By Vasudha Rai
Monsoon and dirt go hand in hand. Sorry, but its true; overflowing sewers, brown sludge everywhere, and on a more personal note, oily skin, frizzy hair and makeup that slides right off. But while there is little you can do about civic problems, there’s a lot that can be done to salvage your skin.
Here are four of my Monsoon Beauty Favourites
OIL |
Two negatives do make a positive – essential oil for the skin and argan oil for hair. I am a recent convert to facial oils, despite my fairly oily skin. The French do them best; look for a facial oil by Clarins or Decleor (www.strawberrynet.in).
Decleor’s Rose D’Orient | Facial Oil
My facial favourite: Decleor’s Rose D’Orient. Kiehls Argan Oil and Moroccan Oil are great for hair in the rainy weather. Since dry hair tends to frizz by reaching out to the moisture in the air, oil provides a slick coat that seals the moisture in and is more beneficial than any silicone-based serum.
PRIMER |
I like to skip makeup altogether in this weather, but when I do wear it, I never set it with powder. A face with a nice glow is more monsoon, than a powdery, chalky mug. To keep your makeup and your glow in place, use a primer under to keep makeup in place.
Estee Lauder Illuminating and Matte Perfecting Primer
Most of the high-end brands make decent primers, but my favourites are ones by Estee Lauder and Laura Mercier.
ACIDS |
Hate pores? Love acid. As dubious as that may sound, it is absolutely essential. I hate the gritty texture of face scrubs and frankly, who has the time? Just look for a toner or a moisturizer with AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids). Not only will it purge your pores on a daily basis, it will do it quickly and easily without making a ritual out of it. A word of caution though: make sure the AHA content in your product is at least 10% {for it to be effective}, and slather on a good sunscreen every day. I like the glycolic acid toner by DDF (www.strawberrynet.in).
SPRAY |
You know that dirty, icky, oily feeling you get when you step out? I can’t stand it, and I’m sure you hate it too. My simple solution is a spring/thermal water spritzer that I carry in my handbag.
Evian Facial Spray
There are tons of these in the market by Vichy, Evian and Avene. For me they mean instant refreshment.
About the Author | Vasudha has written on beauty for Cosmopolitan in India & Harper’s Bazaar in Singapore. Currently, she is the Deputy Editor for Better Homes & Gardens. She loves Delhi for its sense of predictability and her friends and family here.
