Struggling with bad breath and breakouts this fasting month? You’re not alone—ahead, we delve into all the beauty woes you may be experiencing this Ramadan and find you a solution.

Newsflash: Your stomach isn’t the only thing rumbling for nutrients during Ramadan. As we all know, proper nutrition is integral to skin, nail, and hair health, so letting the ball slip on the former is a surefire way to leave you spotty, dry, and deflated.

READ: Let’s talk about ACNE: We break down why you break out and how to treat it

That being said, when it comes to breakouts, dehydration, and halitosis, it can be difficult to pinpoint the exact cause, especially when multiple factors are involved. That’s why we’re here to help—ahead, find our guide to troubleshooting your Ramadan beauty concerns:

 

Problem 1: “My skin is breaking out!”

Nine out of ten times, we guarantee that the culprit behind your breakouts is your diet. We know it’s tempting to reach for fatty, salty and sugary foods once Iftar hits and the cravings kick in, but—just as it is a bad idea any other time of the year—you should strongly consider not doing that. Gorging yourself on all the junk food in the world may be wildly satisfying in the moment, but it’s bound to have dire immediate implications on your skin (and gut) health.

READ: Irritable bowel syndrome: What is it and do I have it?

Instead, to prevent the breakouts before they can erupt, opt for a buka puasa meal rich in grains, veggies and fruit, and keep sugary and caffeinated drinks like coffee and cola to a minimum. That said, you don’t have to be too sensible—a treat here and there won’t make or break your skin. Just make sure to keep it all in moderation!

Further, the breakouts you may be experiencing are probably partly due to poor hydration. Though, indeed, drinking lots of water won’t necessarily clear your skin, not drinking enough certainly won’t do it any favours. As we all (hopefully) know, dehydrated skin tends to produce more oils to compensate for the lack of moisture in the skin, which leads to more breakouts. So, make sure you’re drinking at least the bare minimum in the evenings.

READ: Guide to chemical exfoliants: What are they, how to use them and how much is too much?

As for dealing with your existing zits and blemishes, AHAs and BHAs are your best friends—here are some of our favourites.

 

Problem 2: “My skin is so dry and dull!”

READ: How to stay hydrated during Ramadan

Once again, your hydration levels are to blame here (believe it or not: water intake is actually a massive theme in this guide). Now, while there isn’t much you can do about your two litres a day pre-Iftar, there are measures you can take to replenish hydration once the sun goes down. Firstly, make sure you’re drinking your full two litres between Iftar and Sahur. Do it gradually, sipping regularly throughout the night as opposed to glugging the litres all at once and making yourself sick.

Secondly, you could also up the ante on your skincare routine—go harder on your moisturisers or, better yet, invest in some hydrating face masks to keep your skin moisturised and looking plump.

READ: 10 Best hydrating masks for parched skin

 

Problem 3: “My lips are perpetually chapped!”

READ: How to prevent dry, chapped lips

This one is a no-brainer, and it’s unfortunately inevitable with Ramadan territory. However, there are a few remedies that you can employ throughout the day to keep your lips from flaking. The first is to exfoliate them—sugar lip scrubs are perfect for this, as long as you’re rinsing thoroughly afterwards and not licking them off after you’re done (duh). However, if you cannot be trusted, try an exfoliating lip balm with exfoliating AHAs instead. Alternatively, you could invest in any of our picks for the best lip care:

READ: The best lip masks for the perfect pout

Problem 4: “My hair is dry and limp!”

…Do we have to say it? It’s your water intake and/or diet! Drink up is step one, but you should also be working on keeping hair-friendly foods on rotation. For example, topping up your supply of good fats like omega-three—this means peppering a few slabs of salmon or mackerel into your dinners or loading up on avocado toast in the wee hours of the morning (bonus points if you sprinkle some pumpkin seeds and walnuts over the top for an extra boost!). Further, try to be proactive with your vitamin C intake—on top of being excellent for your immune system, vitamin C is important in hair growth.

READ: Why is my hair falling out? All your hair loss questions—answered by an expert

 

Problem 5: “My breath smells! Ew!”

Halitosis got you down? Join the club. An unfortunate reality of life is that bad breath comes hand-in-hand with dehydration—when bacteria is allowed to sit and stew between your teeth undisturbed for hours on end, there’s bound to be a stench that follows. While the solution on any other day is simply to drink some water, that is clearly not an option while fasting. Instead, what you can do is rinse your mouth regularly with mouthwash (or even plain water will suffice in a pinch).

Further, not to point fingers, but your dental hygiene habits may also have something to do with your bad breath. While it’s important to make sure you’re flossing and tongue-scraping every day of the year, Ramadan is when you should really be doubling down. If not for your sake, then at least for the sake of those around you!

READ: 7 Things you could be doing wrong with your oral hygiene

 

Find more Ramadan tips here.