Beautiful colours, splashes of water, and delicious sweets - the festival of colours is just around the corner. While we all love to play Holi, removing the colours from the body, after the festival, can be challenging for many. Furthermore, some of the Holi colours also contain toxic components, which can seep into the skin and cause allergies. Let us understand some tips that can help take care of the skin before and after enjoying this festival.

Are Holi colours toxic?

Earlier Holi colours were made from flowers, berries, spices, and other skin-friendly plants. However, research shows that nowadays most Holi colours contain harsh chemicals such as mercury sulphite (red), lead oxide (black), copper sulphate (green), malachite green (green), rhodamine (bronze-red), and gentian violet. While most of these colours can cause various skin allergies, malachite green is a suspected carcinogen (cancer-causing agent).

Studies show that these toxic Holi colours can not only harm the skin but also cause chemical contact keratitis, inflammation of the cornea (the outermost layer of the eye).

How to take care of your skin before playing Holi?

• Use herbal colours to play Holi. Avoid the use of greasy, dark pigmented colours as they can harm the skin.
• Keep your hands and legs covered by wearing a full-sleeved top and full-length bottom. This would prevent the body’s direct exposure to colours.
• Apply coconut oil, mustard oil, or a creamy moisturizer all over the body. This would close the skin pores, thereby restricting the colours from seeping into the skin. 
• Apply a generous amount of oil to the hair and scalp. Massage it till the oil seeps into the hair roots. This allows easy removal of Holi colours and prevents drying and breakage of hair.
• Tie your hair in a braid or a bun to prevent the colours from settling on the scalp. You can also wear a scarf to cover your head.  
• Use petroleum jelly to moisturize the lips and the insides of your ears.  
• To avoid colour deposition inside the nails, clip them short. You can also apply a thick coat of nail paint to protect them from dark pigmented colours.
• Avoid wearing contact lenses while playing Holi as the colour (if enters the eye) can irritate the eyes and cause infections. You may use sunglasses to protect your eyes from the colours.

How to take care of your skin after playing Holi?

• Firstly, clean the colours from your face by using a gentle face wash. Avoid scrubbing of the face and the rest of the body with harsh soaps as it can cause irritation.
• You may use a loofah to gently scrub off the colour from your body. 
• Petroleum jelly can be used to remove the harsh stains from the skin. Do not scrub the skin vigorously as it can result in a rash.
• Do not scrape your scalp while washing the hair with shampoo. Apply a generous amount of conditioner to the length of hair after thoroughly rinsing the shampoo. Let the conditioner stay for at least 5 minutes as it would prevent dryness and breakage of hair post-Holi. 
• Apply enough moisturiser or oil all over your body after taking a shower to ensure the skin is hydrated. 
• Use cotton earbuds to clean the colours from the ear. Do not push the earbud deep inside the ear. 
• You may use soothing eye drops prescribed by the doctors to comfort the eyes.

Takeaway

Chemically produced Holi colours can cause many skin allergies and rashes. While most colours available in the market have some toxic ingredients in them, one can choose to buy herbal colours to enjoy the festival without worrying about their skin. One can follow the aforementioned tips to keep their skin protected this Holi. People should rinse immediately with cool water if the colour enters the eye, mouth, or nose. Consult a doctor in case of irritation in any of the body parts after exposure to the colour. 

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