7 Skincare Mistakes to not Make in Quarantine

Being at home we are sure has impacted your regular skin care routine. You are either giving in to the stay-at-home-and-chill urge, and skipping a few essential steps in your regime. Or you are on an over drive to try out every home remedy that you come across, since you have more time to spare now. Unsuspectingly you might be doing a lot of damage to your skin. To help you put skin woes at bay, celebrity dermatologist Jaishree Sharad points out the common mistakes you might be making at home in the lockdown.  

Not applying moisturizer on your hands

“Since I have started online consulting after lockdown, I often hear about hand eczema. Women complain that the skin on their hands is peeling off or cuts easily,” says Jaishree Sharad. This happens due to frequent washing of hands and also excessive use of hand sanitizers, especially the ones with 60% alcohol. Both dehydrate the skin and lead to dryness. “Every time you wash your hands you must moisturize,” she strongly recommends. Also in the absence of domestic help, a lot of us are doing household chores and our hands come in contact with harsh detergents. Sharad suggests, you apply oil that forms a protective barrier before wearing a gloves or apply ghee (clarifies butter) on your palms before getting on chopping vegetables and cooking. “A lot of masalas that we use are acidic and tend to react with the skin,” adds Sharad.

Not changing pillow covers 

Many in quarantine, delay changing pillow covers and bedsheets. This isn’t good for your ksin cautions Sharad. “Dirt and oil from your face and hair accumulates on the pillow. When you sleep every night on it, it leads to skin breakouts and boils,” she adds. Change your pillow cover and sheet every fourth day.

Trying out home remedies blindly

Home remedies can lead to skin irritation and burns, so try them out only after taking your skin type into consideration. “If your skin is dry do not apply lemon or tomato wedges directly on it. They are acidic and will not match the PH balance of your skin. Likwise, if you have oily skin stay away from curd and cream formulations. They will clog pores and lead to breakouts,” says Sharad. 

Not washing your hair enough

There’s a general misconception that when at home, your hair doesn’t need to be washed every day. “But that has led to dandruff problems. You sweat, then there’s dust from the windows, fumes from the kitchen all lead to a dirty scalp,” says Sharad. Wash your hair every alternate day and towel dry them. 

Not using sunscreen daily

It’s true that we are not stepping out or being directly exposed to sunrays but sunscreen. “Most of us are working from home, which means long exposure to blue ray emissions, which are as harmful as sun rays. If you spend your time watching Netflix also then you are still exposed to blue rays,” explains Sharad. She suggests a sunscreen with SPF 15 for daily application. 

Not cleansing your face enough 

Twice a day, you need to cleanse your face to get rid of oil and dirt. “Hair isn’t being washed as often. And your face comes in contact with them which leads to white and black heads,” explains Sharad. 

Not taking a shower immediately after workout 

Since we are at home, some of us tend to browse social media, finish off house hold chores or just sit and talk with family after a workout. This can lead to fungal infections, cautions Sharad. It’s imperative to wash off the sweat immediately after working out. “if you don’t workout but spend time in the kitchen cooking food, then also you need to take a shower after wrapping up your work. This too causes sweating that you need to get rid of,” She adds.