By Dr. Blossom Kochhar, Chairperson Blossom Kochhar Group of Companies

Like we change our clothes as the season changes, similarly our skin care and hair care routine also change when we transition from one season to another.

As the weather changes, we change our skincare and hair care regime as per it. During summers, our primary focus is on sunscreens and hydration and as the winter starts our focus shifts to the moisturisers. With the change in season, our skin reacts differently. In the same way, our scalp and hair also react differently with every change in a season. Just like the skincare regime, our hair care routine also needs to be changed as per the changing seasons. Some of us don’t pay heed to change in hair and skin care routines with the change in seasons, whereas those who want to change it don’t get the correct methods to change. Change of seasons can make the skin & hair dry, sweaty, and itchy.

First let us look at the changes we need to make in our hair care routine with the change in weather –

Diet Full of Nutrition: Having a diet full of all the nutrients can help the scalp and hair. Change in season also changes our diet, which can be another factor that can damage hair. Improve the diet also as the season changes. Add seasonal fruits and vegetables to the diet, monitor the protein intake and stay hydrated. A nutritious diet not only helps hair health but can also prove to be an immense privilege for overall health and wellbeing.

Oil Care in Every Season: Apply oil to the scalp and hair in every season. It is the one factor that should not be changed or stopped in any season. Apply oil from the roots to the ends at least once or twice a week. Massaging the scalp with oil increases blood circulation, which brings sufficient nutrients to it and makes the scalp nourished and healthy. The oil we use for hair should always be the same.

Keep Hair and Scalp Clean and Healthy: Change in a season can make the scalp or hair either dry, oily or both. During a season comprising hot and humid weather, our scalp is usually oily because of excessive sebum secretion and sweating. The hair gets dry due to sun exposure and heat. Whereas seasons containing dry and cold weather, make both scalp and hair dry. So, whenever there is a change of the season, keep the scalp and hair clean and moisturised. Use shampoo and conditioner at least thrice a week. Both should be mild and made with natural ingredients.

Time to Time Hair Trimming: Hair trimming improves the hair’s health and texture by removing split-ends, breakage and makes the hair look heavier and healthier. Every 3 to 4 months, hair trimming is suggested, but it depends on the growth and condition of the hair.

Stop Heat Treatment to Hair: Avoid using heat hair tools as much as possible, especially during the changing season. It is the time when hair is the most sensitive. Heat can affect the hair and its strength adversely. It can make the hair brittle, dry and can lead to severe hair fall. Also, using warm water to rinse hair. Normal temperature water and lukewarm water during winters should be used to rinse hair.

Now it is turn to look at the skin care routine we should change with every season –

Use the right moisturizer – be it winters or summers it is important to use moisturizer but it is more important to know the right moisturizer to use. In summers it is better to stick to gel-based moisturisers that have aloe vera in them whereas in winters use cream-based ones which are a little thick.

Exfoliate to freshen up skin – in winters exfoliating once every fortnight is enough as exfoliation also removes oil from the skin but in summers, we sweat a lot hence it becomes paramount to exfoliate at least twice a week to keep the pores of the skin clean and dirt free.

Add a face pack to your routine – no matter what season we are experiencing it is important to apply a natural face pack on our face that will give deep nourishment to the skin. It is just that with change in season the ingredients will vary, like in winters go for face packs that have milk or cream in them whereas in summers add lemon juice, turmeric and rose water to your face packs. This will not only give a cooling effect but will also help you in keeping tanning at bay.

Switch Up Your Cleanser – Cleansing is the first step in any skincare routine, and it’s the base for everything that comes next. Most cleansers work by building up a lather, which removes bacteria and dirt from the upper layer of your skin. For this reason, you may need a more heavy-duty cleanser in summer, when oil production tends to increase. Choose a gel or water-based oil-removing cleanser with salicylic acid, or try out micellar water. As the weather gets cooler, switch the water cleansers to cream or oil-based ones. These are less drying on the skin and protect the moisture. Another way of transitioning is to mix a little of a water-based and cream cleanser for the best of both worlds.