Beauty is a matter of cultivating some good habits to last you a lifetime, like removing the makeup before hitting bed or applying moisturiser but there's more to it. To help out our readers, we reached out to beauty expert Shahnaz Husain and here are the tips she swears by to give you that extra edge:
1. Remember to cleanse your face every night, removing make-up and pollutants that are deposited during the day. Glowing skin that is free from blemishes is the result of daily, appropriate cleansing.
Shehnaz uses an Aloe-Vera and Lemon cleanser (normal to dry skin).
2. Remove all creams, like cleansing, nourishing and under-eye creams with moist cotton wool so that there is no moisture loss. Moist cotton does not absorb moisture from the skin.
3. Moisture and protection are the life of the skin, especially in winter, to keep the skin soft and smooth. Interestingly, sun exposure also causes moisture loss and therefore use sunscreen or sun-block before going out in the sun. While SPF 25 would suit most skins, choose high SPF for sun-sensitive skin and sunscreen gel for oily skin. When you are at home, apply moisturiser.
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4. Shenaz has normal to dry skin so she applies nourishing cream at night, after cleansing, massaging it on the face with outward and slightly upward strokes. She also advises including the neck in your massage routine and wipe off cream with moist cotton wool before bedtime.
5. Use a facial scrub for blackhead-prone, oily skin at least twice a week. Avoid scrubs on pimples, acne or rash, as well as on very dry and dehydrated skin. It can deplete both oil and moisture, causing flaking of the skin. For normal skin, a scrub may be used once a week.
6. Use a face pack at least once or twice a week. Shehnaz uses a face pack daily, which consists of herbal powder and seaweed lotion, mixed with yogurt, honey and egg white. If your skin is oily, apply it more often. Packs help to deep cleanse the skin and tighten it, delaying ageing signs.
7. Keep your hair clean and never neglect to shampoo the hair. Use mild herbal shampoo and after washing the hair, wrap it in a towel and allow it to soak up moisture. Avoid rubbing the hair or brushing wet hair. And, always use a wide-toothed comb.