Holi Skin And Hair Care Tips To Help You Shine
I have always loved the flamboyance and vibrancy of colours that the festival of Holi heralds every year. The beautiful shower of colours that it brings along with it is beautifully complemented with the appeasing repertoire of dishes that are made in every home to celebrate this beautiful festival. But then again, Indian festivals are all about splendour and delicious food, aren’t they?
Holi celebrations are moulded by every region and culture according to their traditions. While Vrindavan’s ostentatious Holi celebrations are known to be the most impressive in the country, Barsana’s Lathmar Holi is a spectacle that sparks some passionate conversations as well. Donning as many forms as the colours themselves, Holi is the wild child of festivals; one that bridges many differences to unite people in a blanket of colours. I think that there is no better way to welcome spring than by immersing ourselves and our surroundings in this beautiful blend of Holi Gulaal!
Speaking of colours, there are so many Holi colours in the market that are created using chemicals that can be harmful to your skin and hair. While the use of organic colours has increased over the years, there is a chance that you may end up at a party or an event where the colours may not be organic. So, while you are busy planning on having yourself the best time on Holi, here are a few skin and hair care tips that will ensure that you get all the fun and masti out of your Holi celebrations, without having to worry about the safety of your hair and skin.
Holi Skin And Hair Care Tips To Help You Shine: Pre-Celebration Tips
1] Apply Oil
Oil creates a protective layer on your skin, and its viscose nature ensures that the colours slip away without getting onto the skin. Apply at least two generous layers of mustard oil on your entire body, and ensure that you also apply some to the area between your fingers and toes, as well as the insides of your ears. After application, give your skin about 20 to 30 minutes to absorb the oil before you begin your Holi revelries. For added protection, use a layer of waterproof sunscreen lotion.
As for your hair, the best way to keep it unharmed is by massaging your hair and scalp with some warm coconut oil or olive oil. The chemicals will not be able to penetrate through the oil, and the colours will wash off easily from your scalp. If you want to keep your hair tied up, then use a scarf or one of those decorative Holi caps to protect your hair.
2] Apply Nail Polish and Petroleum Jelly
Ever attended a Holi bash only to later realise that the colours have penetrated through your nails, leaving a long-lasting stain? The porous nature of nails makes it easy for them to absorb colours, so if you want to avoid awfully stained nails after Holi, then sit down with a bottle of your favourite nail polish on the eve of Holi and apply a few layers of the polish to keep your nails protected.
With your nails taken care of, protect your cuticles by applying some petroleum jelly on them. Do the same to your lips and the back of your ears, and you will be saved from the Holi colours making direct contact with your skin. Given the sensitivity of these areas, it usually gets difficult to wash the colour off them easily.
I am allergic to particulate matter and I fear the presence of dry Holi colours in the air since it irritates my lungs. Applying petroleum jelly on the inside of my nose has been a wonderful reprieve for me, as it traps a lot of the colour and makes it easier for me to enjoy the festival without worrying about Holi colours entering my windpipe.
3] Avoid Facials
Stay away from a facial treatment at least a week before the festival. Facials and waxing or bleaching can increase the sensitivity of the skin, and open pores through which Holi colours can penetrate the inner layers of your skin.
Holi Skin And Hair Care Tips To Help You Shine: Post-Celebration Tips
1] Apply Lemon or an Organic Face Pack
Rub lemon all over your skin. The natural bleaching agents in the lemon will make it easier for you to remove colour stains from your skin. Remember to moisturise your skin after washing, to prevent it from getting dry.
For all those stubborn colour stains that refuse to go away, I use a home-made pack that helps keep my skin supple while gently removing the colours. Add 4 teaspoons of gram flour, 2 teaspoons of fresh yoghurt, ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder, and a few drops of lemon juice and mix it well. Apply this mixture all over your face, neck and hands, and allow it to dry. Then gently massage your skin before you rinse it off. Yoghurt moisturises the skin while gram flour exfoliates it leaving you with glowing skin devoid of colour stains.
2] Aloe Vera
Soap can leech your skin of its natural glow and beauty, so avoid the rigorous rubbing of soap on your skin to remove stubborn colours. Indulge in a good cleanser, and follow up the cleansing with the application of Aloe Vera gel which acts as a natural moisturiser. The cooling effect of Aloe Vera will make your skin look radiant while also aiding in removing Holi colours.
