Playing with colors of all hues and shades, splashing water and flinging balloons at each other, are the aspects of Holi that excite young and old alike.
However, these bright colors often have a dark side and can have damaging effects on your skin! The traditional Gulal has been replaced by chemical based colors/rang which are stronger, moisture stripping and difficult to wash away.
A little precaution and following these simple tips will help you protect your skin against the detrimental effects of chemical based colours.
Pre-Holi Precautions
- Cover your body well: While you are contemplating what clothes to wear on Holi, we would recommend choosing something that will cover your body well. The lesser the area exposed the better.
- Apply oil: While well covered clothes mean that nobody can apply colour, chances are someone will throw a bucket of coloured water on you and you can get soaked in harmful colour nevertheless. A simple trick to prevent colour from penetrating your skin and entering body is to create a protective layer by applying some oil or cold cream to your skin. This layer also hinders the color from sticking to your skin and makes removal easy. Apply oil generously to the scalp and hair as well.
- Protect your nails: Nails get discolored easily. Women can apply one or two layers of nail paint to avoid discolouration, while men can apply some Vaseline. Also keep your nails well trimmed so color does not get lodged within it.
- Stay hydrated: Keep sipping on juices and water if you are playing outside for a long time. This will keep your skin hydrated.
Post-Holi Tips
- Shower Immediately: It is easy to wash off wet colors. Hence, take a shower as soon as you are back. However, if it has dried do not panic. The colour will wear off after a few showers.
- Give special care to the face: As you already know, the skin on our face is more sensitive. Use lukewarm water to wash the colors from your face. Also remember not to wash your face repeatedly. It can strip away the oil from the skin making it dry and itchy.
- Do not scrub: Do not scrub your body with chemicals based exfoliants, to remove the colors. The abrasive action can do more harm than benefit. If the color persists post one wash, give yourself an abhyanga snana for a few days. The oil will help remove the colors.
- Moisturize yourself: Once you are done with the cleaning and washing regime, moisturize your body well. This will prevent the skin from drying and replenish the lost nutrients.
- Avoid Hair and skin treatments: Avoid all treatments for your skin and hair until the colors wear off. Chemicals could lead to unwanted complications.
Safe options for cleaning after Holi
One question that haunts many! What are safe cleansers that can be used after Holi. Listed below are a few of them. We cannot emphasize enough on using mild, natural cleansers. They could also be a homemade blend of natural ingredients. These are safe and will provide essential nourishment to the skin.
Castile soap: A gentle Castile soap is an excellent option for the skin for a post Holi clean-up. Castile soaps get their name from a place called Castile in Spain. The Vedi Castile Soaps has organic olive oil at its foundation, along with a rich blend of organic castor, coconut and wildcrafted hempseed oil. It’s what makes this soap 100% vegan and natural. It’s free from parabens, alcohol, detergents, and petroleum-based derivatives. It’s available in a variety of invigorating smells (from essential oils) as well as unscented liquid and bar soaps.
Hemp seed oil used in Castile soap is rich in fatty acids which moisturize and nourishes the skin. The fatty acid content creates a protective barrier over the skin, preventing moisture loss. Hemp oil has a comedogenic rating of zero, which simply means it won’t clog pores at all.
Using a Castile soap after playing Holi will not only cleanse your skin but it will also protect the skin and moisturize it as well.
Ubtan: A homemade ubtan (natural pack/scrub) can also be used to clean after playing with colors. A mixture of Gram flour (besan), organic turmeric and milk can be applied to the face. Let it dry completely and then wash it off.
For the rest of the body, the ingredients vary a little. Mix gram flour, turmeric, curd, orange peel powder, a few drops of lemon juice and olive oil. Scrub the body well with this mixture and wash away. These gentle homemade packs help wash away the colour without causing any rashes or breakouts.
Follow this easy and effective regime and have a fun-filled Holi with family and friends!
