Relaxation and a stress-free life is the secret to beauty. Following such practices also ensure longevity of life. However, these days, it’s really difficult to find time and space just for yourself, especially in a city like Delhi where you find yourself running from one place to another all day long. It’s a known fact that this affects skin quality too; the largest and fastest growing organ in our body, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, our skin faces the major brunt of it. It comes out in the form of acne, dark spots, wrinkles, dark circles, extra oily skin, or extra dry skin. Thus, we here at Daily Poutine would recommend you take a day off at least once a month just to unwind, de-stress and take care of your skin and health.

Here Are A Few Tips That You Can Utilise On Your Spa Day

How To Take Care Of Your Face

Yes, the skin on our face is much sensitive and softer than the skin on our body. So, you need to be gentle and tactful while handling it. Thus, it is advisable to use less chemically induced products on your face. Instead, use natural products that you can find readily in your kitchen, or you can also buy store bought organic products packed with natural goodness. Here are the steps that you can follow for a facial at home.

• Cleansing:

Cleansing is the most important step as it prepares your skin for the facial. This is one of the best face cleansing home remedies. Start by removing your make up with coconut oil or your favourite make up remover and taking a small dollop of facewash or face cleanser, and wash your face with room temperature water.

DIY Cleanser: Take some milk and squeeze half a lemon into it to make your own cleanser at home.   

Best Cleansers To Buy: Neutrogena- Deep Clean, Garnier Skin Naturals- Micellar Cleansing Water, Himalaya Herbals Purifying- Neem face wash, Nivea- purifying face wash, Biotique- Honey Gel Face Cleanser, Aroma Magic Neem & Tea Tree Facewash.

• Exfoliate:

After preparing your face for the facial, you need to exfoliate your facial skin.

There are many advantages of exfoliating your skin. Apart from opening your pores and deep cleansing it, exfoliating helps to keep your face looking younger for long by removing the dead cells and pollutant deposits.

DIY Exfoliant: Take some brown sugar, mix some green tea leaves into it, and then add some honey and vitamin C oil or olive oil to make a paste. Use that paste as a gentle exfoliant.

Best Store-Bought Exfoliants: Khadi Natural- Aloe Vera Face wash with scrub, Lotus Herbals- Berryscrub Strawberry & Aloe Vera Exfoliating Face Wash, and Nivea- Skin Refining Scrub.

• Steam:

A lot of  people keep asking questions like, “Is steam good for skin or not?” or “Do

we really have any positive effects of steaming?” Well, the answer is YES!

It is very important that after exfoliating your skin, you use the steamer. You can do the traditional way by boiling some water in a saucepan and then hold your face over the steam. To make it more effective you can add some essential oil like lavender or rose and then place a towel over your head and the saucepan to trap the steam. Or you can just buy a face steamer. Either way, steaming will help your skin be ready for the next step: Mask.  

• Use Facemask For Glowing Skin

Putting a face mask is essential for restoring nutrients and essential oils in your skin. So, you need to be very careful about which mask you’re using and its intended purpose. For instance, if you have oily skin, then you should avoid using masks that have oil or oily ingredients, use hydrating or cleansing masks. The main idea is to learn to choose your face masks according to your skin type.

DIY Masks: Chickpea powder and turmeric face mask. This is a neutral face mask which means that both people with oily and dry skin can use it. All you need to do is add some yogurt to chickpea power and add a pinch of turmeric. Yogurt cools the skin and moisturises it and turmeric clears the skin of pigmentation and chickpea, discourages facial hair growth.

Best Store-Bought Masks: Biotique- bio fruit whitening and depigmentation face pack, Innisfree- skin clinic mask, and Garnier skin naturals- green tea serum mask

• Toning:

You may think that toning is not an important process, but let us tell you that to close your pores and to maintain the facial for a longer time, you need to tone your skin after removing the mask.

DIY toner: Take two tablespoons of rose water, two drops of glycerine, two drops of almond oil, and some water. Put that mixture in a glass spray bottle, and use it within a week.

Best Store-bought toner: Kaya, Shehnaz Hussain, Plum, Clinique

• Moisturise:

If you are not going outside, then you can stop here and allow your skin to rest/breath. However, if you need to go out or feel that your skin is feeling dry put on some light moisturiser to protect your skin.

Best store bought moisturiser: Neutrogena- ultra sheer dry touch sunblock, Biotique- morning nectar flawless skin moisturizer, and Nivea- soft light moisturiser. These are some of the best face cream moisturisers available at your nearest stores.

• No make up:

Allow your skin to breath and avoid putting on make up for at least 24 hours. This step is the crucial part as many of us put on foundations and BB creams, and stop our skin from rejuvenating itself which results in acne and breakouts. So, makeup and learn to be confident in your skin.

Body

The skin on our body needs a little different type of care than the skin on our face. Let's break it down for you.

• Body wash:

It is very important to use the correct body wash for your type of skin. Furthermore, don't forget that your skin reactions to different seasons differently. So, you must be very cautious while picking up a moisturiser for yourself.

Best store bought body wash: Biotique- Bio Apricot refreshing body wash, Biotique- orange peel body rejuvenating body soap, and Palmolive- thermal spa skin renewal crushed coconut and jojoba butter extract.

• Dry Body Brush

If you do not have one, you should invest in one right now. Try to buy those body brushes that also have a massager bristles on the other end of it. Try to use the technique of dry brushing to exfoliate your skin of the dry and dead skin cells.

Method of use: Take the dry brush and start brushing your skin in an upward motion, or in other words, brush it towards your heart. Then, take an oil of your choice and use the massager end to massage your body to increase the blood flow in your body. Dry brushing and massages will ensure reduction of cellulose, tightening of skin and increased blood flow which will help in the release of any tensions that the body is holding on to or accumulating. Try to use these techniques one or twice a week to see results.

• Moisturise and use sunscreen

It is very important to moisturise your body every day. Especially, during the colder months when one's skin gets drier. The best idea is to put those creams that combine both a moisturiser and a sunscreen. Either way, it is very important to put sunscreen every day irrespective of the season.

Best store-bought moisturiser and sunscreen: St.D'Vencé- ultra lightweight body lotion, Neutrogena- ultra sheer dry touch sunblock, L’Oreal Paris- UV complex even complexion SPF 50, and Nivea- moisturising sun lotion.

• Food for healthy skin:

Ultimately, to achieve healthy skin you must provide the body with what it needs. Without proper nutrition, your skin will not regenerate or rejuvenate. So, it is very crucial to have foods that will take care of your skin health from within.

Vitamin C enriched foods: any orange and yellow looking foods contain vitamin C which helps the skin to glow and remain healthy. Foods like: Orange, Grapefruit, carrots, lemon, gooseberry, etc.

Antioxidant rich foods: Foods rich in antioxidants help the skin to rejuvenate and remain youthful. Foods like: blueberry, raspberry, gooseberry, strawberry, etc.

For more skin care tips and tricks, check out the YouTuber who gives the best skin care advice, Rachel Talbott.

Now, that you know how to take care of your skin when are you planning to have a spa day and de-stress yourself?

Take care!