Holi-stic skincare

Holi is the time to have some fun. You may not be bothered about staining your clothes or shoes but make sure the celebrations don’t wreak havoc on your skin, hair and nails. Celebrity hairstylist Asgar Saboo says, “Traditionally, Holi was played with natural colours extracted from herbs and flowers. These colours were actually beneficial. Over the years, synthetic colours have replaced them. Hence it is important to protect your skin, hair and scalp.” To spare a visit to a dermatologist, follow these steps...

PRE HOLI
- Apply a sunscreen (preferably SPF 20 and above) 20 minutes before going out. Most sunscreens have built-in moisturisers but if your skin is very dry, apply sunscreen, wait for a few minutes and follow up with a moisturiser. Apply a lotion on your arms and other exposed areas too.
- Apply a leave-in conditioner or hair serum. Pick a hair cream containing sunscreen. Or apply pure coconut oil.
- Paint your nails with transparent varnish.
- Don’t leave your hair un-tied on Holi day. To be comfortable, yet stylish, try out a French braid and wear a thick hair band with a bow. You can also wear a bandana.


POST HOLI
- The real trouble starts when you have to remove the colours. Rinse your face with plain water and then
use a cleansing cream or lotion, as it helps dissolve the colours.
- To wash your hair, first rinse with plenty of plain water. Then apply a mild herbal shampoo, working it into the hair with your fingers and massage the scalp gently and rinse thoroughly. Beer can be used as a last rinse. Squeeze juice of a lemon in your mug of beer and pour over your hair. Leave for a few minutes and rinse off with plain water.
- Sesame seed (til) oil can also help in removing the colours, apart from countering sun damage. Massage your skin with sesame oil and leave it on your skin for 15 minutes or so. While bathing, scrub the body gently with a loofah. Apply a lotion.
- To regain smooth, soft skin, mix 2 tbsp honey with half cup curd, add a pinch of turmeric. Apply this paste on your face, neck and arms. Leave for 20 minutes and wash off with water.
- To nourish your hair, mix 1 tbsp pure coconut oil with 1 tsp castor oil. Heat and apply on your hair. Dip a towel in hot water, squeeze out the water and wrap the hot towel around the head, like a turban. Keep it for five minutes. Repeat towel treatment 3-4 times. Wash your hair after an hour.

— Inputs by beauty expert Shahnaz Husain, cosmetic dermatologist Dr Meghna Gupta and dermatologist Dr Apratim Goel
.