Dr Chytra V Anand, Celebrity Cosmetic Dermatologist, Kosmoderma Clinics shares five tips for home care at time of quarantine
Tip 1: Moisturise your hands after every handwash. Use olive oil or coconut oil / or coco butter, urea-based creams. Apply on the front and back of your hands.
- We are all washing our hands every few hours with soap and water or sanitising often. What does this do?
It strips our skin of its natural lipid barrier by drying out the skin. That’s why moisturise.
Tip 2: Wear sunscreen at least once a day, even if indoors minimum SPF 26
- We are indoors. I don’t need sunscreen.
Not true. As the radiation from the sun affects us even indoors. If there is light then continue using your sunscreen.
Tip 3: Exfoliate once a week.
- Exfoliate body and face on a weekly basis. Our skin cell turnover is critical to maintaining healthy skin. Skin is the first immune barrier in our body. As skin cells become sluggish the turnover rate decreases. So, exfoliate the skin on a weekly basis.
Mix smashed papaya, pineapple juice 1 tsp, Milk 2 tbsp and rock salt. Scrub this on the body once a week.
To make a home jar of scrub:
Mix coconut oil 30 ml, 3 tbsp sugar, 10 drops of ylang ylang essential oil or lavender oil or rose oil.
Scrub this on the body once a week.
Tip 4: Take your daily dose of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants.
- What happens on the inside is as important as outside:
- Don’t forget to take your health drink or smoothie or supplement to boost your immunity.
- Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Zinc, Glutathione, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Lycopene, Ubiquinone are some of the important immune boosters.
Make a smoothie of Orange / kiwi, Apple, Papaya, Tomato, Pineapple with soy milk and add 1tsp Amla or moringa powder. Have once a day.
Or Take Kosmo Immune Booster once a day.
Ensure you are taking your multivitamins.
Tip 5: Use warm oil on your scalp once a week for 20 minutes and wash off.
- Hair needs care too during this time. Don’t forget to take care of your mane. You can apply warm coconut or olive oil to your scalp once a week to a fortnight.
- A hair mask can be applied to nourish the entire hair length.
- Mix, 1 egg white (or mashed banana) with lemon juice and 1 tsp oil. Apply to hair and wash off after 10 minutes. This will condition and bring a healthy shine to your hair.