The festive season is approaching and it becomes even more important to take care of ourselves and shower some self love during these hectic months.

Self love has many manifestations and one of them is taking care of our body and our skin. However, given the uncertain times we live in, I feel affordability is extremely important when we talk about self care and skin care. I personally would think twice before splurging on anything expensive and would prefer budget-friendly options.

So today I would like to share some easy and affordable ways in which you can take care of yourself and your skin.

A gentle face wash

Cleansing your face twice a day (morning and evening) is honestly the first step. Especially in summers, when we are exposed to changing temperatures, humidity/dryness (depending on where we live), sweat and dust. It's important to take it all off in the evening and let the skin benefit from some tender loving care. In the morning too, we need to take off the products from our night time routine. A gentle cleanser can help with that. 

One super affordable alternative to a cleanser that I like to use personally is some fine white clay powder. You only need a small quantity each time and it's very gentle on the skin.

 You can check out some amazing products here.

Home Facials

The pandemic means we are unable/ hesitant to visit the beauty parlour. The skin however does need some pampering from time to time and an easy home facial is the solution that I like best.

VLCC Natural Sciences has a range of good quality home facial kits and one of my favourites for years has been their Papaya fruit facial kit. The kit comes with a complete set of products you need for a facial along with step by step instructions. 

Step 1 is the Cleanser and toner. It helps to prep your skin for the actual facial.

Step 2 is the Scrub which has papaya extract and natural scrubbing beads. It's a gentle exfoliator that helps in removing surface blemishes.

Step 3 is the Gel which has watermelon and cucumber extract to help soothe the skin.

Step 4 is the Cream which is used for massaging the face gently in upward motions. The face massage helps improve blood circulation and lymphatic drainage. The cream has peach, cocoa butter and olive oil which helps to detoxify the skin.

Step 5 is the Face Pack which has orange peel oil and AHA. It helps to improve the complexion.

Step 6 is the Moisturiser with SPF 15 and PA+. It helps to moisturise the skin and protect it from sun damage.

I love that they have thought of every single step in the facial and provided a complete kit. Priced at Rs. 257/-, I find it extremely affordable and have been using it for years. And at the end of the facial, we get a parlour like glow at home. I think it is apt for August, and this festive season.

Buy this kit here.

Aloe Vera Gel as Moisturizer

I believe our whole body needs daily moisturising. It's a ritual that I have followed for years now. Summers should be no different. However, regular moisturisers and body lotions can feel heavy and greasy during summers. So I like to switch to aloe vera gel during this season.

Aloe vera gel is very affordable, has a calming effect on the skin and hydrates it without feeling heavy on the skin. There are many good quality aloe vera gels available in the drug store and online so they are also priced very competitively. 

Do ensure that the aloe vera gel is transparent/ colourless and fragrance free. I also would suggest to buy the gel from market instead of using the extract directly from the leaf.

Sunscreen is crucial

Whether you are home bound or stepping out this season, please do your skin a favour and wear sunscreen during the day. Sun damage can occur even while we are indoors and the damage is not limited to a tanned look. Sunscreen protects against skin cancer, aging, sun spots etc. Moreover, you can still benefit from Vitamin D from the sun while you are wearing sunscreen. 

Although sunscreens may seem expensive (especially with the reapplication), they are a crucial step in protecting your skin from damage. The cost will be much higher in the long run when you have to pay to treat sun related damage.

There are quite a few affordable sunscreens in the market. Go for SPF 40 or higher (especially while stepping out) and reapply every 2 hours if possible. Your skin will thank you for it in the long run. 

Exfoliate once a week

Removing dead skin from the top layer of your skin allows the underlying layers to come up, giving your skin a natural glow. A gentle scrub is a great way to remove these dead skin cells.

However, it is important that we do not over exfoliate our skin. Once or maximum twice a week is enough. And remember to be gentle while scrubbing.

There are many affordable and good quality scrubs in the market. Choose one that fits your budget and makes you feel excited to use it regularly.

Use a lip balm

Lip balms are not just for the winter months. Our lips do so much for us and they need some love too. Using a hydrating and moisturising lip balm will keep them soft and supple all year long. 

Lip balms come in all types these days, but you really need a simple non-pigmented one to do the job. Check out the options available and give your lips the love that they deserve.

Hope you found this post helpful :)

Skin care is self care. Skin is our largest organ and keeping it healthy is something I take seriously. But taking care of the skin should not be an expensive endeavour. There are many affordable ingredients that work as well as some of the premium ingredients. I personally prefer to use affordable and effective ingredients. This is mainly because I believe skin care is a lifestyle and requires consistency. So I find it better to opt for good quality products that I can repurchase without burning a hole in my pocket. 

2 such ingredients which are my absolute favourites and I would repurchase anytime are aloe vera gel and kukmumadi thailam.

Aloe Vera Gel 

It has a host of benefits for both skin and hair and it's my go to self care ingredient for many skin and hair concerns.

Kumkumadi Thailam 

It is an ingredient I discovered earlier this year and fell in love with slowly but deeply. I have used the ingredient consistently for months and experienced benefits like gradual removal of blemishes, dark spots, pigmentation, injury marks. It also has anti-ageing benefits and helps to remove age spots, wrinkles and fine lines.

With this in mind, there are 2 products from Vasu that I would like to discuss in this post. 

Vasu Facial Beauty Oil

Vasu Aloe Vera Gel

In Conclusion