Holi is just round the corner with a promise of warm days and new beginnings. Every one wants to dance gulal and showers of coloured water. But harsh chemicals in the colours cause allergies, breakouts and irritations.
Quick tips
Here are 10 cardinal tips to follow to avoid these problems.
Wear clothes that cover maximum part of your body, preferably either high-neck or full-sleeves. The more your body is covered, the less you have to worry about stains.
Apply cold cream or oil on all exposed parts. This makes your skin greasy and slippery and prevents colours from settling down.
Apply a thick layer of waterproof sunscreen lotion. Playing Holi outdoors can cause a severe tan.
If you feel any itching or irritation, wash the area immediately with cold water. This will reduce the instant inflammation. Then use a local soothing agent like calamine lotion or a thick moisturizer.
Drink as much water as you can, both before leaving the house and after coming in. The chemicals snatch away moisture from the skin, so keep re-hydrating your skin.
Apply a thick layer of Vaseline under your nails, behind your ears and on lips. When the skin is dry, the pores open up resulting in more colours being absorbed.
Once the fun is over, try to wash off the colours while wet; the earlier, the better. Don’t panic though, if you cannot wash them off fully. They’ll come off eventually.
Wash your face with lukewarm water. Then apply a mixture of sea salt, glycerin and few drops of aroma oil to protect the skin from harsh effects of chemicals.
Don’t rub your skin vigorously with soap. This will damage the skin. Use a facial cleanser or baby oil instead of soap and apply a lot of moisturiser.
Strictly avoid bleaching, waxing or facial for a week before and after Holi. These procedures open the skin’s pores and the residual colours can easily seep into the inner layers of skin.
Rub some lemon wedges over your skin. This natural bleaching agent helps remove sturdy stains. After washing it off, apply moisturiser to prevent dryness.
The best way to avoid all this hassle is to choose herbal colours that are easily available or can be made at home too.
