Happy Holi! When gearing up for the festivities, we tend to concentrate all our attention on food (like these delectable bhang recipes) and often forget that while it's fun playing with colours, there is always the post Holi clean-up to consider. Even if the colours used are organic, there will be some amount of damage that your skin and hair will have to bear. Here are some simple hacks on how to get rid of Holi colours that will minimise the potential damage and also remove the deep-seated stubborn stains.
Keep your hair oiled while playing Holi. You can use castor oil, coconut milk, olive oil or mustard oil. The oil will form a protective layer over the hair which will make the colours come off easily when you wash it. It's a good idea to oil your hair post the clean-up to keep moisture locked in.
Apply sunscreen before going out to play with colours in order to prevent sunburns. But if you do suffer sunburns, use aloe vera gel on the affected area.
Before letting colours touch your skin, apply a thin layer of titanium dioxide or just a thin layer of petroleum jelly. This will form a physical barrier between the skin and the harmful metallic colours.
Don't get any threading or bleaching done the day before Holi. This will leave your skin sensitive and prone to irritation.
Paint your nails with a dark nail paint to prevent your nails from getting stained. Take it off after the festivities.
Avoid shampooing your hair immediately after playing Holi.
Apply egg yolk on your scalp and leave it for 30 minutes before shampooing your hair. You can also mix fenugreek (methi) with curd in place of egg yolk and apply the mixture on your scalp.
After playing with colours, do not use face wash or soap to cleanse your skin. It might cause an imbalance of the skin pH as they are mostly detergent-based which dehydrates the skin.
Honey, mixed with a mashed tomato or papaya, acts as a perfect scrub when applied with multani mitti. You can also use curd, gram flour, turmeric, olive oil and lemon to make a paste which can be applied on colour-stained parts of your body.
Enjoy the festival of colours without worrying about any damage to your hair or skin. Follow these steps and put all your worries aside.