Preparations before Holi

Get the following things before playing with colors:

Checklist:
Must-haves before Playing Colors

• • A bottle of oil (Coconut/ Sesame/ Mustard/ Olive)
• • Nail Polish (Colored or clear)
• • Petroleum Jelly (Vaseline)
• • Pair of spectacles, no contact lenses please

Protect your skin and hair

It is extremely important to apply at least two generous layer of oil to your hair and scalp, face, neck, shoulders, arms, legs and any exposed area of your body, especially the inside of your ears and navel, and area between fingers and toes. Moisturize your face, lips and dab tons of body lotion to all exposed parts of your body. This works like a shield and Holi colors can be easily washed off. Make sure you moisturize your lips as well. I recommend coconut, olive, mustard or sesame (til) oil. Applying oil will help get the color off easily when you bathe after Holi. It will also protect your skin and hair from dryness, fizziness, roughness and irritation.

Girls, make sure you tie your hair after applying oil. Braid it or tie it into a bun to protect them from getting damaged in case someone pulls them while playing Holi. For those who want to play with dry colours, apply foundation to shield your skin from any damages.

Guys, don't shave for 2-3 days before Holi. This would protect your pores from color granules and chemicals.

Protect your nails

Nails are porous in nature hence they tend to absorb color. No wonder they remain stained long after Holi is over. Girls, apply a dark colored nail polish. Most of the color on your nails will come off when you remove the polish. Boys can apply transparent nail polish.

NOTE: Do not forget to moisturize/ apply oil to your fingertips and areas around the nails.

How to avoid breathing in dry color (Gulaal)

I'm allergic to particulate matter. I used to be sacred of breathing in Gulaal as this would irritate my lungs. Then I discovered a great way to minimize breathing in Gulaal. The trick is to apply petroleum jelly (Vaseline) to the inside of your nose. This will trap a lot of the color and dust particles and stop them from entering your windpipe.

Protect your eyes

Do NOT wear contact lenses, period. This is because color can get trapped in the layer between your eye and the lens causing corneal infection or other eye diseases. NOTE: In case color gets in your eyes, do not rub. Wash it immediately with cold water.

How to clean up after playing Holi

Skin

Wash your body with cold water to take off the excessive color. Use a moisturizing soap and lukewarm water to bathe. Since you had applied oil, it will be easy to get rid of the color. However, in case you cannot get permanent Holi color out of your skin, you can try these homemade cleaning packs.

Besan pack
You need 4 teaspoons of gram flour (Besan), a quarter teaspoon of turmeric powder (Haldi), 2 teaspoons of fresh curd and a few drops of lime juice. Make a paste of these ingredients and apply it on the stained areas. Let it dry and then rub it in till it starts to peel off and then wash with soap and water. Most of the residual color should come off. You can repeat the process for better results.

For better results, add a few drops of rosewater to this pack.

Multani Mitti pack
Soak some Multani Mitti in water overnight to make a paste. Add a few drops of oil, 2 teaspoons of milk and 1 teaspoon of sandalwood (Chandan) powder. Mix everything to make a smooth paste. Apply this to your skin; let it dry and then it off.

You can also mix mashed papaya with Multani mitti paste.

Hair

Rinse your hair with water before washing them with shampoo. Let the shampoo stay on for at least 10 minutes before you wash it off.) For strong hair, mix one tablespoon of vinegar and three tablespoons of hair oil and apply it to the hair.

In case your hair becomes dry, dull and/or frizzy, apply egg yolk. Keep it on for 10-15 minutes and wash it with water. Instead of egg yolk, you can also use curd.

Nails

Use a nail polish remover to remove the dark colored nail polish that you had applied before playing Holi.

How to relieve skin irritation and rashes caused by Holi colors
Calamine pack
Take some calamine lotion and add some honey and rosewater to it. Apply this to your skin and let it stay for 10-15 minutes. Wash with cold water. This will help prevent skin irritation, rashes and itching.

Skin Care After Holi

1) Always use cold water to scrub off colours.

2) Do not be too harsh on your skin or take frequent baths and wash your face often. This can make your skin dry.

3) Apply some coconut oil on your skin before your bath and gently scrub off the colour.

4) Rub a few lemon wedges to areas on your body with colour stain. This lightens the stain. Soak some amchur(dry mango slice) powder in water and scrub your body with this mixture to get rid of colour.

5) Moisturize your skin immediately after a bath.

6) Go for facials or facial bleach only a week after Holi.