Holi 2018: Pre and post skin and hair care tips for a safe and fabulous Holi

Holi is a festival of colours and happiness that brings a cheer on everyone’s faces. But this vibrant festival can also cause damage to your hair and skin, owing to the cheap oxidized metals or industrial dyes easily available in the market. Playing with colours during holi is fun but can be harmful to the skin as well, especially people with sensitive skin and tendency for skin allergy or eczema. Hence, we got in in touch with Cosmetic Dermatologist & Laser Surgeon, Dr.Apratim Goel of Cutis ( MD, DNB, FAGE) Here are a few hair and skin care tips to make your Holi safe and joyful.

TIP #1. Use natural / herbal homemade colours: 

Try using herbal & natural colors. Make colours at home experiment with different natural products available like henna, turmeric powder, dry rose petals & other dry petals of the flower can be grounded to make powder & used as dry colour (gulal).These things will not harm skin instead act beneficial for skin.

Alternatives to harmful colours

Use only herbal holi colours. It's true that you can't tell people coming to your home to bring herbal colours. However, you can buy a lot of herbal holi colours and offer to play holi with them only with your guests. 

Remember, this may cost you a little more but your skin and hair will be safe. Moreover, the cost of dermatologist and other medical expenses resulting from the use of chemical holi colours will be saved. 

When buying herbal holi colours, feel them. They should be soft and must feel powdery, like talc or refined flour (maida) and not grainy or gritty. For a cheaper option, you can even make natural colours at home. 

Here are a few things one can do at home: 
•    Mix haldi powder with besan for a lovely yellow. 
•    Slice a beetroot and soak in water for a deep pink. 
•    Boil Marigold or Tesu flowers in water for yellow colour.  
•    For orange-red paste, henna leaves (mehndi) can be dried, powdered and mixed with water. 
•    For a bright reddish-orange, mix dry sandalwood powder and a pinch of lime with two teaspoons of haldi powder and a few drops of water. Use this only after diluting with 10 litres of water.
•     For a vibrant magenta, grate one beetroot, soak in one litre of water, boil or leave overnight. 

TIP #2. Use a barrier cream: 

Apply any moisturiser or mustard oil in generous quantity on all exposed parts of the body. Let the skin absorb it for 20-30 minutes. Then apply waterproof sunscreen. Applying liberal layers of oil on the whole body and the hair is the most common way of protecting yourself from the hard-to-rinse dyes. 

TIP #3. Petroleum Jelly: 

Apply  Petroleum Jelly inside nails, feet, elbows, at the back of the ear. People with sensitive skin should avoid colours in sensitive areas of skin. 

TIP #4. To avoid allergy: 

For those with a history of skin allergy or rash, take an antiallergic tablet on the previous night to avoid skin irritation and rash.

TIP #5. Oil your hair: 

Oil the hair well prior to colour. Massage hair oil generously on scalp and hair length, this will protect hair from excessive dryness caused by colours.

However, if you don't want to step out with oiled hair, blend style with functionality by using hair gel. Conditioning the hair, without rinsing it off, is another option. 

TIP #6. Clothing: 

Try and wear clothes that cover most of the exposed body parts. Which means step out in full sleeves and high neck clothes. Also, try wearing darker colour more often. 

Pro-tip- Wear a swimsuit under your clothes: 

Wear a swimming suit under the dress so that it does not hold the harmful colours to your skin. For added protection wear cap and sunglasses throughout the water playing. 

TIP #7. If the colours react or irritate the skin:

If the colour has reacted against your skin then it should be immediately washed away with running water. While washing off the colour, use lukewarm water and keep your eyes and lips tightly closed. 

In case of any irritation or burning, calamine lotion can be applied. If the irritation persists, consult a dermatologist urgently. Antihistamines, topical steroids or antibiotics can be used. In severe reactions, Systemic Steroids may be used. 

TIP #8. Skincare post-Holi: 

Despite all precautionary measures, you are most likely to end up being all green, pink and blue by the afternoon. While spending hours scrubbing off the Holi hues are part of the festive fun, make sure you use the right ingredients to do so. 

TIP #9. Avoid bleaching, waxing or facial for a week after holi (even before holi)

TIP #10. DIY ways to get rid of the colour: 

Lemon Juice- 

Lemon juice, for instance, is the most powerful natural whitening agent and is particularly effective for the fingers and nails. This should be applied and left for 15 to 20 minutes and washed off with warm water, and followed by a rich moisturiser. 

Olive Oil- 

If the colour doesn't come off, apply some warm olive oil. Rub the skin with a soft cloth gently. 

DIY Herbal pack for post care: 

Apply curd or a herbal pack made with gram flour and milk afterwards. It will soften the skin. Use face pack made by mixing gram flour & curd till it becomes a smooth paste then apply it on face & massage gently to take out the traces of colour left. 

After playing Holi, it is important to remove the colour and replenish the skin with a paste of soybean flour or besan mixed with milk. 

11. To mend the damage done by harmful colours: 

A mixture of sea salt, glycerine and few drops of aroma oil that has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal effects can mend the harm caused by chemical colours to some extent. Liberal use of a cold cream or a moisturiser thereafter is a must. 

12. Post Holi hair care: 

Shampoo hair immediately after playing with colour & don’t forget to condition your hair. If hair is too dry then warm oil accompanied with hot towel treatment should be given the next day. The hair should be washed with a mild shampoo as soon as possible and rinsed with either lemon juice or beer to bring back the shine. 

13. Holi care for you loving pets: 

Animals are very sensitive to colours of holi and so must be kept away from colours as they can be very toxic to them.

Among animals, pets are much safer as they usually stay at home indoors and are less exposed to harmful colours as opposed to the stray animals who come across many more toxic chemicals

Animals have a habit of licking the colour from their skin and fur and so they suffer from deadly gastric intestinal side effects like loose motions, vomiting and infections.
The colours get stuck in their fur and can cause a rash, dermatitis, itching, blisters, oozing skin, as well as skin infections.

In case colours enter the eyes, it can cause an allergy which can even cause blindness.

Remedy: wash the colour off with normal shampoo and do not scrub or put anything else. Consult a vet if the animal behaves strange or very agitated or there are visible skin rashes.

Follow these awesome tips and enjoy this Holi, spread love and happiness and it's okay to binge on those awesome sweets too.