While most of us are chillin’ in our pyjamas at home reading this article, we’re aware that life, as we know it, has come to a halt. Our schedules have taken a back seat, we’re eating at odd hours, we’re working while watching Netflix, for heaven’s sake, we’re not even following a skincare routine anymore! On that note, one can assume that if we don’t step out of our homes, neither our skin or we will have to do deal with UV damage, air pollution and environmental stress. Which means, no need of having a skincare routine in place.
Do You Really Need To Follow A Skincare Routine When Indoors?
Well, just ‘coz you’re at home, your skin is still exposed to dust, dirt and UV radiation from the window glass. Also, taking stress, lack of fresh hair, use of air conditioners and central heating can also damage our skin. The best way to neutralize free radicals is to apply topical antioxidants that contain Vitamin C and Vitamin E. If you don’t have these creams at home, you can also get your vitamins by drinking juices made from carrots, spinach, oranges and apples.
As far as UV radiation is concerned, one must wear sunscreen indoors as well as outdoors. For your daily dose of vitamin D, you can bathe in sunlight anytime between 8-10am. After 10 am, the rays become harsher and damage the skin easily if you aren’t wearing sunscreen. Since glass does not block sunlight, you can easily suffer from fine lines, spots, wrinkles and pigmentation. In fact, sun exposure causes the skin to age faster. Since you’re indoors, SPF 25-30 should be good enough. Don’t worry even if you don’t have a milder SPF, you can use whatever you have on hand.
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Even if you do not get proper sunlight at home, your skin is still at risk when exposed to blue light. It’s basically a high energy visible light that gets emitted from your laptop, cellphones and tablets. Like UV radiation, it can cause serious damage to your skin. To protect yourself from blue light, make sure that your sunscreen has an ingredient called zinc oxide present in it.
Also, if you have never used retinol but always wanted to, now is a good time to try it out while you’re staying indoors. This can prevent premature ageing and boost collagen production. Start with 0.25% once a week and gradually build your skin up to a higher concentration, more frequently.
Also, work stress can take a toll on your skin and result in breakouts. If this happens, avoid touching your face and picking at your skin. The less you touch your skin, the better it will be. Another important point, pay attention to the room temperatures at home. If your air conditioner is on it can cause your skin to dry out. Hence, it’s important to drink plenty of water to keep your skin, moist, nourished and hydrated. As far as cleansing is concerned, wash your face with a mild cleanser. Any cleanser too harsh can strip your skin of its natural oils.
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Conclusion: following a skincare routine is important even when you’re indoors. The skin is the largest organ of your body and at this moment requires the most amount of attention rather than that banana bread baking in the oven. Toodles!
Images: Shutterstock
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