3] Apply a Hair Pack
If you are ready to hit the shower to rinse away all the colours in your hair after Holi celebrations, then you may want to stop and consider the use of a nourishing hair pack before the wash, as that will protect your hair from further damage. A few ingredients that can really help your hair are lemon juice, yoghurt and egg; you can pick any one of these and apply them to your scalp and hair. These ingredients will give your hair a softer texture and act as a natural conditioner. You can also use a herbal pack made from henna paste or you can use a paste made from amla and shikakai, to remove Holi colours and nourish your hair naturally. I would advise you to keep the pack for 20 to 30 minutes before washing your hair thoroughly. Finally, use a mild organic shampoo to complete your hair wash.
I hope these tips and tricks help protect your hair, skin and nails this Holi. Have a happy and safe festival!
Some easy tips to follow which can make my Holi experience happier than ever this festive season! Thanks Tanya. xx
I’m glad you find this post helpful, Shweta.
Authentic capture! Btw, since Holi is played outdoors, sun-exposure can have a detrimental effect on the skin. Therefore, I use a sunscreen of SPF 20 and above, since my skin is prone to dark patches.
Remember to apply sunscreen on the back of your neck and arms as well, 20 minutes before going out in the sun, Lavanya.
Very nice. Love the easy going vibe of this post!
Thanks Achicka.
So many great tips, and beautiful pictures too. Your beauty and wellness posts are always amazing, Tanya!
Thank you, Vrunda.
Sounds like you have some really exciting Holi break plans, Tanya! I personally can’t think of anywhere better to spend the festival of Holi than Rajasthan! It’s probably one of my favourite places in the world!
p.s. Drink some bhang for me! 🙂
Haha!! I will, Alpa. 🙂
Great post, Tanya! I find that cleansing milk is the best to remove hard colours. Apply it on your skin and leave it for 3-5 mins, then wash it off with lukewarm water. 🙂
Thank you for sharing, Taniya.
The air of excitement, the colours and cheerful faces around; there is so much to rejoice with the festival of Holi. I can’t wait! Thank you for these amazing tips, Tanya!
You are welcome, Mitula. A little precaution goes a long way.
Who better than our very own skincare maven to takes us through every measure we ought to take before we celebrate with gulal!! Thanks Tanya. 🙂
Aw ~ thank you, Sheetal.
You are absolutely right, because unfortunately it comes down to splashes of synthetic pigment these days… Thank you for sharing.
My pleasure, Sunita.
Thank you for your advice, Tanya. Be it oiling my hair before a wash, avoiding excessive hair styling or using homemade masks ~ I do it all!
…remember to tie up your hair while playing Holi, as open hair tends to tangle which may cause further damage.
These tips will surely help to get the colour off faster and keep my skin healthy! May God spray colours of success and prosperity over you and your family! 🙂
Thank you, Veadha.
Thank you for these easy peasy pre and post Holi skin care and hair care tips, so that I can enjoy this festival of colours at my joyous best!
I am glad you found this post helpful, Kirthika.
Holi is around the corner and I’m super duper excited and all set to bask and jump in the spirit of colours!! This blog will make Holi enjoyable without my having to worry about handling fast colours, dry skin or rash! Thank you for sharing, and Happy Holi to you and your family!
All you need to do is follow my step-by-step guide for hair and skin care. 🙂
I massage my body with coconut oil, right from my hair to toes – haha!!
Good choice since most of the fast colours are oil soluble.
Wouldn’t it be great to have people make intelligent decisions by spending more on organic colours and save both, our skin and the environment?! Thank you for this wonderful post, Tanya. xx
When it comes to the festive spirit of Holi, it’s safe to say that there’s a lot more than meets the eye…
Thank you for these foolproof skincare and hair-care tips to make sure I have a fabulous time without putting a dent in my vanity! 😀
You are most welcome, Preeti.
Getting Holi colours stuck to your hair and skin is not the BEST idea for sure. I give my body a good massage so that it soaks in the moisturiser well, thereby acting as a shield between my skin and Holi colours. 🙂
…saving your skin from the trauma those chemicals can cause.
With all these easy to follow tips, I sure will be able to enjoy Holi! I’d like to share that my mum uses roasted chic peas powder to make gulal. 🙂
…because it’s always better to play safe without compromising on fun!
I don’t intend to spoil my mood as I can now enjoy Holi to the fullest and still look pretty as ever by following your tips!! (I bet I will feel good after those colour stains have left my body…)
By adopting these simple measure before and after the festival, you can make Holi an enjoyable experience!
Love this! Btw, I don’t ignore my lips and either dab them with lavender essential oil or apply a thick layer of petroleum jelly before getting down and dirty!
Yes 🙂 It’s better to gear up this Holi to protect your skin and hair from any undue harm.
Yes, celebrate Holi with lots of colours but don’t forget to heal your skin pre/post the celebrations. Here’s to enjoying Holi to the fullest without letting our skin suffer at the hands of the colours that are laden with harsh chemicals!
