Seeking supple skin?

In winters, the air is dry and the skin has a tougher time trapping much-needed moisture. Moreover, gusting winds and overheated buildings make it dry, scaly and rough.

One doesn't even tend to moisturise as much, as the feet and legs aren't on display the way they are during summers. Unfortunately, it doesn't take long for skin that is neglected to react and one ends up with spots on heels, knees and elbows as well as stressed-out, undernourished skin on the face and body. So what do you do when summer strikes and you are ready to hop into a strappy number?

Fear not, as skincare experts like Blossom Kocchar from Ishwar Blossom Kochhar Spa at Ai and Karen Biancardi from The Spa at Aman give you a complete skincare checklist to help you get ready to brave the heat.

Bye-bye dry skin

It's time to brush away the dead cells and start anew with fresh, glowing skin. Start with a full body exfoliation, while paying special attention to your extra-dry spots. You can find all sorts of exfoliating scrubs at your local drug store or beauty supply store. There are different formulas for sensitive skin and gentler scrubs for your face. Do not use the same sort of scrub on your body and face as facial skin is much more delicate.

If you'd like to try making your own exfoliating scrubs at home, it's fun and easy. For dry, parched elbows and ankles, every night before going to bed, take one tablespoon of milk cream and add a few drops each of glycerine, castor oil and rose water. Mix them well and apply it to the dry skin. Leave the mask overnight and rinse it with cool water in the morning.

Back to basics

Dermatologists recommend that a person must wash the face twice a day with a mild soap or cleanser. Alternate the water temperature. Hot water opens your pores and allows you to clean them. But think about what happens after the cleaning. Your pores stay open, allowing dirt to enter immediately. One way to avoid this is to rinse your face and body with cool or cold water after you clean. It helps lock moisture into your skin. Think about your showering routine. Make sure you are washing your face and body after rinsing your shampoo and conditioner.

That way you are cleaning away the entire soap residue from your hair care products. People with irritable skin must try to identify what causes the irritation. If it is stress then try to reduce stress levels. Acne is a common problem in women. One must never try to burst a pimple. Leave it alone. Picking, popping or squeezing it will only make it worse. Have only a dermatologist to remove or extract pimples.

Moisturise it

Although moisturising is a part of the basic skin care routine, we often tend to neglect it. The moisturiser needs to be chosen according to your skin type. Oily skin also needs moisturising. Clean the oil off the skin first and then use a light, water-based moisturiser. But a person with oily skin needs to be careful about not washing the face several times.

If too much of the skin's natural oil is washed away, it may become very dry and begin to itch and flake. Because the skin's natural process is interrupted, it may begin to produce more oil than usual, which can cause acne.

Have fun in the sun

With the bright spring sun come new skin problems, namely 'sun damage.' It has a sneaky way of creeping in and causing the breakdown of collagen, hyper pigmentation and fine lines. So it is imperative that a person, male or female, keeps the skin out of direct sunlight, especially during the peak hours of 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The sun activates the skin ageing process. In addition, overexposure can bring chronic damage, which in turn may lead to skin cancer. More than 90 per cent of all skin cancer is caused by sun exposure. Do not sunbathe, but try to get a little sun in the early morning or late afternoon. Always use a sunscreen of at least SPF 30, apply it 15 minutes before going out in the sun.

Try to carry an umbrella to avoid sun burn and wear loose cotton clothes and avoid deep necklines and backless clothes if going out in the day time. To prevent a tan, use this bath formula: mix equal quantities of almond oil and malt vinegar. Apply to the skin and body. Keep it on for an hour and then take a bath. Keep your skin hydrated, be sure you're drinking enough water. One should try to drink at least six to eight glasses of water every day. Caffeinated sodas and coffees don't have quite the same effects as a tall glass of water.

Special treatments

One can get anti-ageing facials done, such as microdermabrasion. The application of vitamin C serum is the best treatment for the face and to decolletage. For the body, scrubbing the dead skin and to increase the blood circulation, a sea/ rock salt body scrub mixed with apricot and almond oils is the best combatant for the dullness the skin suffers from in winters. These treatments can be availed of at a spa. One might develop rashes or fungal infections in the heat, so do not treat it at home. Consult your dermatologist as these infections can spread to the entire body.

Make it up

Experimenting with make-up can be fun. However, it's important to use products that are hypoallergenic to avoid irritation. In order to reduce the risk of clogged pores or acne, it's always smart to remove make-up at the end of the day with a mild soap or any other gentle cleanser. If makeup irritates the skin, it's best to stop using it immediately. Dermatologists also recommend that people avoid sharing make-up as it can increase the spread of bacteria.

Five home fixes

* For combination skin, mix half a banana with some sugar and use it as a scrub. This makes the skin soft and supple.
* For dry skin, apply almond oil all over the face before going to bed. Wash it the next morning with milk and honey.
* For oily skin, blend half a teaspoon lemon juice, egg white and a drop of jojoba oil. Apply on face and wash in 10 minutes.
* After spending too much time in the sun, wash your face with water and apply a mixture of lemon and tomato juice. Keep it for 10 to 15 minutes.
* A pimple right before a date? Apply some toothpaste on it and leave for not more than five minutes. Wash with cold water.