When I hear the word summer, I am confused. Should I be happy or sad? One one hand, you get to wear lighter clothes, all those pastel sundresses and feel freer now that the nip in the air isn’t biting anymore but on the other hand, the scorching heat and sweat stains don’t make life too beautiful either. Delhi summers aren’t like European summers - all happy and sunshine-y and healthy tans. Heat stroke is a real threat and we have to do what we can to keep energy levels (and our spirits) high. Make sure you don’t leave home without these summer essentials:

Face Cleansing Tissues

Now, face cleansing tissues are the most important item you should have in your bag during summers. The extreme sweat, dust and germs are sure to affect your skin and make you break out or just make your skin dull. Here are some face cleansing tissues that you might like: Innisfree Apple seed cleansing tissue, Clean & Clear Fresh Face cleansing sheet.

Umbrella

A light coloured umbrella. Speaking from a scientific perspective - light colours reflect heat and dark colours absorb it. Thus, try and carry light coloured umbrella. And from a style perspective, light coloured umbrellas are bound to make you look radiant and fresh in the summer heat.

Check out India Circus for some really funky umbrellas.

Sunscreen Primer For Low Tone Make Up

If you find your skin reacting badly to make up in the peak of summer, this one’s for you. Some make up brands have very nicely launched primers with sunscreen to address this issue. With this primer, your face is not only going to look flawless but would also feel the same as it protects your skin from the UV rays. You can buy this item off Nykaa. Ether ways, girls, try to reduce the number of products that you apply on your face and allow your skin to breath often during summers.

Nimbu Paani/Flavoured Water

DO NOT STEP OUTSIDE THE HOUSE WITHOUT WATER. We think this statement should be a law during Delhi summer. However, there are so many of us who do not like the tastlessness of water. For them we would suggest to add some lemon juice and sugar or salt to your water to flavour it up. Another thing you can do is buy a detox bottle and infuse fruit flavour to make your water interesting.

Hand Sanitizer

Hand sanitizer is something that you should carry with yourself throughout the year, really but its importance only increases as the heat goes up, as germ infestation is at its maximum. Keep using it throughout the day and especially before and after having your meal. Bath and Body works has some really interesting fragrances such as cherry blossom and warm vanilla sugar but you’re just as well off with Dettol or Lifebuoy.

Sunscreen

Please guys, we recommend you do not look at sunscreen as a cosmetic product. It's another necessary thing that you must put on and carry in the summers if you don't want to aggravate the cancer cells. I don't mean to scare you. If you don't believe me, listen to your favorite actor Hugh Jackman who tweeted on 14th Feb, 2017, “Another basal cell carcinoma. Thanks to frequent checks & amazing doctors, all's well. Looks worse with the dressing on then off! WEAR SUNSCREEN.” So, guys keep the sunscreen on at all times. We would recommend you buy a minimum SPF 50 sunscreen. Don’t know which one to buy? Neutrogena Ultra Sheer, Lakme Sun Expert Matte, and Biotique Bio Carrot are all safe bets. You can find those and other more types of sunscreen on Nykaa.

Deo/Perfume

Smelling bad just get one's confidence down and let’s face it, doesn’t make people want to be around you so much. Avoid this whole situation and always carry a deo withh you. You can choose between a fresh, citrus, light and pleasant smelling perfume or something stronger which leaves more of an impact. Click here to know some of the best perfume brands and what they offer. You can also check out Nykaa 's collection of perfumes for more variety at an affordable price.

Sunglasses

Sunglasses are another summer time essentials that you should carry with yourself. Apart from glamming up your outfit, sunglasses also protect your eyes from harsh UV rays. Here are some online stores from where you can find yourself a nice pair of sunglasses: Myntra, Lenskart, koovs, and Elitify. And remember, don’t compromise on quality when it comes to sunglasses!

Lip Stain/Matte lipstick

Ladies, please put on matte lipstick or lip stain in summers. Glossy and liquid lipsticks, are going to turn you into a hot mess (and not in a good way). You could still maybe carry it off at night but not under the merciless sun. No! Speaking from personal experience, it's like a horror story which takes place in broad daylight. You can turn to brands like Nivea, Himalaya Herbals, Burt’s Bees or even Vaseline to add a slight colour and nourishment to your lips.

Face Mist

This item, apart from being a hope of relief in the burning city of Delhi, in summer, is also a secret weapon to beat the stench in confined spaces like the metro. Furthermore, it’s not going to cause much damage to your wallet. All you need to do is buy rose water and mix it with some regular water, and there you go, you got yourself a face mist which is not only good for your skin but has the potential to fight off sweaty smells. You can also check out Nykaa for more options.

We hope our list helps you combat the Delhi's heat and keep you UV rays projected. Till next time, stay hydrated and healthy.