Holi 2022: Protect your skin on the 'festival of colours', 5 skincare tips for all

Holi, the festival of colours, is celebrated throughout our country. People of all ages meet each other and greet with water, colours and gulal. Past two years we have been confined in our homes, with a downtrend in COVID this year grand celebrations are expected. The bright colours and gulal look fabulous but they can also damage our skin and hair. Small skincare efforts before, during and after the festival help minimise the damage. Here are a few skin tips for Holi.

1 PREPARE YOURSELF: Having dry and damaged skin makes us more prone to damage by colours. Regular application of moisturiser and sunscreen, and avoiding harsh cleansing products is very helpful. Avoid exfoliating procedures, peels and bleaching procedures for at least a week before and after Holi. As with the skin, hairs and nails also need attention. Clean hairs with preferred oiling on the festival are very helpful. Short trimmed nails remain clean and reduce allergies due to colours.

 2. USE NATURAL COLOURS: Avoid using and playing with synthetic colours and gulal. Natural and nature-derived colours are readily available, not only do they care for skin and hairs they are good for our environment too. Avoid paint and metallic colours. Care for children and the elderly.

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3. TAKE CARE FOR YOUR SKIN AND HAIRS: Apply a thick layer of moisturiser on the whole body before going for playing Holi. If playing outdoors use water-resistant sunscreen. Wear cotton clothes that give maximum coverage. Apply oil on hairs, it helps to remove colour easily.

4. BE GENTLE DURING COLOUR REMOVAL: Use a mild soap or a soap-free cleanser to gently remove the colours on the face and body. Excessive scrubbing might cause skin irritation and rashes. Oil-based cleansers can be used for stubborn marks but must be avoided for acne and acne-prone skin. Use gentle shampoo to clean the hair. Apply moisturiser and sunscreen after cleansing and wear cotton clothes. Avoid scrubbing the nails and using harsh nail polish removers for removing colours from nails. Avoid skin treatments and hair reduction procedures for at least a week. Any existing medications must be continued as before or as modified by your dermatologist.

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5. SKINCARE FOR PEOPLE HAVING SKIN CONDITIONS: Extra care is needed for children having eczema, those having acne and skin conditions like psoriasis. Dry Holi is a better option with minimal use of colours and gulal. Any new lesions or worsening of existing conditions must be shown to a skincare specialist at the earliest.

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With these simple skincare tips, we can enjoy our festival of Holi better. Despite precautions, we must seek immediate medical attention if we get skin rashes, irritation, and any worsening of existing skin conditions.

• Holi 2022
• Holi