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Beauty Front Benchers
5 common skin problems you’ll face during monsoon—and how Team Tira tackled them
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By now, your skin has likely adjusted to the monsoon, but the season’s sticky humidity still poses its challenges. The mix of heat, moisture and everyday pollution can lead to excess sebum production and sweat, which, if left unchecked, can settle into pores and cause blockages. Over time, this build-up can pave the way for blackheads, whiteheads and acne, leaving skin looking dull and feeling congested.
The good news is that with a few mindful changes to your skincare routine, you can keep pores clear, healthy and less prone to flare-ups throughout the season.
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A cleansing oil that actually nourishes while it cleans? Yes, please. This product combines the power of green tomato extract with a gentle double-cleansing formula that removes makeup, dirt and excess oil without stripping the skin. The green tomato oil is packed with antioxidants that help protect your skin from environmental stressors, while still giving it the hydration it needs to stay soft and smooth. The best part? It emulsifies into a milky texture when mixed with water, ensuring a deep yet gentle cleanse that won’t leave any greasy residue. This cleansing oil makes removing makeup feel like a luxury experience every time.
Who doesn’t love an at-home peel that makes skin feel squeaky clean? This one by COSRX is a formula that’s known to work in just 10 minutes—unclogging pores, reducing blackheads and whiteheads as well as controlling excess oil. The result? Clarified skin that’s not irritated. The vitamin trio—B12, B5 and E—makes this peel safe to use for most skin types.
How to use: After cleansing, apply an even layer to dry skin, avoiding the eye and mouth areas. Leave on for 10 minutes, then rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water. Use once a week in the evening.
“I didn’t know what ‘plump’ really meant until I tried this cream. The texture is like a cloud—light, bouncy and water-based—but it gives my skin a cushy, elastic feel I usually only get after a facial. It layers perfectly under makeup and doesn’t pill (even with SPF). Plus, no stickiness, even in this humidity.” — Veda Makkar, Studio
Easy to use and carry, this roll-on clay mask by popular K-beauty brand Skin1004 is the quickest pick-me-up. Formulated with five types of clay, it absorbs excess oil and leaves your skin thoroughly cleansed. It’s also enriched with red bean, which helps exfoliate dead skin cells and get rid of blackheads. The result is smooth and soft skin, sans any blackheads or whiteheads.
How to use: After cleansing, apply the stick directly to dry skin, avoiding eyes and mouth. Leave on for 3–5 minutes, then rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water. Use 1–2 times per week.
“My job involves trying a lot of products, but few have made it into my weekly routine like this clay stick mask. It’s quick, mess-free and actually works. With kaolin clay to clear pores and red bean powder to exfoliate, it manages oil without over-drying my skin. The added centella and aloe help reduce redness and keep everything balanced. It’s the kind of low-effort, high-impact product I rely on to reset my skin when it’s feeling congested,” shares Shrishti from the content team.
You’ve probably heard of their Centella ampoule, but this clay stick is another one worth trying—especially if you deal with clogged pores. It has five kinds of clay to gently absorb oil and clear gunk, and red bean powder for light exfoliation. The best part? It rinses off easily and doesn’t leave that dry, tight feeling clay masks sometimes do.
You might know them for their Centella ampoule, but this clay stick deserves just as much attention—especially if congested pores are your main concern. It blends five types of clay to draw out excess oil and buildup, while red bean powder offers gentle exfoliation. Bonus: it rinses off clean without leaving your skin feeling stripped or tight. The twist-up stick format is both mess-free and travel-friendly, making it easy to use even when you’re short on time. Just swipe, wait and rinse for clearer, calmer skin.
The rain pouring down your window might make for a moody Instagram post, but your pores won’t be celebrating the extra humidity in the air. The best way to get ahead of the sweat, pollutants and grime building up in your pores is to switch to double cleansing during the rainy months—yes, even if you don’t wear makeup daily.
Start with an oil-based cleanser to break down stubborn pollutants sitting rent-free in your pores. Follow up with a water-based cleanser to sweep away any residue hoping to linger. Once you’ve patted your skin dry, it should feel clean and soft, not tight or stripped.
Double cleansing can help with clogged pores, but if you want a deeper clean, regular exfoliation is your best ally. Sebum, excess oil and dead skin cells can overstay their welcome, leading to acne, blackheads and uneven texture.
