Take Care Of Your Hair & Skin With These Pre And Post-Holi Tips

The festival of colour, Holi, is just around the corner and we are prepared to indulge in scrumptious food, lots of sweets, playing with vibrant colours, and a splash of water.

However, with all the fun, we need to be cautious that our skin and hair could go through an onslaught of chemical Holi colours. So if you enjoy playing Holi but are concerned about the impact of colours on your hair, nails and complexion, follow these simple pre and post-care guidelines to keep your celebrations stress-free.
Pre Holi care:

It is best to create a barrier for the exposed skin by applying coconut or mustard oil along with sunscreen for at least 15 minutes before playing with colours. Do not forget areas like ears, neck, and hands

As Holi is just towards the end of the winter season, the skin can get dry and worn-out of moisture. So people with dry skin are more prone to damage with harsh chemicals. Hence, one should moisturize the skin daily before the festival and use sunscreen. It is advisable to avoid facial bleach or chemical peel at least a week before Holi

It is recommended to wear cotton clothes with full sleeves to ensure that the bare skin is not exposed to the harmful colours

Prevent colour seeping on nails by trimming and applying glossy nail paint or clear-coated nail lacquer.

Additionally, for extra protection, apply the polish or petrolatum jelly such as Vaseline to the exposed skin around the nails

Chemical treatments like hair straightening and hair colour treatment, are best to avoid before Holi to prevent excessive dryness and hair damage

For additional hair protection, tie it up instead of leaving it loose to reduce its exposure to colours and damage
Apply oil before the Holi event, to easily get rid of the colours from the hair

While playing Holi use water-soluble, organic, herbal colours. Avoid industrial and metallic colours like gold and silver that contains dyes that are a cause of allergies and break-outs

Keeping yourself well hydrated on the day of Holi is the key to maintaining the beauty

Post Holi care:

Immediately wash off the Holi colours after playing. Use a soap-free cleanser and gently remove the colours from the face and body

Avoid excessive scrubbing on the skin as it might cause skin irritation and rashes

Try to apply oil-based products to remove the harsh colours from the skin

It is advisable to use a paraben-free and sulphate-free shampoo to wash off the colours from hair

After washing off the colours apply a thick layer of moisturizer and sunscreen to repair the damage

Treatment like chemical peeling should be avoided after Holi for at least a week

People having skin problems like eczema, acne, psoriasis should take extra precautions by considering dry Holi with minimal use of colours and gulal

Worsening of existing condition or occurrence of new lesions should be shown to a dermatologist as early as possible.