Are you fasting right?

This quarantine period has come as a blessing for our skin, keeping it away from the harsh sunlight and also giving it a much-needed break from lengthy skincare routines.

This idea of breaking the monotony of skincare regimes called skin fasting is about giving your skin the break from the products applied on a daily basis.

“Skin fasting is all about minimising the number of skincare products we use, which may block the skin systems and pores. By giving your skin a break and letting it breathe, it regenerates and repairs itself regularly,” explains dermatologist Dr Gurjot Marwah.

Keep it clean

While skin fasting may be interpreted as completely cutting out on skincare, cosmetologist Pooja Nagdev shares that the skin should not be deprived of basic care techniques like cleansing, just like how one doesn’t give up food completely while fasting.

“Rule one is cleansing. It has to happen every day, to which one can add natural elements to detoxify further that come right out of our kitchen. Like orange and lemon peel powder. Even pomegranate peel and seeds can be dried and used,” she says, adding that the idea is to move towrads vegan and natural products while restricting the use of chemically infused products.

“Skin has to be cleaned, it has to be moisturised, and pores have to be closed. Cleansing, toning, and moisturising are essential, irrespective of fasting,” she asserts.

Echoing the view, founder of Global Beauty Secrets Aishwarya Sawarna Nir explains that skin fasting should be practised depending on the skin type. For the beauty expert, choosing the right products and eliminating harmful ones is the real skin fasting.

“Completely withdrawing all skincare might cause the skin to suffer in unpredictable ways. People with dry skin will notice flaking and skin fasting is not a fitting regime for oily skin. In fact, it has been propagated for dry skin  the entire idea is that we load our skin with so much moisturiser that our skin stops producing oil,” elucidates Nir.

While Dr Marwah suggests trying skin fasting at least for a week every month depending upon your skin type, Nir suggests paying attention to your skin’s needs.

“Product and skin chemistry are the two pillars of skincare. If the product is not suiting you, then better fast. But if the skin needs a lot of attention, you should not skip the products. First, consider what suits and what doesn’t,” she warns, further suggesting using at least a mild face wash and gentle moisturiser.

Founder of Nourish Mantra, Ritika Jayaswal further clarifies that there can’t be a zero-product regime for everyone. “If you have oily skin then go without a layer of moisturizer for a day, but if you have extremely dry skin then absolutely no moisturizer will only keep your skin agitated. Applying a moisturiser will just give your skin the required hydration that it can’t fulfil by itself,” she says.

Home remedies

Cosmetologist Nagdev recommends making cooling skin toner using products from your pantry. “Mint and lemon juice are best for summer use. Remember to use mint juice by grinding and then straining it, never boil the mint. Add lemon juice and water to that. It is the most cooling and hydrating toner for the skin,” she lists.

And for dry skin, a toner with rose or hibiscus petals and an emollient like glycerin will give your skin the necessary hydration. Whereas Nir personally uses fermented rice water and recommends the same. “It is actually the water you cook the rice in. Wash your face with it as it is loaded with vitamins and improves the texture,” she concludes.