Skincare 101: How to prep your skin leading up to Eid day 

When it comes to looking your best at a big event like Eid, having glowing, beautiful skin probably tops your list of priorities. You can have the right dress, the most stunning shoes and a beautiful hairstyle, but if your skin doesn't look as picture-perfect as you'd like, it can put a damper on your entire day. In the social distancing situation when a parlor visit is not a good idea,  the weeks leading up to the Eid days may be spent incorporating a few extra steps into your skin care routine. A glowing skin is mostly attributed to how happy the person is. So, the brighter the glow on your face, the brighter the day will be. Let's get glowing!

Getting healthy and glowing skin and maintaining it involves a lot of dedication. Unless you know your skin type, you cannot pick the right skin care and makeup products that suit it.

• Dry skin: Your skin feels tight, flaky, and parched.

• Oily skin: Your T-zone (central part of the face) is greasy and shiny.

• Combination skin: Your T-zone is greasy, but your cheeks and jaw are dry.

• Normal skin: Your skin is neither too oily nor excessively dry.

• Sensitive skin: Your skin easily turns red and gets inflamed and itchy.

We've picked out some great products that can work for any type of skin and pulled together some steps to help increase your chances of having clear, healthy looking skin in less than a week in the safe comfort of your home. 

Follow a regular CTM routine

CTM stands for Cleansing, Toning, and Moisturizing. The first and most basic step for beautifully glowing skin is to ensure you've got clean skin. Sticking to a daily CTM routine is essential. Once you find out your skin type, get a cleanser, toner, and moisturizer that suit your skin. Follow the CTM routine twice a day – in the morning and at night. For example, Simple, Cerave, Cetaphil brands can give you all the products you need for the process and they are very gentle and effective for every skin type. Besides choosing a CTM set from the huge variety offered by The Body Shop can be a smart decision as they have many different products for different skin problems.  You can buy these products easily from The Mall, ShajGoj.com, Authentic Makeup Store BD, etc. Use a clean muslin or face cloth every time you wash your face, otherwise you risk putting the old dirt back on to your clean skin. 

Exfoliate out the dirt

When it comes to smoothing your skin texture and refining the appearance of your skin, exfoliating is an essential step. When you don't exfoliate your skin, the dead cells keep accumulating on its surface, making it look dull and patchy. You can use a physical exfoliator (face scrubs) or a chemical exfoliator (face acids).

If you are using chemical exfoliators, go for products that contain AHAs and BHAs (alpha and beta hydroxy acids). AHAs and BHAs are also found in serums, toners, masks, and other products. If you are new to skin acids, it is better to proceed with caution. For beginners, AHAs, such as lactic acid and mandelic acid, are suitable as they are mild. The Ordinary AHA30% BHA2% peeling Solution is one of the best chemical exfoliators. But one needs to be very careful to use this one. It is best to use this Ordinary AHA30% BHA2% peeling Solution two days before Eid, particularly at night. It is warned that one should not keep the solution on the face for more than 12 minutes. And from personal experience, it's best to not use any other product after this, or your skin might burn. Just take off the peeling solution properly and use Nature's Republic Aloe Vera Soothing Gel on your face and have a beauty sleep of eight hours. 

If you are using a physical exfoliator, make sure it is not too harsh on your skin. Use exfoliators that have very finely ground particles or round grain-like particles that gently buff the dead cells away. Same of the best physical exfoliator or scrub is Skinfood's Black Sugar Mask Wash Off, Rice Scrub, Roushun's Black Sugar Mask Wash Off and Egg White Mask. These are recommended to use the day before e Eid, so that you will get smooth and bouncy skin. You can get these products from online pages like Basket of Beauty and Fashion, Elegance, Beauticity, Korean cosmetics BD etc. 

Steam up for some Gadget

If you want a beauty parlor-like effect from home, after a good scrub, you can steam your face for a few minutes. It helps open your clogged pores. You can use a Pore Cleaner Vacuum to clear the gunk from pores and remove impurities. It also helps the skin sweat and flushes out toxins. After using the vacuum, you should wash your face with cold water which helps to close the open pores. 

To remove extra facial hair, you can use facial hair removal razor or Electronic Facial Hair Removal Machine. It helps to clear your peach fuzz and can even shape up your brow. 

Facial Steamer, Pore Cleaner Vacuum, and Electronic Facial Hair Removal all these gadgets are available in different brands within different price ranges. You can buy them from SA Corporation. 

Time to play with Clay Mask 

After pore cleansing, a detoxifying clay mask is must. There are many different masks to pamper yourself, especially the night before Eid day, but few can beat the effectiveness of a charcoal clay mask. Charcoal face masks may look like some kind of beauty craze you've seen online but these products have genuine benefits that could give you the glowing skin you want for your special day.  Charcoal is an ingredient that can detoxify and purify skin; it has the ability to de-clog pores, remove toxins from the skin and rebalance the oils in your skin, making for all round better complexion.

Freeman Detoxifying Charcoal Mud Facial Mask is one of the best options as it keeps your skin moisturized and doesn't suck out the moisture and oil from your face. This mask is available on The Mall, Shajgoj.com.  This mask absorbs excess natural oils, clear pores and reduces blackheads, all whilst being free of parabens, silicones, paraffins and being cruelty-free.

If you prefer to use 'The mother of all clay mask' Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay, then you have to remember that although it creates an even tone, smooth and purified skin, it suckes out some moisture from your skin. And it sometimes brings out impurities from skin, so it's better not to use this mask the day before Eid. You can use it two days prior to the occasion.  

Cannot forget Sheet Mask 

Right before going to sleep, watch an episode of your favorite web series while putting on the sheet mask. Using under-eye mask and lip mask will give you a nourished and fresh look in the morning. Try to select a mask with Vitamin C or Niacinamide, as these give you a brighter look. You can buy sheet masks from Classy Drugs, The Mall, and Belasea.  

Pour on Moister with face Oils

Arguably one of the easiest steps for achieving an instant glow, choosing the right moisturiser or facial oil is a nearly guaranteed way to get dewy skin in seconds. Keeping a moist skin overnight will give you a beautiful, soft and glowing skin in the morning. 

You can use Revolution Night Restore Oil or The Body Shop's Vitamin E Overnight Serum-in-oil. You can either apply one or two drops of this product alone to clean skin or mix with your moisturizer. 

Last minute tone up mask

If you have skipped all the above steps, or even after performing all the steps you want a last minute tone up on Eid day, you can use some instant toning up mask. You can use a Tanaka face pack or Aarong Orange peel face mask by mixing with Apple Cider Vinegar. The Tanaka face pack is available on the online page 'Bargaining'. Or you can also use Freeman's Apple Cider Vinegar 10 minute clay mask + scrub. This 2 in one product is highly recommended as it not only gives you an instant glow, but also works as a nourishing scrub. 

We truly think the above routine is the ultimate recipe for beautifully glowing skin for the big day but don't forget happiness gives off real radiance. So clear skin or not, you'll still look stunning on your Eid celebration.