Many thanks, Shilpa! Loving your appreciation.
The most colourful day in India is near! ❤️ And this day of absolute happiness shouldn’t take a toll on our skin!
Love your content, Tanya! To add to your post, I make my own deep conditioning hair mask by mixing one ripe avocado with 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp honey. I apply the mixture to my hair and let it sit for 40 min (I use a shower cap for better penetration of the mask).
Aww ~ thank you so much, Sakshi. Your support on this platform means the world!
Totally love this! Although we don’t care and think before the joyous and colourful mood – a little care will go a long way. Well, all my Holi blues are sorted with these amazing skincare tips! Thank you very much for sharing!
Such a sweet thing to say. Thank you, Jana!
I so love this! ❤️ My skin certainly needs a happy cleanse, post that Holi frolic! And with these simple skin care tips, I can thoroughly immerse myself in the festival this year without worrying about the havoc the colours can wreak on your skin!
Thank you for reading through and appreciating, Megha!
Really appreciate the content! Colours of Holi are fun to play with, however, they take a toll on my skin leaving it dry and flaky… Will try your tips to experience clean, clear & hydrated skin! Yes, I’m keeping my Festive spirits high without forgetting to take care of my skin! 🙂
Aww ~ this means the world to me! Thank you, dear Sarita.
What an amazing post! The idea is definitely to apply as many layers on the skin and hair to keep the effects of colour & sunlight to a minimum… ✨✨✨
Many heartfelt thanks, Karishma!
Thank you for this! ❤️
I would like to add a point as well. Natural, essential oils are possibly the best way to restore the natural texture of your skin and protect it from acne and skin allergies. Thus, slather generous amounts of coconut, almond and castor oil all over your hair, face and body before playing with colours. 🙂
It is such a pleasure to see your comment, Dhwani. Hope you are doing great!
#PostHoliSkinNightmares are definitely stopping me from celebrating the most loved festival! But thanks to your ‘Tips n Tricks’ to protect skin and hair, I will now throw all worries in the air and enjoy #HOLI! ✨✨✨
Thank you so much, Gurnoor! I appreciate all the love and support you have given me.
Don’t we just love to play with all the colours that we can get our hands on? And why not! That’s the way it should be. And if you’re worried about the havoc colours will wreak on your skin, these amazing Holi skin & hair care tips address all your needs!!
Protecting your skin from festive damage never looked this easy! ❤️❤️❤️
That’s sweet of you, Megha. Thank you very much for such lovely words.
All the pointers shared are really helpful, providing a one-stop solution for all my skin and hair troubles associated with the Holi festival! Keep up the good work!
Oh, thank you so much, Himanshu!
Such a great skincare regime is ❤️ really helpful! It’s time to retain our skin’s pH levels!
Thanks Shreya! So chuffed you like it.
Really helpful tips, and loved the images that you have used!
By the way, did you know that nature’s best toner is Rose Water? A natural choice with chemical-free properties which may help restore your skin and reduce breakouts. 🙂
Thank you for joining in and sharing your thoughts, Preeti.
No country in the world celebrates spring as extravagantly as India does!! On that note, it’s good that you focused on pre-Holi skincare as well, as that’s really more important than post skincare… Here’s to enjoying the festival of colours, while making sure that our skin remains protected!
Glad to be of help, Monika.
It is indeed very important to take care of our skin & hair! 🙂
To add to your post, a day before Holi I apply mustard oil all over my body – generously over the face, hands and legs, as these are exposed areas where the colour will be thrown. This keeps my skin protected and also allows me to remove the colours with ease.
Thank you for resonating with this, Ankita.
What’s the first thing that comes to our mind when we hear “March”?
It’s Holi time! ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you for this carefully curated pre and post-Holi skin-hair care guide, Tanya. After all, it just takes a few minutes to take precaution… Letting my skin shine through this festival of colours without the fear of damage!
Your sweet words are dearly appreciated, Ramandeep.
The festival is just around the corner, and I can’t keep calm! From preparing mouth-watering delicacies to stocking up on colours, the #Holifever has started!!
But, amidst all this fun, it’s wonderful to have access to this curated guide with easy skincare & hair care tips which will help avert nasty problems that can erupt after Holi – #HoliBhiSkincareBhi!
Aw ~ that’s such a heart warming and beautiful comment. Thank you, Yashasvi!
March brings with it blooming flowers of spring, the scent of gulal in the air, faces smeared with coloured powder, and dance during celebrations to mark the festival of Holi – So, I’m letting my spirit free and leaving my specially curated skincare to you, Tanya! Thanks for the lovely tips!
Thank you very much for your affectionate appreciation, Varsha!