which is oil soluble, helps control acne, and decongests pores. Remember to do a patch test and not go overboard with exfoliating.

3. Mist - Given all the humidity, you probably don’t want something too heavy, so go light with your thick creams. Opt for gel-based moisturisers. You can also consider adding a refreshing toning mist or floral water into your routine. Rose water and Aloe juice are good options. If you have acne-prone skin, opting for a Tea Tree mist is also a good idea.

4. Masking - Face masks give an extra boost of nourishment to the skin and are a great pick-me-up. Opt for antioxidant-rich ingredients and clay-based face masks. Clay-based masks in particular help detoxify and purify the skin, absorbing excess sebum and soothing inflammations.

5. Face oil/moisturiser - Many are of the opinion that oils are too thick, too greasy, and clog pores. The truth is that it isn’t necessarily the case. Oils such as Rosehip, Jojoba, and Hemp Seed oils are great for the skin and have a low comedogenic rating - meaning they won’t clog your pores. In fact, Hemp Seed oil is known to help with acne and Jojoba oil matches the consistency of the sebum our skin naturally produces, thereby balancing the skin. These oils work quite well for the skin, even during the daytime. Just make sure the oil is the second last part of your skincare routine, the last step being your sunscreen - during the daytime, of course.

6. Sunscreen - Just because it is cloudy outside does not mean it is okay to give your sunscreen a miss. UV rays penetrate through the clouds and even through windows so make sure you are applying sunscreen regularly.

7. Skip makeup - If you’re dealing with active acne, it’s important to let your skin breathe. Skip your base products if you have to.