Monsoon magic: Time to get your hair and skin ready for the season

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Heat, humidity and rain come together to create havoc for hair, skin and make-up during the monsoon. It can get difficult to keep up with a beauty regimen, but taking care of a few basic things like never leaving the skin wet for long or keeping it moist can be helpful, say experts.

TIGI Educator Audrey D' Souza, Sushma Khan, National Creative Director - Makeup, Lakmé Salon and Disha Meher, National Expert - Skin and Nails, Lakmé Salon, share tips on how you can keep hair frizz, make-up mess and skin breakouts at bay, especially when the monsoon gets going!

' Skin tips by Disha Meher:

Rainy rituals:

' During the day, cleansing, toning, moisturising and applying sunscreen should be your facial ritual. Remember to reapply moisturiser and sunscreen if the skin is exposed to rain.

' During the night, stick to cleansing, toning and applying a good night cream.

These are strict no-nos for the monsoon:

' Never leave the skin wet for a long time. Fungal infections are very common. Always keep your feet and toes dry to avoid infections.

' Do not wear synthetic clothes and allow your skin to breathe.

' Avoid cold water for bathing. Lukewarm water is best for the skin during monsoon.

' Just dab and dry the face and avoid rubbing it with a towel.

Here are your absolute monsoon musts:

' Keep the skin moist by using soap-free cleansers and scrubs. Go for clean-ups which help in unclogging pores and reducing dead skin and dryness.

' Use an alcohol-free toner to prevent dryness of the skin.

' Moisturising is key. Make sure to select a moisturiser as per your skin type.

' Sunscreen lotion must be used even if the sun is not visible.

' Go for regular manicures and pedicures to keep your feet clean.

' Keep your skin smooth and clean by opting for waxing services regularly. Chocolate and Fruit waxes are good options for sensitive skin.

Monsoon make-up hacks by Sushma Khan

' To build a smear-proof base skip the foundation and start with a concealer. Choose a waterproof, matte product followed by a compact powder. When you apply the combination of setting powder and primer on your skin, it dissolves giving you light and flawless coverage.

' The best bet for your lips are matte tints. Instead of choosing gloss, head straight to ultra-matte and dry-finish lip liquids.

' When it comes to liners, ensure to hydrate your lids before application. For a flawless matte finish, use a felt-pen liner because it dries quickly and stays put throughout the day. Experiment and use coloured liners like olives, pinks and blues to add a 'pop' to your look. Opt for a waterproof and volumising mascara for your lashes.

' Contrary to using creamy formulations for the lips, eyes or the face -- using it for your cheeks is perfect. Cream-based cheek tints glide on the skin, giving your cheeks a natural flush.

' Seal your look with a make-up setting spray. It features a patented Temperature Control Technology that lowers the temperature of the make-up, keeping it in place.

TIGI Educator Audrey D' Souza's monsoon mane hacks:

' Don't wash your hair too often: You might feel the need to shampoo often to rid yourself of the dirt and rainwater, but that also means stripping your hair of its natural oils (sebum), leaving it dry and limp.

' Mask it: Deep conditioning helps smoothen out your hair and provides heavy nourishment. Be sure to leave on your mask for at least ten minutes. Intense formulaes in masks help coat the strands with strong conditioning and shine.

' Stay away from heat: Stick with air drying, finger drying or use a blow dryer on low or medium heat on damp hair to control the frizz for better finish.

' Dodge friction: Your hair is prone to damage in the rains, so be as gentle as possible. No vigorous towel drying and squeezing harsh brushing.