New Delhi, March 7 (life) Holi, the festival of colours is one of the most favourite festivals among all age groups. The colours have a lasting impact on mind, mood as well as skin and hair. Following rituals and following small steps can help preventing damage to hair and skin, letting you enjoy without being worried about post-Holi rashes, dryness, irritation of the skin, dry lusterless hair, acne breakouts, burning, and red scaly skin.
According to Dr Smriti Naswa Singh, Consultant Dermatologist, Fortis Hospital, Mulund, here's what will help you prep better for Holi.
Pre-Holi preparation:
Avoid bleaching or waxing or doing facial one week before and after Holi
Apply a thick coat of oil or petroleum jelly or cold cream on your skin; do not forget the lips, areas behind the ears, and the navel.
Oil your hair and beard too, liberal use is advised
Sunscreen should be applied in generous amounts on all sun exposed areas, 30 minutes before going out in the sun, and repeat every 3 hours if you are outdoors
Cover yourself with long sleeve clothes
Nail polish is a good idea to protect nails from Holi colors, that stain them Blue and Green
During Holi:
Prefer playing with dry colors and those that are certified 'safe', if using wet colours, opt for organic colors
Avoid colors which are actually Golden and Silver paints
Wash your skin immediately after you see the 1 st sign of irritation or itching
Keep the moisturizer handy, applying moisturizer immediately reduces irritation, and the coat of moisturizer protects topmost layer of the skin from irritants in the colors
Keep yourself hydrated, drinking water ensures that the deeper layers of skin are nourished
Avoid consuming too much alcohol
Post Holi cleaning ritual:
Take a bath while the color is still wet
Soaps vs. cleansers vs. ubtan - ubtan-like packs made of earthen clay (Multani Mitti) or a combination of Wheat flour, Curd, Haldi can be applied all over the body to remove the color. This ensures the skin doesn't get too dry as against using the soap, as its detergent action might dry-out the skin.
Lukewarm water always helps. Use cleansing milk and lukewarm water must be used on the face, as second wash after using the Ubtan. You can also apply a combination of sea salt, Glycerin and an aromatic oil to remove the colour.
Do not scrub, remove the Ubtan while it is still wet, this is especially important for those with acne prone facial and truncal (chest and back) skin
Shampooing is necessary to clean the scalp and conditioner will help condition and moisten the hair, preventing them from getting frizzy
Post bath:
Liberally apply moisturizer for the skin, and serum for hair Hand and foot cream should also be used specifically because these areas have maximum contact with colour.
( With inputs from IANS )