To keep them in check, try exfoliating two to three times a week. Avoid harsh physical scrubs — tempting as it may be to scrub away impurities, abrasive particles can cause microtears. Instead, opt for gentle chemical exfoliants that work well with sensitive skin. PHAs and mild AHAs like lactic acid and mandelic acid are great options.
If clogged pores are keeping you up at night, look for ‘non-comedogenic’ on skincare labels. In dermatology, this means a formula is designed to avoid blocking pores.
This is especially important during monsoon, when excess sebum, pollutants and build-up create the perfect environment for acne-causing bacteria. Non-comedogenic products are free from pore-clogging ingredients such as heavy oils, silicones or waxes. Their lightweight textures absorb quickly, reducing the chance of residue sitting on the skin and causing blockages.
When your skin feels greasy and oily, the last thing you’ll want to do is apply any product that makes your skin feel moist to the touch. But the fallout of skipping moisturiser means that your skin can be deprived of moisture, thereby triggering excess production of oil to compensate.
To break free from this counterintuitive cycle, it helps to maintain a diligent routine of lightweight moisturization—think pore-friendly, water-based formulas that won’t make your skin feel clogged and congested. There are several skincare actives that maintain pore health while catering to your skin’s moisturisation needs. When shopping for one, it helps to look for ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, aloe vera and squalane.
If your skin has been congested and fatigued due to monsoon humidity, it helps to call in a SWAT team of expert ingredients that are specially trained for these circumstances, such as kaolin or bentonite clay. These ingredients draw out pore-clogging impurities, debris and grime. By absorbing excess sebum from the skin, they can help reduce the appearance of enlarged pores.
As a rule of thumb, it helps to apply a clay mask on freshly cleansed skin so that the mask can deep dive and get its work done efficiently. You don’t need a thick layer—a thin, even application is enough. Follow the recommended time, then rinse and apply a lightweight moisturiser to lock in hydration. Once rinsed, apply a lightweight moisturiser to seal in the benefits.
The monsoon lasts for a third of the year, so it’s worth taking a proactive approach to pore care. Beyond getting more consistent with your skincare routine, it is necessary to maintain a vigilant eye for pore-clogging irritants lurking in your immediate environment.
Bacteria can often transfer from the skin to frequently used surfaces, such as pillowcases and phone screens, so it is important to clean these regularly. Face towels should be changed regularly since damp towels left in bathrooms can be breeding grounds for bacteria. Finally, choose light, breathable makeup formulas that won’t trap impurities.
The rain pouring down your window might make for a moody Instagram post, but your pores won’t be celebrating the extra humidity in the air. The best way to get ahead of the sweat, pollutants and grime building up in your pores is to switch to double cleansing during the rainy months—yes, even if you don’t wear makeup daily.
Start with an oil-based cleanser to break down stubborn pollutants sitting rent-free in your pores. Follow up with a water-based cleanser to sweep away any residue hoping to linger. Once you’ve patted your skin dry, it should feel clean and soft, not tight or stripped.
Double cleansing can help with clogged pores, but if you want a deeper clean, regular exfoliation is your best ally. Sebum, excess oil and dead skin cells can overstay their welcome, leading to acne, blackheads and uneven texture.
To keep them in check, try exfoliating two to three times a week. Avoid harsh physical scrubs — tempting as it may be to scrub away impurities, abrasive particles can cause microtears. Instead, opt for gentle chemical exfoliants that work well with sensitive skin. PHAs and mild AHAs like lactic acid and mandelic acid are great options.
If clogged pores are keeping you up at night, look for ‘non-comedogenic’ on skincare labels. In dermatology, this means a formula is designed to avoid blocking pores.
This is especially important during monsoon, when excess sebum, pollutants and build-up create the perfect environment for acne-causing bacteria. Non-comedogenic products are free from pore-clogging ingredients such as heavy oils, silicones or waxes. Their lightweight textures absorb quickly, reducing the chance of residue sitting on the skin and causing blockages.
When your skin feels greasy and oily, the last thing you’ll want to do is apply any product that makes your skin feel moist to the touch. But the fallout of skipping moisturiser means that your skin can be deprived of moisture, thereby triggering excess production of oil to compensate.
To break free from this counterintuitive cycle, it helps to maintain a diligent routine of lightweight moisturization—think pore-friendly, water-based formulas that won’t make your skin feel clogged and congested. There are several skincare actives that maintain pore health while catering to your skin’s moisturisation needs. When shopping for one, it helps to look for ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, aloe vera and squalane.
