With March, comes the festival of colors: Holi! Widely celebrated in India, this festival not only brings your entire clan together but also engages everyone to have child-like fun with bright colors, splashes of water, and some very delicious sweets and thandai.
It is that time of the year when we are bathed in a mishmash of colors, both dry and water mixed. While some run away from them, some joyfully play and get dirty. But, there is no escaping it.
While traditionally it was celebrated with dry gulal and buckets of water, unfortunately, today it comes with splashes of synthetic pigments: lead oxide (black), copper sulfate (green), and mercury sulfide (red). All these are harmful to our skin and can invite skin allergies and adverse skin conditions.
Well, if you are scared of what damage these synthetic colors will do to your skin, we say ‘ Perhaps a little precaution can go a long way’. Here are some tips to make the most of the Holi festival without having to worry about your skin’s health.
Before Holi skincare tips:
- Apply coconut oil, or almond oil (whichever suits your skin the best) on all the exposed areas like, face, hair, hands, and legs. By this, the color will not stick to your skin and will come off easily afterward.
- Don’t forget to apply sunscreen to your face and the exposed skin, it will act as a barrier and protect your skin from damage.
- Protect your nails, by applying two coats of base coat or any color of nail polish. The nail paint will act as a barrier and won’t discolor your nails.
- To protect your eyes, wear a pair of sunglasses. The skin under and around your eyes is the thinnest and that’s why you must guard it against the synthetic colors.
- Apply petroleum jelly to your lips to keep them moisturized and safe from colors.
- Do not get waxing or shaving done before 1 week of Holi, as the skin will get extra sensitive due to the effects of the colors.
Post Holi skin care tips:
- It’s best to remove colors when they are wet as it is difficult to remove them after they get dry. So as soon as you reach home from the Holi party, take a shower.
- For your face, you should use lukewarm water to wash off the colors. You can also use a mixture of sea salt, glycerin, and a few drops of essential oil. This anti-bacterial mixture will protect your skin from toxic colors.
- When it comes to soaps, use a mild soap that is not alkaline in nature, as it will dry up your skin. You can use soaps that have mild ingredients like aloe vera.
- While removing colors, don’t rub/scrub your skin too much, this can actually damage your skin. Instead, use oil to remove the colors gently.
- Do not use shampoo with sulfate in it, as it will add to the chemical content. Instead, opt for a mild shampoo.
- After you have washed up completely, make sure to moisturize your skin to prevent it from dryness.
Summing up
Try to play with herbal colors, to avoid any damage to your skin and hair. Stay hydrated throughout the day. Try to go easy on the sweets and thandai.
Happy Holi!