Once the warm weather begins to hit, summer season takes a toll on the skin. The scorching heat and unbearable humidity wipe off the natural glow. You know summertime is here when dry skin gets patchier and oily skin gets oilier. Then there’s the regular pimples and breakouts, rashes and bumpiness, and the stubborn acne just won’t go away! To steer clear of all these hassles and keep your skin glowing like before, you only need to make a few easy changes in your daily skincare regime. Here are a few easy tips you can follow this summer: Sunscreen is a must! If you are one of those people who step out in the sun without wearing sunscreen, PLEASE stop doing this. Wearing sunscreen is one of the most essential steps that you need to follow, not only in the summer but also in every other season in order to protect your skin. Applying sunscreen protects your skin from sun damage such as dry skin, brown spots, and fine lines. Always remember, prevention is better than cure. Drink lots and lots of water Make water your best-friend! Drink around 8 to 10 glasses of water a day. You can also carry a water bottle with you to your work, college, or shopping. Water not only refreshes you but also washes out a lot of toxins from your system and prevents dehydration. As summer makes you sweat a lot, it ends up in leading your cells to lose water quickly. Drink it up! Use Aloe Vera Aloe Vera aka “the plant of immortality” comes to the rescue for various skin issues. Especially, in hot weather, it functions as a soothing balm, cooling off your skin after a long day in the burning sun. Aloe Vera consists of moisturising and anti-inflammatory properties that nourish and calm the skin intensely. It has so many advantages that one cannot help but wonder if this plant has exclusively evolved to heal the human body. You can grow your own fresh Aloe Vera plant at home and scrape the gel straight from the leaf to apply it to your skin. Or you can purchase your nearest Aloe Vera products from the market as well. Don’t neglect your eyes and lips People often forget to pay attention to their eyes and lips. When you go out in the sun, make sure your eyes are covered with sunglasses and your lips protected with a balm formulated with an SPF. We often forget that the skin around the eyes is highly sensitive and requires extra, basic attention. Stick to the basics If you think that your skin cannot get dry during the summers, it’s a myth. Air-conditioned areas can cause your skin to dry out. Make sure you follow the age-old routine, CTM; cleaning, toning, and moisturising at night before you go to bed. Sweating causes our pores to open up, so you need to use a toner (after making sure that the skin is clean) to help close these pores. Sticking to the basics of skin care during hot summers is even more essential, given the UV rays of the sun that could result in premature aging and wrinkles. Opt for minimal make-up Under the intolerant sun, natural looks are best, so embrace your natural beauty! If you want some coverage on your face, you can apply BB Creams or CC Creams with SPF to avoid patchy skin, and allow your skin to breathe. Add a little bit of lip balm, and you are good to go! Published in Daily Times, April 21st 2018.