Ok, yes we all love the monsoons; the beautiful sky, fresh greenery all around, the pitter patter of rain drops…. But wait! As great as the monsoons can be they can wreck havoc on our skin and hair; think frizzy fly away or greasy and flat hair, oily skin, bleeding make up, break outs. Yuck!! No girl ever wants that monsoon baggage!

Rainy day

A few simple tips and do’s and don’ts can keep away the monsoon blahs. So get ready to look fabulous all through the rainy season with my fail safe list.

Tone it up!

To close the pores and prevent bacteria from residing on your skin; use a nice toner after you wash/ cleanse your skin. It will also tighten your skin and make it look smoother. It will also prepare your face for anything else that you want to apply next. My pick for a toner for the season is the H2O+ Sea Clear Mattifying Toner.

It’s STILL sunscreen time!sunscreen time

Yes, we know the sun is hiding behind the clouds for most of the time; but the skin damaging UV rays are still around. Apply a light sunscreen, preferably water based as a protective measure. The Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Sunscreen is a top recommendation; but if you have really oily skin you can even try the new Lakme 9 To 5 Mattifying Super Sunscreen SPF 50.

Perfect Skin!

Avoid foundations (unless you really cannot help it that is) Foundations can leave your skin greasy because the ambient humidity is already so high and all foundations have quite a lot of emollients. This can also block the pores; which can lead to unsightly breakouts. It’s a much better idea to use a CC cream from lakme products like the Lakme Complexion Care Cream – CC Creme which provides you light coverage while caring for your skin.

Make me blush, pretty please?

Cap off your look and complete your make up with a nice flush of colour. Avoid loud and jarring blushes. A subtle hint of peach or pink will keep you looking fresh all through the day. The blush is best applied over the CC cream (it helps it stay longer). Unless you have very oily skin, cream blushes and tints work the best as they stay on longer and lend a lovely dewy glow to the skin.

Waterproof it is!Waterproof makeup
Please, please switch to waterproof mascara and eyeliner before you are caught unawares in a downpour and then end up resembling a raccoon. Smudged and smeared kajal and mascara is not a pretty sight. You don’t really need eye shadow; it is better to keep your make up light and fresh. My all-time favourite recommendation for mascara would be the Maybelline Colossal Waterproof Mascara and eyeliner would have to be the Lakme Eyeconic range (it’s available in such pretty and flattering colours).

Hydrate!Moisturiser

Even though it’s humid and you feel that you skin is moist, don’t think of skipping moisturiser. That is just the ambient humidity and sweat (sounds gross) that you feel on your skin. Even if your skin is oily; use water based moisturiser. It seals in the natural moisture of your skin. Don’t go by appearances. Do try the Lakme Absolute Skin Gloss Gel Crème is so light and refreshing. Love it!

Groom it baby!

Keep your eyebrows well groomed always. Eyebrows frame the face, they lend definition and character. So even with minimal makeup if your eyebrows are well groomed you will still look polished.

Pucker Up!

The best bet for monsoons is to avoid heavy lip products and lipsticks. It’s much better to stick to light glosses and balms. You won’t have to worry much about feathering and bleeding (remember the enemy; humidity?) Products like Maybelline Baby Lips and  Lakme Lip Love Lipstick work really well.

Ok; so now we are done with the face so we can move on to the crowning glory. We all have fly away, frizzy, uncontrollable hair or just flat hair issues at some point or another during the rains.

Colour me pretty!Hair
Avoid colouring or any other chemical treatment during the monsoons. The humidity messes with the chemical process. The results of a hair straightening or perming service will not be at its best. A colouring service is ok if you care for your tresses well. Even though the hair may appear flat and greasy, it still needs to be conditioning and regular treatments. Trim it regularly to keep the ends healthy.

Banish the frizz and flyaways!

The best way to get rid of flyaways and frizz is to use a light serum along with conditioning. This nourishes and controls your hair without adding additional weight or buildup. Avoid very heavy mousses and sprays as they can attract and lock humidity. The Dove Elixir Nourished Shine Hair Oil is a good, well priced pick.

So enjoy the splashes, pakoras and chai while while you look stunning.

About the Author:

The author of this post, Priya Rane, is a freelance blogger and a frequent contributor to various beauty and fashion blogs. She often writes for Nykaa’s BeautyBook, a blog about Women’s beauty, makeup, lifestyle, trends, fashion and fitness. She loves traveling and likes to prepare different cuisines for her family on weekends.

Image Credit: 1

12 Comments

Rainy Day Beauty Essentials

  1. Very useful tips! I tend to become lazy about my moisturizing routine in the monsoons, but yes, I should be regular about it throughout the year.

    Great article 🙂

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *