Has your skin been feeling dry and dull lately, no matter how much moisturizer you apply? As winter progresses, the drop in humidity, combined with the heat indoors, creates an environment that sucks moisture from your skin. Moreover, the effects of pollution, poor air circulation and even some winter foods have no effect on your skin. While moisturizers provide temporary relief, they often fail to address the root cause of dryness – the dry air around you.

What if there was a way to tackle this problem at its source? This is where humidifiers come in. By maintaining the right balance of moisture in the air inside your home, they can help keep your skin hydrated and glowing. So, how to make your skin glow in winter?

We did our research and found out the many hidden factors behind dry skin, why your moisturizer isn’t working, and how humidifiers can make a real difference. And we can’t wait to share them with you! Read on and find out.

What are the causes of dry skin?

Understanding the causes of dry skin is the first step toward curing them. Let’s break it down.

environmental factors
Winter air naturally has less humidity, which means there is less moisture in the air for your skin to absorb. Have you ever noticed how tight your skin feels indoors? This is because heating systems, such as room heaters or radiators, pull even more moisture from the air, causing your skin to become dry and flaky. If you live in areas with extreme weather, the constant change between cold air outside and warm air indoors can also wreak havoc on your skin.

pollution
How often do you think that pollution is affecting your skin? Dust, smoke and small particles in the air don’t just make your face dirty; They actually weaken your skin’s protective barrier. Over time, this can lead to clogged pores, irritation and your skin being unable to retain moisture.

dietary triggers
Do you want hot coffee, salty snacks or sweet desserts in winter? Although these are comfortable, they can dehydrate your body. Caffeine is a diuretic, causing your body to lose water, while excess sugar and salt can disrupt your skin’s hydration levels. Even neglecting water intake during cold weather can make a noticeable difference.

lifestyle habits
Who doesn’t love soaking in a hot bath on cold winter mornings? Although this feels great, it strips your skin of natural oils, making it dry and itchy. Alcohol-based skin care products, which are common in many toners or cleansers, can also dry out your skin.

Also read: Is skin becoming dry due to room heater? How to stay warm, avoid health risks and protect your skin

Why isn’t your moisturizer enough?

You’re probably relying on your favorite moisturizer to keep your skin soft and glowing, but have you ever wondered why it’s not working as well as it should? The truth is that moisturizers have their limitations, and they may not address deeper problems.

Moisturizers retain moisture, but do not add hydration
Moisturizers are great at retaining the moisture already in your skin, but they don’t actually add water or hydration. If your skin is dehydrated due to environmental factors like dry air or heat, your moisturizer can only help so much.

External factors can counteract the effects of moisturizers
Even the best moisturizer may not work if your environment is working against you. Dry indoor air, pollution and extreme weather conditions can strip your skin of the moisture it already contains, rendering your moisturizer ineffective. So, no matter how much you apply, it may feel like your skin is still dry and lifeless.

Wondering if a heavy moisturizer can help?
Using thick, heavy moisturizers may seem like a good idea, especially during winter, but they can clog your pores, especially if you have oily or combination skin. These moisturizers often fail to address the root cause of your dry skin, such as dehydration or environmental damage.

How can a humidifier help deal with dry skin?

How to get rid of dry skin using a humidifier? Here is the answer to all your questions.

maintaining ideal humidity levels
Humidifiers are designed to balance the moisture in the air by releasing water vapor, which helps maintain optimal humidity levels in your home. During the colder months, heating systems can cause indoor air to become excessively dry, which can strip moisture from your skin. By using a humidifier, you can prevent this dryness by creating a more comfortable and skin-friendly environment. Maintaining humidity levels between 40-60% can reduce skin dehydration to a great extent.

Check Out These Humidifiers on Amazon You Can Buy Now

Improve skin health
When the air is too dry, your skin can quickly lose its natural moisture, leading to irritation, tightness and dullness. Humidifiers help prevent this by keeping the air moist, which helps your skin maintain hydration. It is especially beneficial for people with sensitive or dry skin, as it reduces the risk of flaking, cracks, and redness.

reducing pollutants
Dry air often contains pollutants and allergens that can irritate the skin, causing irritation or increased sensitivity. Many modern humidifiers come with built-in filters that help remove these particles from the air. By purifying the air, humidifiers reduce exposure to allergens like dust, pet dander and pollen, which can cause inflammation and aggravate skin conditions like eczema or acne.

Completing your skin care routine
A humidifier not only hydrates your skin but also increases the effectiveness of your skin care products. When the air is humid enough, your moisturizers, serums and oils work better by creating a humid environment that helps these products absorb into your skin more efficiently.

Thus adding a humidifier to your daily routine can be a game-changer in maintaining skin health, especially in drying environments.

Also read: Smog Season Wellness Guide: Fight pollution and stay healthy with air purifiers, humidifiers, and more

Ways to deal with dryness and keep your home from becoming dry

1. Use a humidifier with a dehumidifier: Balance out excess moisture and add needed hydration for a comfortable environment.
2. Maintain indoor plants: Plants like peace lily and spider plant purify the air and increase humidity naturally.

Check out these indoor plants to purify your indoor air

3. Improves ventilation: Open windows regularly or use an air purifier to circulate fresh, clean air.

4. Switch to non-drying cleaning products: Choose eco-friendly or hypoallergenic cleaning solutions to reduce skin irritation.

5. Stay hydrated and include hydrating foods in your diet: To keep your skin hydrated from within, eat water-rich foods like cucumber, citrus fruits and soups.

Also read: How to keep your air purifier fit during smog season: A comprehensive maintenance guide

Practical tips for healthy skin in dry weather

1. Limit hot baths: Opt for lukewarm water to avoid stripping your skin of its natural oils.
2. Apply moisturizer immediately after bathing: Maintain moisture by applying a thick cream or ointment while your skin is still damp.
3. Use a hydrating mask or serum: Add a hydrating mask or serum to your skin care routine for added moisture.
4. Choose a gentle cleanser: Avoid harsh soaps and opt for gentle, unscented cleansers to protect your skin’s natural barrier.
5. Use a humidifier: Maintain optimal humidity levels indoors to prevent your skin from drying out.
6. Avoid exposure to extreme cold and wind: Protect your skin from harsh outdoor elements by covering up or using protective skin care products.
7. Moisturize twice a day: Keep your skin hydrated by applying moisturizer in the morning and evening to maintain hydration throughout the day.

Also read: Pollution Safety Tips for Kids: How to Reduce the Effects of Pollution on Your Child’s Lungs

Using a humidifier is an effective way to deal with dry skin caused by harsh weather. By maintaining optimal humidity, following up your skin care routine, and incorporating other simple tips, you can keep your skin hydrated, healthy, and glowing even in the driest conditions.

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How did you come to work on this complex topic of surveillance and the extent of Western intelligence agencies and their involvement in South Asia?

I fell in love with India and its people when I traveled around the country for six months at the age of twenty. My PhD was later written on British and American reactions to the Indo-China war of 1962 and later expanded into a book, examining Anglo-American relations with South Asia between the height of independence and the Cold War in the late 1940s. The international history of was exposed. War in the late 1960s. It was published as The Cold War in South Asia: Britain, the United States, and the Indian Subcontinent, 1945–1965 (Cambridge University Press, 2013). While researching this book I came across a large amount of material in the archives of India, Britain and the US, which tells an interesting story about the hitherto hidden role played by secret intelligence agencies (British, American, Soviet, Indian and others) Is. In the Cold War of South Asia. I approached publishers with the idea of ​​writing a second book focusing on India’s secret Cold War and fortunately I received a positive response.

You write that “India’s counterintelligence culture has provided and continues to provide a significant socio-political challenge to foreign intelligence agencies and governments invested in South Asia.” How have decades of Western intelligence interventions in South Asia contributed to a strong push back by Indian intelligence agencies?

Indian intelligence has always had a complex liaison relationship with foreign counterparts. Indian policy makers and intelligence officials pragmatically recognize that national security depends to some extent on effective support from external intelligence agencies. That said, Indian leaders faced the perennial challenge of how to strike an appropriate balance between maintaining national sovereignty and maintaining national security with the assistance of foreign powers. Nehru and other senior Indian policy makers accepted, albeit reluctantly, the need to provide intelligence support to the Western and, to a lesser extent, the Eastern bloc. However, there remains a suspicion, not unreasonable, that facilitating some Western intelligence intervention in India in limited and declared forms would lead to additional undeclared Western intelligence activity to which Indian policy makers would not be party to and would not acknowledge. This suspicion was heightened by revelations of CIA covert operations in Italy, Iran, Guatemala, Congo, Cuba, and elsewhere in the 1950s and 1960s.

Since 1967, when it became public that the CIA secretly funded Indian political organizations and cultural bodies, Indian policy makers began to protest more strongly against the unacceptable behavior of foreign intelligence services. . Once the genie of CIA intervention in India was out of the political bottle, intelligence politics in India demanded a strong rhetorical response from policy makers, who easily saw the CIA as a political scapegoat for domestic problems. Also saw some political benefits in using it.

What can global policymakers learn from the record of Western covert interventions in India between 1947 and the end of the Cold War in 1989?

There are many lessons to be learned. 1. Covert intelligence interventions have a long shelf life. Intelligence operations conducted in the 1950s or 1960s, which remained secret at the time, would come back to haunt Western governments and destabilize their relations with India decades later. Rarely do intelligence operations remain completely hidden for long. As a result, such activity should be conducted with extreme caution and with the acceptance that the expected benefits must ultimately outweigh the negative consequences of the risk.

2. That the local (Indian) agency can be considerable and highly effective in resisting or supporting external intelligence interference for its own, often very different purposes. In particular, Western covert propaganda campaigns in India did not reconstruct the political climate in the subcontinent and local publishers, journalists and cultural producers, whether knowingly or otherwise receiving external funding, always had no requirement or obligation to do their bidding. not realized. Alleged financial sponsor.

3. Intelligence interventions are often ineffective and/or produce negative and unintended consequences (so-called blowback). Rarely, if ever, are they the magic bullet that policymakers hope they will be.

4. External intelligence interference can adversely affect national political cultures by promoting conspiracy and confusion and undermining confidence in democracy and the legitimacy of political institutions. The CIA came to be viewed in India as a malign political actor that actively sought to subvert Indian democracy and inappropriately interfere in the country’s internal affairs.

You argue that the Indian intelligence agency was very important in the Cold War and was largely ignored. Why is it like this?

Again, several reasons. (Since the 1980s), the academic study of intelligence has flourished. As well as the publication of official histories of MI5, MI6 and GCHQ, there has been a wealth of work on every aspect of intelligence from counter intelligence to covert action and analysis to OSINT (Open Source Intelligence), providing a comprehensive overview of intelligence. Has been brought out of the bag. And yet, the overwhelming majority of books and articles published in this field are framed in narrow Anglocentric terms. Do you want to read a book on British intelligence? No problem. If you want to learn more about the CIA there is a mountain of literature available from which you can choose. If you are interested in intelligence in an Asian, African or Latin American context, until recently the options for readers were much more limited.

Access to source material has been an issue. Much material on British and American intelligence was (and continues to be) released while India’s intelligence history was kept hidden under the cloak of official secrecy. This is slowly changing, and valuable source material is becoming available in the National Archives of India and the Nehru Library, but still only in disappointingly small quantities.

What surprising findings did you find about the role of British and American intelligence agencies in post-colonial India?

Two of the most surprising findings were:

1) The extensive extent of covert cooperation between the British and American intelligence services and their Indian counterparts between the late 1940s and 1960s, with the full knowledge of Indian political leaders. This occurred not only in relation to common internal targets, such as the CPI administration in Kerala in the 1950s, but also externally against Chinese targets after 1962. The scale, scope and depth of cooperation was astonishing. In particular, in the 1960s the IB was heavily dependent on MI5 and somewhat intimidated by the British Security Service, which angered Nehru. Similarly, the IB exerted heavy pressure on CIA training and logistical support against China after 1962. This represents somewhat of a paradox. While Indian leaders publicly denounced and criticized the US for inappropriate covert interference in the domestic affairs of developing world countries, at the same time New Delhi was working closely with British and American intelligence. Perhaps, matters of pragmatism and national security considerations are outweighing ideological cohesion and international solidarity within the Global South.

2) The British and American intelligence services were willing to take the risk of carrying out extensive covert operations in India for a long time. An example shows this. The British Intelligence Research Department, a secret propaganda service with close ties to MI6, ran covert gray and black propaganda activities in India from the 1940s to the 1970s. This included reaching out to Indian journalists, politicians, military officers, intelligence officers, academics and other prominent members of Indian society. Some individuals were paid financial subsidies for their ‘services’. Had the operation been ‘blown up’, it would have had serious political consequences in India and damage to Britain’s diplomatic relations with New Delhi. It was very risky. But the rewards were incredibly low. This made little or no difference to the political landscape of India. It was surprising that the British, and sometimes the Americans, were willing to conduct intelligence operations with potentially inflammatory consequences when the potential benefits were negligible.

How have covert actions taken by Western governments in South Asia in the past affected its political landscape?

Western intelligence interventions had almost no tangible impact on India’s political landscape. There is no evidence that Western intelligence was effective in any meaningful way, for example, in swaying India away from Moscow. In fact, since 1971 exactly the opposite was true. Larger geostrategic factors (for example, Nixon’s moves toward China) have always been more influential than covert intelligence interventions in shaping internal Indian politics and external Indian diplomacy. The Indian agency was also strong enough to absorb or divert Western intelligence activity and avoid such activity having a significant impact on Indian politics. In contrast, the specter of the ‘foreign hand’ or exposure to Western intelligence interference has had social and cultural impacts on India, real and imagined, that can be seen as significant and enduring. As mentioned above, the fear of omnipotent and malevolent Western intelligence influence, which was always overstated and exaggerated, created a cycle of paranoid conspiracy and paranoia, which adversely affected the self and Indian political culture. It was a tragedy and perhaps the most consequential legacy of India’s secret Cold War.

Majid Maqbool is a freelance journalist based in Kashmir.

On the evening of December 1, 2024, a family of four and three of their neighbours huddled together under a metal roofed single-room house, in VOC Nagar, a residential area at the foot of the Arunachala hill in Tiruvannamalai district. They listened as torrential rains brought by Cyclone Fengal pounded the district in interior Tamil Nadu.

S. Meenakshi, 27, who lives opposite the house, recalls the tragedy that occurred shortly after. Her sister, R. Meena, 26, and Meena’s husband, N. Rajkumar, 32, both brick kiln workers, had returned home the previous evening as their workplace, located 20 kilometres from the temple town, had flooded. Meenakshi says the couple had been working in the brick kiln for a few years and had often stayed there for weeks to complete tasks before returning to VOC Nagar.

That Sunday was special for Rajkumar as he had come back to his children — 9-year-old Goutham and 7-year-old Iniya — after working tirelessly for a month at the kiln, she says. Meenakshi’s daughter, Ramya, 13, had also gone to Rajkumar’s house along with two neighbours — Vinothini, 14, and Maha, 10.

“Around 4.30 p.m., we heard a deafening sound. Meena called out to me and I rushed out,” says Meenakshi. “The next few moments were a blur. A heap of mud, boulders, and debris came rolling down the hill. Meena rushed inside to bring the children out but it was too late. My sister’s home was buried,” she says, sobbing.

All the seven occupants were instantly killed. Other houses in the neighbourhood were completely or partially destroyed. Relatives searched for loved ones in the slush amid relentless rains until a rescue team, led by Tiruvannamalai Collector D. Baskara Pandian, reached the site. They evacuated nearly 250 families from the hills, moved them to community halls in Tiruvannamalai town, and gave them food and medicines.

The seven bodies were recovered after a nearly 20-hour operation by a 170-member team, including 35 personnel of the National Disaster Response Force, and a sniffer dog the next evening. “When the team retrieved two bodies from the spot, they saw that Rajkumar had been holding Iniya tightly,” recalls a senior official.

A trail of destruction

While heavy rainfall during the northeast monsoon is common at this time of the year in Tamil Nadu, the State and the Union Territory of Puducherry did not expect Cyclone Fengal to cause such widespread devastation when it crossed the eastern coast on the night of November 30, 2024. On December 1, 2024, unusually heavy rainfall (40 cm to 50 cm) was recorded in many places in Puducherry and the northern and northwestern parts of Tamil Nadu. Among the coastal districts, Chennai was less affected.

The cyclone then slowly drifted westward, dumping rains, causing floods, submerging acres of crops, damaging civic infrastructure, and displacing thousands of people. When it later moved inland, it pummelled several districts. Mailam in Villupuram district received 51 cm of rainfall on December 1 and Uthangarai in Krishnagiri district received 50 cm on December 2. Some areas of Villupuram such as Kedar and Soorapattu received more than 33 cm of rainfall on a single day.

D. Vasanthkumar, 51, of Muthu Nagar in Nellikuppam, Cuddalore district, spent an entire night on the stairway leading to his terrace as floodwater had entered his house. “Local officials gave us flood alerts at 8 p.m. asking us to evacuate the street. But the water level rose rapidly in the area and a few of us were stranded. It took two days for the floodwater to recede,” he says. While Vasanthkumar managed to salvage important documents that were lying in his loft, he lost most of his electronic devices.

In his letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi this week, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said 12 lives were lost in the cyclonic storm that had wreaked havoc in 14 districts. Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai, and Kallakurichi received more than 50 cm of rainfall in a single day, which was equal to an entire season’s share. He noted that more than 2.11 lakh hectares of agricultural and horticultural land had been inundated and nearly 963 cattle had died. About 9,500 km of roads, 1,847 culverts, and 417 tanks had been damaged. Stalin said that the cyclone had overwhelmed the State’s resources and requested the Centre to release ₹2,000 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund to assist rehabilitation efforts.

Besides compensation for damaged crops, the Tamil Nadu government announced relief of ₹2,000 per family in the districts of Villupuram, Cuddalore, and Kallakurichi on December 3. Stalin also donated one month’s salary towards the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to execute relief measures in the six worst-affected districts. On December 6, the Union Home Ministry approved the release of ₹944.80 crore to the Tamil Nadu government as the Central share from the State Disaster Response Fund to help the people affected by the cyclone.

Puducherry Chief Minister N. Rangaswamy announced relief assistance of ₹5,000 to all ration cardholders affected by the cyclone in the UT and ₹30,000 per hectare to affected farmers.

Vehicles in the Uthangarai area of Krishnagiri following heavy rainfall on December 2, 2024.
| Photo Credit:
PTI

Crops under water

Four days after the rains subsided, Villupuram, a predominant agricultural district, is struggling to return to regular life. Nearly 80,520 hectares of crops are damaged, many lakes have breached their banks, and the Malattaru and Then Pennai rivers are brimming with floodwater.

V. Tamilarasi, 64, of Pillur village in Villupuram taluk, is searching for someone to help her clear the deposits of sludge that cover her agricultural land. Flash floods in the Then Pennai river submerged crops. She has also lost two goats.

“I cultivated black gram and casuarina plantations in three acres. The crop is submerged under six feet of water. I spent ₹2 lakh for cultivation. I don’t know how I am going to manage the loss,” she worries.

Villages such as Pillaiyarkuppam and Arasamangalam have become small islands. They did not have power and communication networks for three days, which left many stranded or confined to their houses without water or food.

“The district previously experienced such large-scale floods in 1972. This time, I was caught unawares. While village administrative officers helped us, officials and elected representatives came much later,” Tamilarasi says.

The situation was no different in the urban stretches of Villupuram. S. Neela, 55, of Ashakulam, spent nearly a day cleaning the muck and waste that floodwater had brought into her house on December 1.

“Our street had waist-deep water. My family of four managed with 20 litres of packaged water for three days. We had to put up with the sewage that had mixed with the stagnant water for three days. We all worked together to drain the water as we didn’t get immediate help,” she says.

R.T. Murugan, district secretary, Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam (All India Kisan Sabha), says, “Crops in various parts were on the verge of drying for want of water until the downpour. We have not seen such water flow in the Malattaru and Then Pennai rivers in December. I was preparing for paddy harvest for Pongal and recently sowed black gram in an acre. I face a loss of ₹50,000 as floodwater marooned my land. Poorly maintained water bodies in villages too led to quick damage.”

Several residents say they want Villupuram to be declared as a disaster-affected district.

Floodwaters in Puducherry

Puducherry heaved a sigh of relief after the storm passed through the region on December 1, but was hit by another disaster when water was discharged from the brimming dams of Tamil Nadu, particularly the Sathanur dam in Tiruvannamalai on December 2.

The discharge of 1.68 lakh cubic feet per second (cusecs) of floodwater from the Sathanur dam sparked a political debate. The Opposition parties blamed the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government for the deluge in the northern districts without prior notice. Refuting the claims of a self-created disaster, Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan noted that sufficient flood warnings had been given and flood discharge was planned considering the safety of the dam and the lives of the people.

The Water Resources Department noted that uncontrolled Thenpennai river catchment worsened the flood situation. Record-breaking rainfall in Krishnagiri and flash flood in tributaries such as Koraiyar and Kallar accelerated flow in the river that was already in spate. There is no mechanism to gauge rainfall or the floodwater generated in the Then Pennai’s tributaries.

A senior Water Resources Department official says Sathanur reservoir received an inflow of 40,000 cusecs within four hours from December 1 night. The reservoir did not have sufficient storage capacity to store the entire inflow, he adds. “We adhered to the rules and there was no lag in flood warning. After 1972, when the dam discharged nearly 2.57 lakh cusecs, this is the second time that such a high quantum of surplus water was released,” the official says.

However, G. Jayakumar of Pananhuppam, Villupuram district, who helped people reach relief camps, says, “Flood warnings did not reach the villages (A.K. Kuchipalayam and Kallipattu) close to the riverbanks. Residents assumed it would be another normal rain spell. Many left behind their belongings and cattle to save their lives.”

When the Water Resources Department team visited Villupuram, they were aghast at the damage. “We could not identify boundaries of water bodies and roads. The district is generally mostly dry in December. The teams are now assessing the damage,” the official says.

In Sathanur village, S. Arul, president of the village panchayat, rescued several elderly residents from huts that were submerged in floodwater and shifted them to a school. “They also lost important documents in the floods,” he says.

Predicting the path of a cyclone

Many officials say it is difficult to be fully prepared for a cyclone that causes such extensive damage. This is especially because it is difficult for weather models to pick up extreme weather events at a particular place, according to meteorologists.

Cyclone Fengal remained a low-pressure system after forming in the far eastern Indian Ocean on November 14 and became a depression in the Bay of Bengal only after 10 days. It moved relatively slowly for another week before the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said it had become a cyclone. On November 28, the IMD announced that Cyclone Fengal would cross the north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts on the morning of November 30. The cyclone moved at a leisurely pace. While fast-moving cyclones tend to retreat quickly, slow-moving ones weaken into a deep depression, dumping unprecedented amounts of rainfall.

S. Balachandran, Additional Director General of Meteorology, Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai, says the cyclone had undergone changes in its intensity over the ocean due to multiple factors. “The Regional Meteorological Centre had given sufficient forecasts and rainfall alerts for north Tamil Nadu on November 30 and December 1. Most of the forecasts were accurate. But in Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri, the prediction on rainfall intensity went off the mark,” he says.

The storm remained stalled over the ocean for six hours. It moved slowly towards the north and then slightly towards the east before moving towards the west and crossing the coast.

“The reason for the cyclone remaining stationary is a bit obscure and there are no immediate explanations for it,” says Y.E.A. Raj, former Deputy Director General of Meteorology, Chennai. “Though the clouds associated with the cyclonic storm were floating over the land, the centre of the cyclonic storm was close to the ocean and was able to draw a lot of moisture from the ocean. Since it got fed with all that moisture, it retained its intensity. This triggered a high amount of rainfall.”

Pointing out that the global warming and climate variability are likely to increase such unpredictable local weather patterns, G. Sundararajan of Poovulangin Nanbargal, a group advocating environmental protection in Tamil Nadu, says, “There is an urgent need to bridge gaps in last mile communication on flood warnings and weather alerts. We also need to map landslide susceptibility in all the districts so that we are better prepared for such disasters.”

lakshmi.k@thehindu.co.in; madhavan.d@thehindu.co.in