Tips For Skincare in Summer

Summer is accompanied by summer grills, cocktails, fresh juices and mocktails. But never forget, it brings tanning, dehydration and special care needs to be taken for skin, hair etc as well.

Fresh Juices - Most of us have a habit of coming from the office and going directly to the freeze for some chilled aerated drinks. We must keep in mind that they have high sugar content, which is not good for your health. Summer is welcomed by number of fresh fruits such as watermelon, mangoes, melons, lychee etc. Try fresh juices or cool fruits. Enjoy coconut water or green mango drink to stay hydrated and keep your skin fresh as well. Try fresh juices or cool fruits. Enjoy coconut water and refreshing milkshakes or smoothies.

Protection from Sun - The sun rays are strongest in the afternoon. Stay indoors in the afternoon if possible. Never use sunscreen with too high SPF or too low SPF. Sunscreen with too high SPF, is very strong for your skin. Sunscreen with very low SPF may not be of any use as they are very mild. Go to you skin specialist to know what your skin actually needs. Apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before you go out so that it goes into the skin pores for 100%results. 

Water Based Moisturizers and Toners - If your skin is too oily, use Oil-Free Water Based Moisturizers. There are number of Water Based Moisturizers available in the market ranging from dry to normal or oily skin. Using a skin-toner or rose water is advisable to keep the skin cool. It has natural cooling trait that is very good for the skin.

Be Hydrated -  We lose lot of moisture in summer. You must not let that glow go off your face. By drinking lot of water, skin stays soft, supple and well moisturized.

Cleansing and Scrubbing - We must cleanse our face twice a day. Cleansing and moisturizing the skin before sleeping is a must. It is important to use dead skin and dirt that goes into our pores due to sweat in summer. Exfoliation of skin is very important. Using herbal scrubs is advisable. Apply homemade face pack, that suits your skin after scrubbing the face. Various skin tan removal creams are available in the market. Use these creams to avoid tanning.

 Happy Summer :)

Chill with 6 Grills

Here are some unique food which you never thought could be grilled.

1. Potatoes - Potatoes are everyone’s favorite. We love potato fries, stir-fry, potato hash etc. Potato grill? It might sound strange but it’s true. There are 3 methods to do this.

a. Parboil the potatoes. Add coating of mustard plus mayonnaise of your choice to keep the potatoes moist. Grill and serve.

b. Take raw potatoes. Prepare the grill in such a manner, that it serves as heating agent from medium to high heat. Arrange the charcoals within the griller in such a manner. Cut slices of potatoes, neither too thin, nor too thick and grill. Enjoy the unique grilling experience.

c. One of best ways to cook potato on the grill is wrap them tightly in foil. Cover the grill. Your dish is ready within 40 minutes. Enjoy with lemon and pepper!

2. Eggs - We boil eggs, fry them, bake them but grilling eggs? Yes, we can certainly grill eggs. There are two methods to do this:-

a. If you are grilling eggs in the shell, place them over a hot grill. Cook until the shell is browned, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes and there you are.

b. Another method is to grill the eggs inside something else that will go on the grill. Crack the eggs into a halved bell pepper, portobello mushroom or a small muffin aluminium cup, then place it on a hot grill. Cook.

3. Octopus - You love grilled fish isn’t it? Have you thought of grilled octopus? The smoky flavor of a charcoal is what gives grilled octopus the real flavor. The time to grill depends on the thickness of octopus meat, you can check with knife. 

Grilling creates crispy exterior bits while the inner portion of the amazing seafood remains tender. Cut tentacles when ready. Serve with with extra virgin olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper.

4. Watermelon - You may be a bit leery about grilling a watermelon, but trust me it is a must try for summer. Make a mixture of lime juice, honey, cayenne pepper and salt. Remove the seeds from watermelon. Cut into triangular pieces. Baste the mixture on the melons and grill 3 minutes per side. Serve with vanilla ice cream. Similarly you can grill peaches and strawberries.

5. Cake - This even surprised me when i first heard of it from a friend of mine. Grilling cake may sound odd but it gives a toasty texture. Pound cake or polenta cake are the best options. Enjoy the warm cake with your favorite ice-cream or maple syrup.

6. Cocktails - It is very common to add herbs like mint, citrusy bergamot or lavender. Grilling the herbs for a few seconds will bring out the herb's floral quality. Wow, aromatherapy in a glass.

Enjoy the summer with grilled food!