The Ultimate Summer Skin Care Guide For Men By Allu Sirish
Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Allu Sirish {first name: Sirish}, and I am a Telugu film actor living in Hyderabad. I have acted as the male lead in three films so far and my fourth is on its way. So, it’s been four years since I’ve become an actor, and a lot of my life outside my craft is about taking care of my skin and looking good. Although, let me tell you that it’s impossible to look perfect. There will be unexpected acne breakouts, bad hair days, and bad tans, but what we can do is take care to ensure minimum damage.
Also, note that what works for me might not necessarily work for you; as our skin, lifestyles and climates are quite different. But I believe, in general, most of us Indian boys have similar skin. Usually, it’s some shade of brown, oily during summers, a tad drier during winters, prone to tanning and occasional acne. I thought I’d share some of the hacks I have discovered over the years through trial and error. Some tricks I learned from my dermatologists, my female co-stars, my makeup artists, magazines, and through my own experience. I hope that what I share here is simple to follow and useful to you.
As a guy, I really want a basic, no-nonsense routine that works. I want to be out of the shower in 10 minutes flat. Any elaborate rituals, however effective will only make me bunk it eventually. Also, you really don’t need fancy, expensive products. If you commit to your routine, even simple over-the-counter products will provide good results.
Summer is almost upon us and it is one of my favourite seasons ~ IPL, movies, and holidays. And being in India, I feel this is the season we need to take care of our skin the most {power cuts, sweaty bodies… you get the idea}. If you’re reading this, I am already presuming you know about the basics of skincare and I would hence like to jump straight to the details, skipping the fluff. I am sure you’re already hydrating yourself, keeping sun exposure to a minimum, and washing your face often. So, what else?
Sun Protection Factor: Sunscreen with a higher SPF would mean protection from the sun for a longer duration. But the higher the SPF, the thicker the creams are. The thicker the cream, the greasier it will feel ~ and will generate more oil and sweat when you’re out. Hence, in my opinion, don’t wear sunscreen over SPF 30. SPF 30 blocks 93.3% of the UVB rays, so stick to a lower SPF but do apply it more frequently.
DIY Sunscreen Milk: The more sunscreen you dab, the less you’re going to let your skin “breathe”, causing clogged pores on your face. This will eventually result in excessive sweating and potential acne breakouts. So here’s a simple hack ~ take small amounts of sunscreen {pea sized} and add a few drops of pure water. Mix both to acquire a milky consistency and then smooth over the skin. The water will allow your skin to absorb the sunscreen better while also covering a wider area.
Daytime Vitamin C: As you know, Vitamin C helps us fight sun damage especially when applied topically. From personal experience, I can vouch that you will see the best results when sunscreen is applied along with a Vitamin C serum ~ minimising both tanning and sun damage {sun spots, wrinkling, and collagen damage}. Most cosmetic brands don’t specify the percentage of Vitamin C concentrate their products contain. For a cream or serum to be effective, it will need at least 10% Vitamin C concentrate. Hence, I usually skip the popular cosmetic brands and stick to mediceutical brands like Kaya, Cipla V15/VC 20, or Dr Reddy’s Strea C10. If you would prefer to stay with known brands you trust, please go ahead, but do try to include a Vitamin C serum in your summer skincare routine.
Night Time Care and Weekly maintenance: Your skin focuses on repairing the damage done throughout the day, at night. So, choose a good night-repair cream before you head to bed. I prefer a cream that contains Vitamin E, as this helps soothe sunburn and lightens brown spots. Some people who are into anti-ageing regimens may prefer creams that contain retinol. While retinol is effective, it does make your skin more sensitive to the sun’s rays. So, watch out and keep the use of creams containing retinol to a minimum during summers. Or use sparingly on alternative days and rely more on Vitamin E for your nightly needs. Also, follow up weekly with a home remedy of your choice. Yogurt and lemon, gram flour/besan powder, or whatever your mother/grandmother recommends or you believe works for you.
Additional Information: Avoid swimming during the day time, as chlorine plus sun rays is a sure-fire way to get tanned. Use an indoor pool if you have access to one, or swim after sunset. If you are left with no other option, apply sunblock or sunscreen liberally before hitting the pool. Also, everything I have mentioned above works for people who stay mostly indoors and have average sun exposure. If you’re really out in the sun every day, I recommend you stick to a higher SPF of about 50 and reapply it every 4-5 hours after washing your face. Sorry, it’s a tough life! Washing your face and applying sunscreen repeatedly is a chore, but you’ve got to do what’s good for your skin.
Here’s hoping whatever I have shared is useful to you and that you do benefit from it. Happy summer, bro! Cheer for Hyderabad Sunrisers in the IPL. And, see you at the movies!