Ways To Keep Your Skin Safe From Holi Colors

The festival of colors – Holi is round the corner. Like many other festivals in India, Holi also signifies the victory of good over evil. That is why in many parts of India a pyre in the form of the bonfire is lit on the day before Holi  to remember the death of the evil.

But how did colors become a part of Holi? This dates back to the period of Lord Krishna. It is popularly believed that he celebrated Holi with colors and hence popularized the same.

So, Holi is celebrated  by bringing home a range of colors, preparing traditional sweets and snacks, inviting people home and enjoying together. While it is a great time to get together, one must not forget to take care of their health and beauty as the colors today are full of harmful chemicals which can cause serious problems if proper precautions are not taken.

Holi was traditionally played with colors made from flowers and herbs. The colors used  to be very good for the skin as no chemicals were used to make these. But with time, these natural ingredients have been replaced by harsh chemicals which leaves our skin dry and harsh, which is why we see a lot of people avoid playing Holi these days.  But if certain precautions are taken, this festival of colors can definitely be enjoyed like all our other festivals. So, here are 12 things you can do to protect your skin and hair from colors.

1. Apply Coconut Oil

Apply coconut oil or any other oil which you use all over your body and hair. This will help you in keeping your skin moisturized and not let the color settle deep inside your skin which in turn will reduce itchiness if any and will also help in removing the color later with ease.

2. Apply Sunscreen

We obviously don’t play Holi inside the house, so it is very important to apply a good waterproof sunscreen lotion also to protect your skin from the harsh sun rays and avoid getting a tan.

3. Apply Nail Paint

To avoid colors getting on your nails, apply a thick layer of a darker color nail paint and remove it after playing Holi. Also, if possible cut your nails short, so that colors cannot stick to it.

4. Wear Sunglasses

To protect the eyes from colors, it is advisable to wear sunglasses. It will serve a dual purpose of saving your eyes from the harsh colors, and also adding a bit of fashion to your Holi attire.

5. Wear clothes which fully cover you

While selecting clothes for playing Holi, it would be better if you select clothes which covers most parts of your body as the less the skin exposed the less will be the damage. Preferably polos or full sleeves and trousers or denims.

6. Beware of cuts and wounds

If you have any cut or wound before playing Holi, use a band aid to avoid the entry of any harmful chemicals and if a cut or wound has happened while playing, immediately wash that area with cold water and clean it with an antibacterial lotion.

7. Stay hydrated

Drink lots of water and fluids to stay hydrated and to keep your energy levels high. Dehydration causes your skin to dry and combined with harsh chemicals, the colors might seep into your skin.

8. Use organic colors

A lot of things could be avoided if Holi is played with herbal colors. Either buy herbal colors or make some at home.

9. Avoid staying under the sun while colors still on your face or body

It’s very important to avoid sitting in the hot sun for too long as it will make even more difficult to wash off the colors later.

10. Don’t stay in wet clothes

After you are done playing Holi, don’t stay in wet clothes for too long. Take a bath as soon as possible so that the colors don’t dry, otherwise removing them would be a problem. Apply a moisturized soap with lukewarm water and add a drop of baby oil to it. Remember to not scrub your face or body vigorously. A mix of gram powder (besan) with milk can also be used to remove color.

11. Moisturize entire body after bath

After the bath, it’s very important to apply a good moisturizer as you do not want your skin to be left dry and itchy due to the colors.

12. Use lemon to remove color

Lemon is considered to have natural bleaching properties. So, applying lemon on your face and body is a good option but always remember to moisturize your skin after using lemon. You can also use a toner as well to reduce the chemical change in your skin from colors.

Even after taking all the above precautions it is possible for the colors to not come off easily after one bath. But do not panic and go for facial, scrubbing or any such salon procedure as it would cause irritation and colors would settle deeper into your skin instead of coming off. The colors will come off eventually with each shower.

Follow these simple things and you are sure to create beautiful memories of Holi with your loved ones.

Also read: Play A Safe Holi With These Homemade Colors

Explore the entire collection of articles: Colour of Holi

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