Beauty / Be A Brown Goddess: 6 Ways To Prep Your Skin For Summer

Be A Brown Goddess: 6 Ways To Prep Your Skin For Summer

Beauty Jul 12, 2021

by Meena Khan | Features Editor - Beauty

As we slowly creep towards normalcy with each jab, the desire to spend time outdoors is irresistible. I think we should change the beauty focus from drawn out self-care rituals which keep us indoors, to quick, efficient mini rituals which leave us relaxed and prepared to face the world. Be a brown goddess with these 6 tips to prep your skin for summer.

Given that summer is relatively short as compared to fall and winter, a few minor tweaks is all you need to create effective mini rituals. I emphasize ‘mini’ because there is no need to overhaul your beauty routine for just 90 days of sunny pleasure.

Here are my 6 tips!

HAIR NOT THERE

Body and facial hair are like two heads of Hydra, I always cut them, and they always grow back. I prefer to avoid Hercules’ solution to such a problem and rely on quick, easy techniques that will not burn my skin. To that end I recommend Nair Wax Ready Strips for Legs & Body and Face & Bikini.

The Legs & Body kit contains 40 wax strips which are loaded with rectangles of wax measuring 12.5 x 5 cm. To access the wax, you need to slowly peel apart the strip, like the way our mothers did the sheets of edible silver prior to applying them atop mithai. Once the two parts of the strip are separated, you will have two sheets with wax.

**Be A Brown Goddess: 6 Ways To Prep Your Skin For Summer: Nair Wax Ready Strips Legs & Body.** Photo Credit: www.naircare.ca

I like to dab baby powder on the area that I aim to wax, making sure that the hair is placed in one direction and measures at most 2-3 cm in length. I gingerly place the strip atop the hair and use my palm to set the strip in place. I then take a deep breath, hold the area taut and then yank the strip in the opposite direction of the hair. I wince for a moment and then use another part of the strip to remove hair from another area.

If the area is red, and some hair has not been removed, I will attempt to wax it after a few minutes have passed. I avoid waxing areas where I have a mole or am wounded because the yanking could cause damage and bleeding. After I have completed the waxing, I remove any remnants of wax using the post-waxing wipes that are included in the kit.

The strips for the face measure 5.5. x 2 cm and function on the same premise as the Legs & Body ones. On the face, the hair is not typically long but when I remove my moustache I place the strips on the skin, setting it from top to bottom. I then yank the strip upwards, being careful to not harm the contour of the lips.

If you are a novice, I recommend that you do a patch test prior to engaging in a full-on waxing session. This tip is based on my experience. Many years ago, I was using an acne treatment and an incompetent aesthetician waxed my face, without checking the state of my skin. I ended up with a red moustache area which crusted over, and the discolouration took years to fade. I was devastated, and I returned to the salon and in front of everyone I screamed at her and started to cry, proclaiming that she ruined my life (I was 18). She rightfully felt awful. I was so worried about my face that when a family friend asked if she could pray for me at Hajj, I requested that she pray for my face and to forget the rest. Since that experience, I have become a fan of the patch test, especially when I am using retinoid products and treatments which sensitize the skin.

BAM WHAT A BOD!

During the summer, we are more active, and the sun kisses us with a hint of tint. In short, we look great, and the way to maintain the fit glow is to cleanse daily, exfoliate twice weekly and moisturise daily. I thoroughly enjoyed the Fika Beauty Grapefruit Glow Exfoliating Body Scrub because it is creamy, and the salt gently lifts away dead skin and reveals ingrown hairs which enables you to shave effectively. The scrub also contains coconut and vegetable oils which leave the skin soft. I use this step to perform a circular massage over my buttocks, abdominals, knees, ankles and inner thighs, so that they will look smooth and firm, as the massage encourages drainage. On some days when I exfoliate with the scrub and I am pressed for time, I have skipped moisturising my skin because it felt soft, and it did not look dry. The product has a faint grapefruit scent which is not cloying, and it fades after a few minutes.

