With the festival of lights shining upon us in a few days, you’ll no doubt be planning your outfits and beauty looks for the late-night parties and joyous get-togethers. But Diwali, one of the most celebrated festivals in India, also brings with it a few downsides that are questionable for your skin. The list includes copious layers of makeup, late-night drinking, umpteen sweets and snacks and food laden in ghee that can work against your skin.
But don’t you worry, we’ve put together a celebration-ready skincare routine to help you ace that festive glow right in time for Diwali.
Step One: Cleanser
Diwali can be the season of happy lights, delicious delicacies and endless laughter but it can also be the season of clogged pores and impurities thanks to the oily food, constant crackers and the smoke and soot from fires and diyas. Cleansing is key when it comes to getting rid of these impurities and toxins, leaving your skin supple and gorgeous. Since the seasons are turning and winter is coming, opting for a cleanser that suits your skin’s needs during this time of the year is essential. Ensure that your cleanser doesn’t make your skin too dry or itchy.
Our recommendations:
Forest Essentials Kashmiri Saffron & Neem Cleanser for oily skin
Neemli Naturals Hyaluronic & Ceramide Face Wash for dry skin
Step Two: Exfoliation
One of the most important steps that most of us skip is exfoliating. Skincare routines are incomplete without this step. Using a scrub or an exfoliator is essential to ensure that your pores aren’t clogged and the dead skin cells are removed. This also helps create a clean and prepped base for your festive-ready Diwali makeup to sit on. Whip up a mixture of fine sugar and your favourite essential oils, depending on your skin type, to make your very own homemade scrub. Use it twice a week and watch your skin glow.
If you suffer from sensitive skin, opt for an exfoliating toner instead. Chemical exfoliants in toners such as AHA and BHA acid will help break up skin clogging dead skin cells and minimise dark spots and open pores, improving the overall texture and tone of your skin.
Our recommendations:
Earth Rhythm Pore Away Tonique
Juicy Chemistry Bulgarian Damask Rose Hydrosol
Step Three: Serum
The general rule of skincare all should follow is starting with the lightest product and working your way to the heaviest. Serums come with thin formulas that our skin drinks up efficiently. These concentrated elixirs deliver skin-changing ingredients deep into our skin so make sure that the one you’re choosing attends to your biggest skincare troubles.
Our recommendations:
Earth Rhythm Skin Smoothening Serum – Bakuchiol Extract for sensitive skin
Arata Vitamin C Face Serum for all skin types
Step Four: Eye Cream
Much like serums, eye creams boast a thin formula that needs to be added to the skin before you layer on your moisturiser, oil and SPF. The point is to eliminate any barriers for the eye cream to penetrate properly, so pat it on before your face cream and give your under eyes a much-needed drink of hydration.
Our recommendations:
Bella Vita Organic Eyelift Under Eye Gel Crème
The Body Shop Oils Of Life Eye Cream Gel
Step Five: Moisturiser
The right moisturiser hydrates your skin while also making it less oily and shiny. The Diwali gujiyas, chaklis and karanjis will do that already, we don’t need our moisturiser to add to it. When choosing a moisturiser, look for ingredients like vitamin C and vitamin E to help improve your skin texture and create an even skin tone. This will ensure your skin is supple and plump, ready for you to layer on a gorgeous festive makeup look.
Our recommendations:
Plum Green Tea Mattifying Moisturizer for oily and acne-prone skin
Earth Rhythm Phyto Ceramide Deep Moisturiser for dry skin
Step Six: Oil
If you want to embrace the pore-tightening, skin-saving benefits of facial oil, gently pat one over the drier parts of your skin to add that extra dose of moisture. Oil is one of the few products that can penetrate your facial cream but only when applied in the correct order. Facial oil can also be a great way to prime your skin before makeup. Just allow it to fully absorb before starting with your makeup for a healthy, natural and hydrated complexion.
Our recommendations:
Juicy Chemistry Saffron and Red Raspberry Facial Oil for dry skin
The Tribe Concepts 24K Kumkumadi Thailam for oily skin
A few tips to keep in mind:
Sugary sweets and salty snacks are part and parcel of the festival season, especially in India where food is celebrated with a rigour of its own. Sugary delights increase blood sugar and cause inflammation in the body while salty party favours cause dehydration and make the skin look dull. To avoid the repercussions:
- Drink as much water as you can. Dehydrated skin can look dry and flaky, leaving fine lines and wrinkles more visible.
- Always, and we cannot emphasise this enough, wear SPF during the day. Layer in on as the day progresses to keep your skin protected from UV rays.
- Indulge in a clay or charcoal face mask before the big day. This can deep-cleanse and restore the skin’s elasticity while also boosting collagen production.
- Combat the festive food with a balance of nutrient-rich foods like berries, pomegranates or citrus fruits that provide your skin with a healthy dose of Vitamin C.
- Double cleanse after the day is done to remove all impurities and toxins from your skin.
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