If your skin has been congested and fatigued due to monsoon humidity, it helps to call in a SWAT team of expert ingredients that are specially trained for these circumstances, such as kaolin or bentonite clay. These ingredients draw out pore-clogging impurities, debris and grime. By absorbing excess sebum from the skin, they can help reduce the appearance of enlarged pores.
As a rule of thumb, it helps to apply a clay mask on freshly cleansed skin so that the mask can deep dive and get its work done efficiently. You don’t need a thick layer—a thin, even application is enough. Follow the recommended time, then rinse and apply a lightweight moisturiser to lock in hydration. Once rinsed, apply a lightweight moisturiser to seal in the benefits.
The monsoon lasts for a third of the year, so it’s worth taking a proactive approach to pore care. Beyond getting more consistent with your skincare routine, it is necessary to maintain a vigilant eye for pore-clogging irritants lurking in your immediate environment.
Bacteria can often transfer from the skin to frequently used surfaces, such as pillowcases and phone screens, so it is important to clean these regularly. Face towels should be changed regularly since damp towels left in bathrooms can be breeding grounds for bacteria. Finally, choose light, breathable makeup formulas that won’t trap impurities.
The rain pouring down your window might make for a moody Instagram post, but your pores won’t be celebrating the extra humidity in the air. The best way to get ahead of the sweat, pollutants and grime building up in your pores is to switch to double cleansing during the rainy months—yes, even if you don’t wear makeup daily.
Start with an oil-based cleanser to break down stubborn pollutants sitting rent-free in your pores. Follow up with a water-based cleanser to sweep away any residue hoping to linger. Once you’ve patted your skin dry, it should feel clean and soft, not tight or stripped.
Double cleansing can help with clogged pores, but if you want a deeper clean, regular exfoliation is your best ally. Sebum, excess oil and dead skin cells can overstay their welcome, leading to acne, blackheads and uneven texture.
To keep them in check, try exfoliating two to three times a week. Avoid harsh physical scrubs — tempting as it may be to scrub away impurities, abrasive particles can cause microtears. Instead, opt for gentle chemical exfoliants that work well with sensitive skin. PHAs and mild AHAs like lactic acid and mandelic acid are great options.
If clogged pores are keeping you up at night, look for ‘non-comedogenic’ on skincare labels. In dermatology, this means a formula is designed to avoid blocking pores.
This is especially important during monsoon, when excess sebum, pollutants and build-up create the perfect environment for acne-causing bacteria. Non-comedogenic products are free from pore-clogging ingredients such as heavy oils, silicones or waxes. Their lightweight textures absorb quickly, reducing the chance of residue sitting on the skin and causing blockages.
When your skin feels greasy and oily, the last thing you’ll want to do is apply any product that makes your skin feel moist to the touch. But the fallout of skipping moisturiser means that your skin can be deprived of moisture, thereby triggering excess production of oil to compensate.
To break free from this counterintuitive cycle, it helps to maintain a diligent routine of lightweight moisturization—think pore-friendly, water-based formulas that won’t make your skin feel clogged and congested. There are several skincare actives that maintain pore health while catering to your skin’s moisturisation needs. When shopping for one, it helps to look for ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, aloe vera and squalane.
If your skin has been congested and fatigued due to monsoon humidity, it helps to call in a SWAT team of expert ingredients that are specially trained for these circumstances, such as kaolin or bentonite clay. These ingredients draw out pore-clogging impurities, debris and grime. By absorbing excess sebum from the skin, they can help reduce the appearance of enlarged pores.
As a rule of thumb, it helps to apply a clay mask on freshly cleansed skin so that the mask can deep dive and get its work done efficiently. You don’t need a thick layer—a thin, even application is enough. Follow the recommended time, then rinse and apply a lightweight moisturiser to lock in hydration. Once rinsed, apply a lightweight moisturiser to seal in the benefits.
The monsoon lasts for a third of the year, so it’s worth taking a proactive approach to pore care. Beyond getting more consistent with your skincare routine, it is necessary to maintain a vigilant eye for pore-clogging irritants lurking in your immediate environment.
Bacteria can often transfer from the skin to frequently used surfaces, such as pillowcases and phone screens, so it is important to clean these regularly. Face towels should be changed regularly since damp towels left in bathrooms can be breeding grounds for bacteria. Finally, choose light, breathable makeup formulas that won’t trap impurities.
