TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
How to take care of your skin in quarantine
In the pandemic there are chances you are exposed to less harsh sun and use less makeup--or even no makeup at all, which is good for your skin. However, you might also expose yourself to more air conditioning, eat less healthy food and consume more alcoholic beverages to cope with the quarantine blues.
Change Size
There are chances you are exposed to less harsh sun and use less makeup--or even no makeup at all, which is good for your skin. However, you might also expose yourself to more air conditioning, eat less healthy food and consume more alcoholic beverages to cope with the quarantine blues. (Shutterstock/metamorworks)
With the increasing amount of time spent at home amid the coronavirus pandemic, your body is now adjusting to a new routine.
Your skin, the largest organ in your body, might also have a hard time figuring out what is happening and freak out in one way or another.
There are chances you are exposed to less harsh sun and use less makeup--or even no makeup at all, which is good for your skin. However, you might also expose yourself to more air conditioning, eat less healthy food and consume more alcoholic beverages to cope with the quarantine blues.
Heather D. Rogers, owner of Modern Dermatology in Seattle, in the United States, said that you need to take care of your whole self to keep your skin healthy and glowing in quarantine. “Your skin is a reflection of your overall health,” she said to huffingtonpost.co.uk.
Take a look at the list below of ways to take care of your skin amid the pandemic.
Get enough sleep
Sleeping is imperative for your overall healthy life. According to Sleepfoundation.org, healthy sleeping behavior includes falling asleep easily within 15-20 minutes of lying down to sleep; regularly sleeping for a total of seven to nine hours in a 24-hour period; having continuous sleep and not having long periods of lying awake when you wish to be sleeping; and waking up feeling fresh and alert.
If you don’t get enough sleep, your body will release more cortisol, the stress hormone that can cause acne or psoriasis.
Work out routinely
Working out will help your body to burn cortisone, which is a good way to reduce stress and help keep your skin clear.
However, remember to immediately take a shower after exercising.
“Please don’t sit around in your sweat, and wash your face,” dermatologist Nazanin Saedi told Huffingtonpost.
Read also: Indonesian beauty trends to look out for in 2020
Wear moisturizer
Saedi predicted that people would sit around in air-conditioned rooms more often than in pre-coronavirus times. This can cause your skin to be exposed to dry air for a longer time. She suggested using a humidifier in the room where you sit most often in the house.
“Also, try not to take too many long, hot showers as hot water sucks the moisture out of your skin,” she said.
Don’t go too far with skincare
You should brace yourself with an experimental skin care routine now that you have so much time on your hands. Use skin masks, peels and exfoliators only with caution.
“All of that exfoliating and peeling affects your skin’s acid mantle. You have good bacteria and bad bacteria. You don’t want to get rid of all your good stuff. If you overtreat, your pH levels go up and that can lead to skin problems,” Rogers said.
Also, Saedi said you should wash your face but not too much.
“If you over-wash, you are stripping the natural oils, so your skin will start producing more,” she said. According to Saedi, it is enough to wash your face only once or twice a day, and use benzoyl peroxide once a week.
Moisturize your hands
The number-one COVID-19 preventive measure is to wash your hands, so naturally by now you will be washing your hands more often than you used to. However, always remember to moisturize your hands after washing.
“All that washing and hand sanitizer dries out the skin,” Saedi said. She suggested hand lotions or petroleum jelly to avoid cracked and chapped hands.
With the lockdown being in effect, it might be harder to purchase your skincare supplies. However, you still can make your own skincare with things you may find in your kitchen.
Rogers suggested using coconut oil to help with eczema and blocked pores. She also recommended castor oil, which is a source of triglycerides, ricinoleic, and other fatty acids. Triglycerides help retain moisture in the skin while ricinoleic works as an anti-inflammatory agent.
Olive oil also helps with dry scalp and hair. “Sleep with some olive oil massaged into your scalp and it should help,” Rogers said. (gis/wng)
