It’s that time of the year again when your friends will smother you with beautiful colors. Yes, it’s HOLI.

Holi is one of the most vibrant and colorful festivals of India. And while the singing and dancing, the bhang and gujiyas, the mischief and drenching in colors are great fun of the festival, the aftermath can sometimes be unpleasant, with some people left suffering from skin rashes, eye allergies, and discoloration of hair.

Holi colors were traditionally made from spring flowers and herbs; in fact, these spring flowers and herbs colors actually had some therapeutic value.

However, chemicals and industrial dyes, some of them toxic, slowly replaced herbs and flowers colors. These toxic colors cause some serious damage to the skin such as discoloration, abrasion, irritation, itching, rashes, dryness, and eczema which are common reactions reported by dermatologists post-Holi.

Usually, people use loud music, buckets of water and pichkaris, and fast colors to celebrate this day. You can’t avoid or stop people for not coloring you. But you can definitely follow these simple and easy suggestions to ensure you are safe and get rid of the colors quickly;

Choose Herbal Colors:

One of the best ways to protect yourself from any kind of skin and hair problem use herbal colors, even have a go at making your own natural colors.

Oil Your Body:

You should make sure that you oil your hair and complete body before you start playing the holi. You can use a combination of castor oil and coconut oil. Oiling the body and hair ensures that the colors don’t stick to your skin and hair and can be washed away easily after holi.

Sun Protection:

You should use a sunscreen lotion to protect your skin from the rude sun. You can also buy a pair of cheap sunglasses like a use and throw kind of sunglasses which can be disposed of after the festival and helps in protecting your eyes.

Drink More Water:

Keeping your skin hydrated can help during the play. So drink more water and keep minimum intake of alcohol.

Wear Full-Length Clothing:

Wearing full sleeved tops/shirts and jeans/pants or salwar kurtas which cover your body as much as possible. If you’re playing with watercolors, wear light clothes so that you don’t feel overwhelmed by the wet clothes.

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Cut Your Nails:

Cut your nails to ensure hygiene and safety while playing. If you’re a hardcore fan of the festival trim your hair as well.

Moisturize the Edges:

The edges of the body like the earlobes need special attention for care. Moisturizing these areas helps them so that the colors don’t linger in your ears.

Bathe in Lukewarm Water:

Once you finish playing the holi, bathe with lukewarm water and shampoo thoroughly. You can also use a shower gel and loofah to scrub out the colors. Also use a moisturizer afterward to avoid dryness.

Awareness During Playing Holi:

If you are playing and the color goes in your mouth, then immediately swill and gargle with clean water. DO NOT ingest the substance it may create problem inside the body.

Gently Remove the Color:

For removing holi colors it is best to use a mild cleanser in place of soaps which can cause dryness or skin irritation.