Any Muslim beauty lover knows that observing Ramadan doesn't come without its fair share of challenges, especially when it concerns our skin.
Abstaining from any drink or food from sunrise to sunset for a whole month inevitably takes a toll on our sleeping patterns – as well as our energy and hydration levels – often resulting in dull, dehydrated skin, as well as the resurgence of under-eye puffiness and dark circles.
With this in mind, focusing on the right skincare routine and prioritising the right ingredients is of the utmost importance, regardless of skin type. Not only will it help you maintain a healthy skin barrier to keep that moisture locked in, but it can also end up being quite therapeutic, too, helping you feel more focused and grounded while you're observing.
The best news? It doesn't have to be as complicated as you'd think, and you definitely don't have to revamp your whole routine just for the duration of Ramadan. Often, it's just a case of simplifying the steps, prioritising long-lasting hydration and not overdoing it with actives.
To help you come up with the right Ramadan skincare regimen, Glamour reeled in four Muslim beauty journalists to share our ultimate skincare do's and don'ts (including things to avoid) so that your skin doesn't stay parched and neglected, and you can celebrate Eid looking as glowy as ever. Enjoy.
DO: Focus on barrier repair, use hydrating serums, focus on richer formulas for lasting hydration.
DON'T: Overindulge in actives, use moisture-stripping cleansers.
When it comes to skincare, I've always been an advocate for the “less-is-more” type of approach. As someone who tests beauty products for a living, I've switched up my skincare routine far more than I would've liked, and my sensitive-to-dry skin never thanked me for it. During Ramadan, I try to follow a simple yet effective skincare routine, often opting for rich moisturisers full of ceramides, hydrating face serums with hyaluronic acid (the Medik8 Hydra B5 Intense is my ride-or-die), nourishing eye creams and, of course, my trusty sunscreen (rain or shine).
I highly recommend reaching for replenishing sleeping face masks to bring your skin back to life overnight – my recent favourite has been the Murad Cellular Hydration Barrier Repair Mask. I also aim to steer clear of over-using face exfoliants or actives for the duration of Ramadan, simply because when my skin is dehydrated, I find that it becomes more prone to purging and unnecessary irritation. Oh, and if you, like me, also happen to live in a colder climate during Ramadan, make sure to have the most nourishing hand cream and a lip balm nearby at all times – you won't regret it.
DO: Use red-light-therapy masks, focus on gentle exfoliation, use facial massage tools for lymphatic drainage to keep puffiness at bay.
DON’T: Overhaul your complete skincare.
It’s no exaggeration to say that the month of Ramadan literally turns your daily routine on its head, and somehow it all shows on your face. As you can imagine, your skincare quickly becomes a priority. Between the late nights and early mornings and the drastic changes to your diet, I am battling with breakouts, dark circles and lacklustre skin. But more than just dealing with what is happening on the surface of my skin, my skincare routine presents the opportunity to escape and a moment of calm. During the month, it becomes a form of self-care.
The days can be overwhelming and busy, and setting aside time to do my skincare, lets me focus on looking after myself to recalibrate and reconnect with what is important in life. It’s easy at the beginning of the month to completely revamp your skincare routine, adding more products and tools in a bid to maintain healthy skin. But, I also find that the practice of Ramadan helps my skincare game. It’s my annual reassessment of my routine, deciding on the products that I really need and the ones I can ditch from my routine.
DO: Focus on hydration with nourishing and moisturising formulas, keep your hands moisturised to extend the life of your henna, use brightening under-eye formulas.
DON’T: Forget to care for the skin on your body.
I have such dry skin, with patches of eczema popping up everywhere, even though I’m also acne-prone. So, during Ramadan – whilst I’m starving my body of water and stripping it of its natural oils during Wudhu multiple times a day – my skin shrivels up. Barrier support and hydration is my best friend this month – everything else (read: BHAs, AHAs, etc.) can wait. I usually love to use body oils for hydration but – on the advice of Pavan Dhanjal, founder of Pavan Beauty – I avoid getting oil on my hands after henna application to make it last as long as possible. I also really get into eye care during Ramadan; my dark circles look so much worse with all the fasting and late nights, so a good under-eye cream is key for me.
DO: Focus on layering ceramide-filled products, use a hydrating mist as a pick-me-up throughout the day, always remember to keep your lip balm close.
DON'T: Experiment with different routines.
Ramadan is the time to refuel and reset my mind, body and soul but it’s also a time to reflect and focus on my wellbeing. Self-care is an important part of that and for me, my skincare time is precious, especially with all of the changes you see as a result of fasting. My routine is adapted to cater to more dry and dehydrated skin, and allows my skin to take a break from actives and heavy makeup. Instead, I focus on layering, hydrating and nourishing my skin carefully selecting products that have beneficial skin ingredients for my skin health.
DO: Enjoy the process, layer your hydration, look for ceramides.
DON'T: Forget to moisturise your body, skip eye cream, over-exfoliate.
Curating my Ramadan skincare is an important part of my beauty routine. As someone who changes up my products regularly, I know that what my skin needs this month is different to the rest of the year, and I love using these thirty days to treat my skin and indulge in richer, thicker formulas. I also love the mindfulness that comes from a routine – Ramadan is my favourite time of the year to slow down, focusing on spiritual and mental growth.
My routine doesn’t change up heavily morning to evening in Ramadan, other than the addition of SPF. I tend to use a gentle cream cleanser, followed by a spritz of a hydrating facial mist. Whilst my face is still damp, I’ll use a serum packed with hyaluronic acid and peptides then finish off with a ceramide rich moisturiser and eye cream. I’ve also recently started using a lightweight face oil to lock everything in at night. As I do suffer with breakouts, every few nights I’ll still use a stronger acid based or retinol based treatment to target any congestion – but I’ll ensure to sandwich it in between a barrier repairing moisturiser. I also get extremely dry skin on my body which can definitely get worse in Ramadan, so I pack on the body lotion post-shower and keep one in my bag too.
The original article can be found on Glamour UK.
