An Expert's Guide to Skincare in the Time of Coronavirus

With the Coronavirus pandemic upon us, the world unites in practising social-distancing to counter the spread of COVID-19. As we move our daily routines into isolation and work from home, there are many steps we can follow to take care of ourselves. Our skincare, for one, need not be compromised just because we are not stepping out. We can, in fact, utilise the extra time we find to implement a proper skincare regimen and ensure we keep our skin healthy, supple and glowing. Cosmo spoke to celebrity dermatologist Dr Rashmi Shetty, who gave us some expert tips and pointers to follow as we spend our time at home. Here's what she had to say. 

 

What skincare routine should we adopt during social-distancing? 

 

It is important to keep up your regular skincare regimen. The best thing you can do during these times is to make sure you keep your face clean. Do wash your face regularly and moisturise it. But, you must be careful not to over wash and cause dryness to your facial skin.

Brush your hair out and tie it back. These are things that we would usually do when we leave our homes in the morning, but given that this is a long haul situation and we are to be at home for an extended period of time, it is important to follow our regular grooming routine. Most importantly, do remember to use sunscreen. Though you are inside the house, your windowpanes do not block UV rays, and these can still cause harm to your skin.  Remember to drink plenty of water while you are at home, and do take your supplements on time.

 

You mentioned supplements. Which are the ones we should be taking right now? 

 

You should add supplements to your diet that will help your skin and your immunity, to combat the Coronavirus hanging over our heads like a sword these days. Make sure your vitamin D is optimum. Take a supplement that contains your daily-required dose. This is especially important if you are already aware that you are deficient. 

Anti-oxidant supplements are always a good idea, as are immunity-boosting supplements. There are some naturally found anti-oxidant ingredients like astaxanthin, zeaxanthin, glutathione, Q10 you can take.  Anyone of these is good,  and they work even better in combination. Ra Skin Bright is a good combination supplement you can take. Taking some vitamin C is also helpful. Just make sure you are taking an organic supplement, not a chemical-based one. Do bear in mind that the ones that fizz-up usually have a lot of sugar in them. Try to look for one without sugar. You don't want to consume an added, superfluous amount of sugar while you are stuck at home, and are not being able to get physically active. You can also add an anti-inflammatory or immunity-boosting supplement with curcumin, ginger, pithorin and milk thistle extracts. 

 

Any easy to do DIY tips we can follow? 

 

Make use of this time and give yourself a facial every single day if you want to! You can do this every morning once you wake up. Make sure you cleanse your face properly, as all your overnight skin-secretions and night creams are sitting on your skin. After that, hold a warm towel to relax your face for a minute or two. Then, use a moisturiser suited to your skin type and massage your face for a few minutes. Rinse it off with slightly warm water. Finish by running a cube of ice over your face and voila, your at-home skin facial is done! 

Additionally, you can use jade rollers for more thorough lymphatic drainage. The new thing now is to use an Ayurveda Kansa wand (A wooden wand with a copper or bronze head). You can use the same strokes you follow with a jade roller. This reduces puffiness as well.

 

For all your skin woes, a sandalwood paste is the best thing you can apply. Additionally,  Multani Mitti or Fuller's earth can help tighten your pores and brighten your skin. It will also help against any oiliness caused by the onset of summer.

A bit of grated coconut or turmeric works wonders as a gentle massage and exfoliating medium. Turmeric can also be left on as a mask, its antiseptic properties make it ideal for this time. Those of you who have oily skin will do well to add a dash of lemon into the mix. A spoon full of honey mixed with a little sugar makes for a wonderful hydrating exfoliant as well. These are simple and extremely effective DIY ingredients to try. Trust me, you don't want to make too many messy masks and scrubs, as you will have to clean it all up later! 

 

So there you have it, everything you need to do to give your skin some TLC whilst you stay safe at home. By sticking to Dr Rashmi's easy to follow tips, you can be assured that you will spend your time at home with your skin looking and feeling fresh, healthy and bright.