Navigating Healthy Skin During Ramadan by Hajar Mohammad
Guest article written by Hajar Mohammad.
Ramadan Mubarak to all in the Dieux community! As a Muslim beauty writer and an avid beauty lover, I'm often asked about how to maintain healthy skin during Ramadan. From navigating Wudu and your skincare routine to managing dry skin from lack of hydration, there’s much to cover.
What is Wudu & how does it impact your routine?
Now before we get into it, let me first explain what Wudu is! Wudu is an Islamic ritual that involves cleansing parts of the body before engaging in prayer. It’s a form of purification that is done before engaging in worship which is also seen as having a conversation with God. This routine includes washing your face, hands, arms, mouth, and feet with water.
As a lot of Muslims are washing their face with water multiple times a day, the dilemma in terms of skin care is that products would be washed off as well. Plus, skincare can get even more confusing during Ramadan when many Muslims adjust their sleeping schedules to fast in the daytime and instead eat and drink when the sun is down.
But, it doesn't have to be as complicated as it seems.
Do you need to reapply skincare after Wudu?
A common misconception I’ve heard a lot is that you have to redo your entire skincare routine after making Wudu and that cannot be farther from the truth! Not to mention, that’s so much money going right down the drain, literally. The reality is that our skincare absorbs into our face pretty much instantly after applying. So unless you just really want to be re-applying moisturizer every time you pray, it’s not necessary at all.
The only thing I focus on after Wudu is reapplying sunscreen and reaching for a skincare mist if my skin is feeling extra parched.
You should be reapplying your sunscreen every 3-4 hours (depending on your sun exposure) so after Wudu I’ll reapply my sunscreen to ensure I’m getting that extra moisture back into my skin (especially important if you’re a dry skin gal like me) and also to make sure my skin will continue to be protected from the sun!
How Ramadan can affect your skin
In general, some people may struggle with dry dehydrated skin during Ramadan due to fasting and changes in diet. The correlation between diet and your skin health is up in the air, but if you’re someone who feels like their skin goes through it every Ramadan, listen up!
When it comes to your skincare routine, incorporating more hydrating products like toners and serums can help a lot. I love layering a hydrating toner on my skin a few times before sealing everything in with a thick moisturizer at night (Instant Angel moisturizer perfect for this). Don’t underestimate what one good hydrating toner can do for you, especially if you apply multiple layers (3-4 layers is my sweet spot)!
I really like to be attuned to my skin needs, which means laying off actives if I feel like my skin just needs some extra barrier support. Remember, your skin is always telling you what it needs, it just takes some time to learn exactly what each little sign means. But once you figure it out, your routine will start working harmoniously with your skin.
A Ramadan skincare routine:
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Wake up for Suhoor
Morning skincare routine after Fajr or whenever you plan on staying awake
(don’t forget to drink water and eat well!)
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Dhur
Reapply sunscreen depending on your sun exposure/hydrating facial spray
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Asr
Reapply sunscreen depending on your sun exposure/hydrating facial spray
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Maghrib
Break fast (don’t forget to drink water!)
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Isha/Taraweeh
Bring your own prayer rug to the masjid to prevent breakouts!
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Evening skincare routine
Reach for those hydrating and barrier-loving products
