Holi 2024: Tips for Skin and Hair Care

Holi 2024: The vibrant festival of colours, Holi, is a time for joy, laughter, and creating lasting memories. But amidst all the fun, it’s important to take care of your skin and hair, which can be affected by harsh colours, sun, and water.

To help you celebrate Holi with glowing skin and healthy hair, here’s a comprehensive guide:

What to do before Holi:

Hydration is Key: Drink plenty of water in the days leading up to Holi and include water-rich fruits and vegetables in your diet. Well-hydrated skin is better equipped to handle the effects of colours and sun exposure.

Protect Your Skin: Apply a generous layer of natural oils like coconut or almond oil on your face and body. This creates a barrier that makes it easier to remove colours later.

Save Your Hair: Applying natural oils to your hair helps protect them from the effects of colours and sun damage. For added protection, you can tie up your hair.

Avoid Harsh Treatments: Steer clear of chemical peels, facials, or any harsh skincare treatments at least a week before Holi. These can make your skin more sensitive to the burning sensation caused by colours.

Sun Protection: Don’t forget to apply sunscreen! Before stepping out, apply broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher sunscreen on all exposed areas of your skin, including your face, ears, and neck.

Cover Yourself Up: Wear old cotton clothes so that you don’t mind getting stained. Choose to wear full-sleeved tops and long pants for maximum protection from colours.

What to do after Holi Celebration:

Gentle Cleansing: Avoid using harsh soaps or scrubs once the festivities are over. Instead, opt for a mild cleanser to remove leftover colours without stripping your skin of its natural oils.

Moisturize and Hydrate: Apply a soothing moisturizer or aloe vera gel to calm any irritation caused by colours. Use a deep conditioner on your hair to replenish lost moisture and nutrients.

Gradual Exfoliation: After a few days, when your skin has calmed down, you can gently exfoliate to remove any lingering colours and dead skin cells.

Nourish from Within: Keep yourself hydrated and maintain a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to promote healthy skin and hair from the inside out.

Expert’s advice:

Dr. Agni Kumar Bose, Dermatologist, Venereologist and Dermatosurgeon suggests,

How to take care of your skin before Holi?

1. Apply Lots and lots of sunscreen over all the exposed areas. Make sure the label reads water proof/water resistant.
2. ⁠Use oil/moisturizer lotion all over the body and hair. This will act as a barrier and prevent pakka rang from sticking as much it should have
3. ⁠Petroleum jelly over the lips and around the ears. These areas are difficult to clean and the colour usually stays there for long
4. ⁠Avoid doing lasers/chemical peels/procedures just before Holi since these procedures have a down time and your skin will be sensitive.

How to take care of your skin after Holi?

1. You can make homemade scrubs like ubtan to help remove all the pakka and synthetic rang.
2. ⁠If all the rang isn’t going away after one wash of rigorous scrubbing, don’t overdo it. It can always be removed the next time you have a bath. Your skin would have anyway been exposed to a lot of chemicals and physical scrubbing. You’ll end up damaging the skin barrier by rubbing so vigorously
3. ⁠After your bath, moisturise moisturise moisturise
4. ⁠Avoid using skincare actives for a couple of days post Holi till the time your skin is sensitive and irritated.

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