How to look after your skin this Holi

Holi is a fun outdoor festival celebrated by smearing colors and splashing water on each other. Even though it is an amusing celebration, it may cause serious harm to your skin if not taken proper care of. Exposure to the combination of sun, water, and colored powders is likely to take a toll on the skin. Hence, it is extremely important to take necessary precautions against such harmful effects.

While everyone should be aware of proper skincare during Holi, people with sensitive skin should be extra careful. It is also important to be mindful of the kind of color being used. “Bad quality colors may cause allergic reactions which may further result in rashes, dryness, and itching,” says aesthetic dermatologist, Dr. Pravita Shrestha. “Flares may appear in acne-prone skin,” she adds. According to Dr. Shrestha, people with pigment issues such as melasma should be extra cautious about direct sun exposure. “Despite using sun protection, even a brief 15-minute exposure to direct sunlight can make their melasma florid,” she says.

People with acne-prone skin are more likely to suffer from sun sensitivity and irritation. To avoid this, one should refrain from using retinol and salicylic-based products for about 48 to 72 hours before Holi. “Facial, threading, waxing, or any procedures that cause some exfoliation or lasers should not be done for at least three to seven days before Holi,” she says.

Dr. Shrestha suggests the following before celebrating Holi:

• Apply some antioxidant serum.
• Hydrate and protect exposed parts of the body with moisturizer and sunscreen.
• To protect hair from damage, apply hair serum. This forms a protective barrier between the hair cuticle and the artificial color.
• Applying oil to your hair also helps protect it from damage.
• Moisturize and paint your nails to prevent staining by the colors.
• Those with melasma should wear caps to prevent direct sun.
• Reapply sunscreen as required throughout the day.

Taking proper precautions before being exposed to color powders, sun, or water plays a major role in keeping skin damage-free. Good aftercare of your skin is as important as taking care of it pre Holi. Apart from cleansing your skin properly, some other things that ensure better care of your skin post-Holi are:

• Not exfoliating for at least 72 hrs if you have played with colors.
• Using an antioxidant serum, moisturizer, and sunscreen.
• In case of slight pigmentation after a couple of days, seek dermatologist treatment before it worsens.