What I Learnt By Being My Own Dermatologist

Skin, our largest organ, sometimes gets neglected as we focus on other body parts. When we invest in skin care, we often just go by what others tell us to do. I have had friends come up to me and ask what I consider skin care, and I just say, "Knowing my skin." Because regardless of whether a product works on your friend or not, you can only be sure about its efficacy if you try it out. These are a few tricks I learned by being my own dermatologist-

• Your skin is yours.

Years ago, when I hit puberty, I was plagued with stubborn acne that tended to leave their marks on my face. Based on everyone's recommendations, I tried facewashes, Multani mitti face packs and even upping my water intake. But, what worked best for me was chandan paste. That's the beauty of knowing your skin. Though Multani mitti worked wonders for my brother (similar skin type- oily), we both reacted differently to the two substances. It took me almost 3 years of dedicated trial and error to finally get close to finding my Holy Grail products. But it is all worth the effort.

• Research is key.

While looking for products, make sure you understand their ingredient list. There are products that lure you in under the guise of their 'natural' tags. Turn it around and look at the first ingredient. If the first couple of ingredients are the ones that the product claims to hero, then you're one step closer to not being fooled. This basically means that those substances are the ones in the most quantity in your product. The internet is full of reviews and demos, utilize it. Never step foot to buy a product on the day you squeeze out its last drop unless you're repurchasing it. Even then, if you notice the packaging is changed, check the ingredient list. Coming back to my point, research a product thoroughly, go through a couple of videos or blog posts created by people who have a similar skin type to yours, and then venture into the market.

• Water is the real MVP.

You hear this everywhere, but applying it in real life is almost as impossible as it is to save the popcorn for the actual movie. Nevertheless, my skin goes through hell if I let my body dehydrate. Common fact, but not as noticeable as one might think. Have you ever been so absorbed in your work/studies/chores, that you haven't stopped to have water for a couple of hours? Yeah, you're dehydrated. Keep a clean, glass/metal bottle close in your sight so that you can take a few sips every time you lift your head to catch a break. Plastic bottles don't usually keep your water nice and cool, is what I've discovered. Hence, the specific mention of glass and metal ones. Your skin gets a chance to flush out the gunk it has accumulated throughout the day via water.

Pro-tip: Have a glass of fresh room temperature water, you'll notice a change in your skin and energy levels in a couple of days.

• Seasonal skin is real.

Yes, you read that right. Your skin changes according to the seasons. Winter is usually the harbinger of dry skin, and summer that of oily and/or sweaty skin. Monsoons are somewhere between the two. Choose products according to how your skin behaves in particular seasons. Don't completely change your routine, just have one or two alternatives for your main products like moisturizers, and cleansers. The rest doesn't need an upgrade. You can either change up the quantity or not use a particular product based on the season.

Pro-tip: Go for mattifying products for oily skin, and hydrating for dry skin. Combination skin humans have products catering to their skin, so choosing oily or dry skin ones won't give as good results.

• Skin care doesn't need to be bougie

You must've seen people raging about some xyz bougie brand, but you don't have to subject yourself to the financial toll if it's not your cup of tea. There are great dupes for such products, usually created by home brands. And in any case, aloe vera gel is an all-time savior. Regardless of what your concern is, there is always a place for a little aloe vera gel to feature in. Whether it is as a moisturizer, primer, tan remover, it just works for everything and everyone. However, if the natural aloe vera gel doesn't suit you, look for a store bought 99% aloe vera gel, it works just the same.

• Moisturizer and SPF

I don't think these two products need any introduction. Moisturizer makes sure that your skin stays calm, and SPF is the armor that your skin needs in order to battle against the Sun's unintended damage. Both these products are the first ones that you need to invest in. Again, they don't need to break your bank. They just need to suit your skin. Skin care doesn't just mean your face, it means body, too. Do not exclude that.

• You don't need makeup if you don't want it

I wear makeup because I enjoy it and it makes me feel good. But, if it doesn't give you a good feeling, then you should proudly skip it. It isn't a necessity, so don't let it become one.

• Keep your phone and pillowcases clean.

These are the favorite haunts for bacteria, as they're used every day and often get skipped during cleaning processes. Your phone comes in contact with a lot of dirt, grime, and germs as it goes everywhere with you. Also, please stop taking it to the loo. Take a drop or two of anti-bacterial liquid on a cotton pad, and just give your phone a wipe-down every day. And regularly change your pillowcases, in addition to giving them a good dusting to get rid of last night's dead skin cells.

That's all I had to say on this topic. I'm leaving a list of brands that I use in my daily routine, you can check them out, too.

• Moisturizers:

Neutrogena, Lacto Calamine (for face)

Vaseline (for the body)

• SPF:

Lotus Herbals

• Under-eye cream:

Aroma Magic

• Cleansers:

Neutrogena, Clean & Clear, Himalaya

• Aloe Vera Gel:

WOW Skin Science (or the natural one if it suits you)