Bid adieu to Holi skin woes

Read on to know how you can enjoy the festive day without compromising your skin health and also opting for natural choices for your body.

For representational purposes only. (P Ravindra Babu | EPS)

Holi, the festival of colours, is a time when your skin can be impacted by toxic chemicals, dust, and harmful pollutants. As we gear up to celebrate this Hindu festival of spring, one must not forget how important it is to take utmost care and precaution in order to avoid skin damage. Read on to know how you can enjoy the festive day without compromising your skin health and also opting for natural choices for your body.

• Use safe colours and chemical-free gulals and also propagate a safe Holi with the youngsters at home who suffer severe damage by using colours with chemicals—these damage skin and, in many cases, the eyes. Non-toxic gulals are available in the market. You can also enjoy a traditional, natural Holi this year with Tesu flowers that are a great substitute for artificial colour.
• Apply oil generously not only to your skin but also to your hair. This step is crucial as oil does not allow any colour to penetrate into the skin’s pores. I recommend either olive oil or a seed and sandalwood oil. These are heavy and make for a natural sunscreen.
• At times post Holi, the hair can feel very dry. For your hair, use pure coconut oil—it will help prevent dryness and also condition the hair.
• Even nails often get coloured and these look terrible on the days after Holi. Prevent this from happening by applying petroleum jelly on your nails.
• Make a cleansing body scrub and keep it in the bathroom for the days after celebrations.
• Conjure up the following ingredients to make an exfoliating natural body scrub. Take 1tbsp of oatmeal, 3tbsp of sandalwood powder, 2tbsp of rice powder, 50g of powdered almonds, 20g of powdered Fuller’s earth (multani mitti). Mix all these ingredients with a pinch of powdered camphor, milk, lemon juice, and 3tbsp of almond oil. Scrub this mixture all over your body, especially in the areas which are prone to colour, and see the colour fading. Also, avoid soap.
• Those with extra sensitive skin, make a sandalwood paste and mix it with a few drops of almond oil and rose water. Smear this paste all over the face as it is excellent for rashes caused due to chemicals.
• When hair becomes rough, treat it with the easiest natural conditioner—mayonnaise. This will soften your strands and help remove any colour on it. Use a mild shampoo later.
• In case of emergency, keep a bowl of iced-rose water in the refrigerator. When colour goes into the eyes, dip cotton pads and use it on your eyes to wipe away any colour. This is soothing and also helps flush out any colour particles that are in your eyes.

If you love someone, show it by using non-toxic gulals. Have a safe Holi!

suparna trikha
The columnist is a beauty and nature care expert
@suparnatrikha