We all love Holi! Yes, the festival of colors is just around the corner. Time to binge on some lip-smacking sweets, thandai, splash colored powder, water balloons, singing and dancing while chanting "Holi Hai" is what we are waiting for.
We all love to play with different Holi colors. But are we aware, that this happiness comes with its own set of issues like dry and frizzy hair, pimples and breakouts caused by the blatant use of artificial colors made with the help of chemical solvents and toxic agents.
They contain chemicals, shiny particles of mica and even lead, which not only irritates the skin but also collects on the scalp.
Since Holi is played outdoors, exposure to the sun can have a detrimental effect on the skin. Apart from harmful UV radiation, sun-exposure makes the skin dry by causing depletion of moisture and also tans the skin. The skin can become dry and dull after playing Holi.
Here we will give you some simple skin and hair care tips that can be used before, during and after playing holi. These tips will protect your skin and hair from harmful chemicals that cause irritation on our skin and scalp.
Holi: Simple Skin and Hair Care Tips
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Apply sunscreen 20 minutes before going out to in the sun. Use a sunscreen of SPF 20 and above. If your skin is prone to pigmented patches, select one with a higher SPF. For dry skin, first apply a sunscreen, wait for a few minutes and then apply a moisturizer.
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Rub ice cubes on your face. It helps to close pores on your skin and ensures colors don’t seep into your skin and cause breakage. Use cold water only to fast track the color removal.
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Apply nail paint on nails before playing so that the color can be easily removed later.
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Don’t wash your face with soap immediately, as soap is alkaline and causes further dryness. Instead, use a cleansing cream or lotion, apply and massage it on the face. Then wipe it off with moist cotton wool.
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Protect your lips by applying Vaseline or lip balm in advance.
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Cleanse the area around the eyes by using a cleansing gel. It works perfectly to dissolve the colors and helps in easy removal.
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Use organic soaps and face after playing Holi. Go for organic or natural soap and face wash to avoid causing skin rashes.
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You can make natural home-made products to apply on your face. Just take half a cup of cold milk and add one teaspoon of any vegetable oil, like til (Sesame seed), olive or sunflower oil, mix it well, dip cotton wool into this mixture and use it to cleanse the skin.
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Sesame seed oil can be used to remove colors from the body as well by massaging it on the skin. It gives added protection to the skin and also helps to counteract sun-damage.
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Scrub the body gently while bathing with a wash cloth. Then apply a moisturizer on the face and body, while the skin is still damp, this helps to seal in moisture.
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Use papaya pack to remove stubborn colors. Mix honey, papaya and multani mitti to make a pack. Apply this pack on areas where color is still present.
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Apply turmeric and lemon pack. Make a paste of besan or gram flour, turmeric, lemon juice and olive oil. Though, the color may not disappear in one go but will certainly lighten. It can be applied every alternate day till the color disappears completely.
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After Holi, we have to deal with the effects of sun-exposure, like dryness or tanned skin. It can be avoided by mixing two tablespoons honey with half a cup of curd and add a pinch of turmeric. Apply this on the face, neck and arms and leave it on for 20 minutes and wash off with water.
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Hair protection can be done by applying a protective leave-on conditioner or hair serum before playing Holi.
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If you have split ends then clear them before you start playing Holi.
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Be extra careful while washing the hair. First, rinse with plenty of plain water to wash away the dry colors and tiny particles of mica. Then apply a mild herbal shampoo. Massage the scalp gently and rinse thoroughly with water again.
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Add the juice of a lemon to a mug of water and use it as a last rinse. This helps to restore the acid-alkaline balance of the scalp.
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Beer can also be used as a last rinse, as it softens and conditions the hair very well. Add the juice of a lemon to the beer, pour over the hair after shampooing. Leave on for a few minutes and rinse off with plain water.
Holi: Things to Avoid
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Avoid using soap or face wash for removing the Holi colors. It may have ill-effects.
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Avoid hot water. Ignore the popular belief of using warm water to remove colors. It will only worsen your condition. Hot or warm water will make the colors to stick for longer.
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Avoid facial and bleach treatments. Avoid getting a facial for the initial couple of days. These treatments use chemicals which will make your skin more dry and patchy. They will accentuate the impact of colors on your skin and may cause rashes and irritation.
