A Guide To Great Skin: Lethargy Special

Edited by: Arpita Wadhwa (UG 2021)

Okay, the title is a little bit of a lie. Like everything else, great skin comes with a little more than minimal effort. Let’s be real- your weekly mottos to eat more fruit, while also developing and sticking to that complex skincare routine falls flat the moment you give in to those 3-am binges with oily frozen pizza pockets and a myriad of different sodas, fuelled by some intense work stress. So, here’s a bare minimum of things we promise you can do to give your skin an all-natural, radiant glow– all while leaving you plenty of time to procrastinate in a day.  

1. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

Water seems to be the magical cure for everything, and while it may be tiring to hear everyone preach it, it is the absolute truth. Drinking water helps your body to digest and absorb nutrients, as well as circulate blood more efficiently, which helps keep your skin hydrated, and in the long-term, makes your skin less prone to wrinkling.

2. Allow yourself a cleansing

It’s true what they say – using a sheet mask in your self-care routine can help you feel empowered and anew. While we’re all for using them to symbolise the discipline your life will have in 2019, they’re pretty great for the skin, too. For the layman, sheet masks are fabrics soaked in nutrient-rich, concentrated serums that exfoliate and cleanse your skin. Apply it on a clean face, leave it on for your much-deserved 20-30 minutes of relaxation, and take it off to reveal an instant glow on your skin!

3. Makeup removal as a LIFESTYLE

No matter what you forget to do in a day, giving your skin a high priority means giving it time to breathe– which means that you should never leave your makeup on any longer than you need to! Makeup clogs your pores and causes your skin to break out. It also makes the skin dehydrated and pale. Use medicated makeup removers like the Clinique Anti-Blemish to cleanse your face before your night routine (yes, that exists, and we’ll come to it).

4. Eat Healthy

The kind of cosmetic products you apply on your skin have significance that’s only second to the food you put in your mouth. A balanced diet of proteins and vitamins give your skin the necessary nutrients to stay supple, lustrous and wrinkle-free! Get used to stocking up on fruits, green veggies, juices and protein products like chicken or tofu – your skin will make up for the lack of processed food and junk!

5. Daytime routine

Alright, who are we kidding? College doesn’t leave you time for a daycare routine– and we know that even getting out of bed is such a task! But we assure you, if you set your alarm even two minutes earlier than your usual, you’ll have all that extra time to moisturize your skin, apply sunscreen depending on the intensity of the sun, and take an extra look in the mirror before you rush off to classes!

6. Night time routine

Let’s be real again, you can spare a couple minutes every night to follow a basic mantra for healthy skin, can’t you? Here’s a bunch of steps to waltz your way to your ideal skin, only if you follow them every night!

• A cleanser to get rid of all the dirt, oil and dust your skin has collected through the day (you’d be surprised at the amount).
• Use a liquid toner to cleanse and hydrate the skin.
• Use an eye cream to gradually get rid of dark circles, as well as protect your under-eye area from other strong skin products.
• Apply any particular treatment serums/masks, such as retinol creams, exfoliative treatments, prescription medicines and other creams with biologically active ingredients.
• Finally, apply a moisturiser or night cream to maintain high water content of your skin.    

Remember, no amount of assignments or strict attendance policies that continually challenge your 8-hour-sleep-plan necessarily mean taking it out on your skin. Don’t go overboard with the cosmetic products before you consult a dermatologist or thoroughly research the right products for your skin type. Lastly– it is most important to remember that these only exist to rejuvenate your skin and improve its health, and are by no means a way to find flaws within yourself. All skin types are beautiful, and health is as much physical as it is emotional. Keep your skin healthy and stay immensely happy, folks!

• beauty
• campus life
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• college life
• self-care
• skincare
• student life