These 6 BeautyTips Will Help You PraBe A Brown Goddess: 6 Ways To Prep Your Skin For Summerep Your Skin For Summer — **Be A Brown Goddess: 6 Ways To Prep Your Skin For Summer: Fika Beauty Grapefruit Glow Exfoliating Body Scrub.** Photo Credit: www.fikabeauty.ca

After a refreshing shower, I reach for a dry oil during the humid summer months because it is rapidly absorbed by the skin, and it stays in there. My experience with lotions is that they are gross when it is humid. They possess a light texture, but the heat and humidity expel the product and at the end of the day I feel slimy. An oil like Fika All-in-One Glow Signature Oil is ideal because it is lightweight, and the dropper ensures that you never douse your skin with excess product. Like the scrub, it smells faintly of grapefruit, and I love that it calms my freshly shaven legs. Since it is an oil, I repeat the circular massage technique to promote drainage and a taut appearance.

SUMMER SCENT, NOT STENCH

One of the reasons why I bought a car was because on the bus the air permeated with summer stench rather than scent. Our noses take a true beating during the hot months, which is why I switch my fragrance approach to light and lively.

I have been using aluminum-free deodorants since 2012 and I noticed that the darkness in my armpits has faded, and the area does not sting when I apply deodorant after shaving. I always apply a fresh coat of product at lunchtime so that I am assured that I will never be the stinky one. I was intrigued by the Caudalie Vino Fresh Natural Stick Deodorant because it is not only aluminum-free, it is also alcohol- and baking soda-free. The product contains “organic fresh-scent Eucalyptus and prebiotic Grape Water to control odour, hydrate, and support a healthier underarm flora.” I swiped it on in the morning and loved that it did not leave any residue on my t-shirt, and it passed the sniff test at lunch time.

In terms of fragrance, it is hard to beat L’eau d’Issey, unless you are wearing L’eau d’Issey Shades of Kolam, in which the classic fragrance is interpreted through the vibrancy of Kolam, the art form that hails from Tamil Nadu. Kolam is bright and colourful art form and is passed between mother and daughter. This scent starts opens with the essence of grapefruit, freesia and cardamom and develops into sambac jasmine, rose and finally settles into cedar and ambroxan. The fragrance journey is complex and is like a vacation for the mind. I apply a few spritzes to my wrists, cleavage and neck, and I truly feel uplifted.

SUMMER SPA

I think that spending time outdoors is more effective than spending a day at a spa to lift one’s spirits. However, for skin care, a little extra TLC is always necessary because the heat and sweat can dull the complexion.

I suggest using a brightening mask such as Biossance Squalane + Glycolic Renewal Mask to promote a uniform skin tone and to remove dead skin cells. This one tingles quite a bit for the first minute and then it calms down. I kept it on for 10 minutes and then rinsed my face using tepid water. The mask’s combination of glycolic and fruit acids, and mineral spheres, revealed a refreshed complexion with soft skin. Remember to always use sunscreen to protect the skin.

These 6 BeautyTips Will Help You Prep Your Skin For Summer — **Be A Brown Goddess: 6 Ways To Prep Your Skin For Summer: Biossance Squalane + Gycolic Renewal Mask.** Photo Credit: www.biossance.com

After rinsing and toning my face for about two minutes, I apply a few droplets of Guerlain Abeille Royale Youth Watery Oil to my palms and then gently massage it into my face and neck, avoiding the eye area. The lightweight serum’s texture is ideal because it does not clog the skin, while it plumps and hydrates the skin. The serum contains exclusive ingredients such as Ouessant Black Bee Honey and exclusive Royal Jelly which create a radiant complexion.

The above steps revive the skin, and the total time for the summer skin care spa is 15 minutes.

SUNNY THOUGHTS

Summer is short but that does not mean that we forego rituals. A few of them will keep out faces and bodies in check and when the season ends, there is minimal damage. Moreover, the mini rituals are easy to execute and will reinforce your sense of self, as we re-engage with the world and socialize in person.

Main Image Photo Credit: www.unsplash.com, www.fikabeauty.ca, www.isseymiyakeparfums.com

Meena Khan | Features Editor - Beauty

Author

Meena (@meenalaregina) always loved the idea of exploring the non-conventional idea of beauty. Having grown up as a pimply chubby teenager, she wanted to see the change in the world that best reflected your uniqueness as well. Her well-received collection of blogs where she tries on various beauty p...

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Be A Brown Goddess: 6 Ways To Prep Your Skin For Summer

by Meena Khan | Features Editor - Beauty

Meena Khan | Features Editor - Beauty

COMMENTS

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