Holi, the most colourful festival in India is just around the corner and children and adults alike are looking forward to playing with 

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and getting drenched in colours and the spirit of the season. While having fun though, remember that Holi is also the festival that can be responsible for health issues like skin and eye allergies, hair fall and even breathlessness. 

Does that mean that you shouldn’t even dare to step down for a Holi party? Of course not! We have your back! All you need to do is keep these precautions in mind to have a truly happy Holi:

During Celebrations

• Use colours that are sourced naturally. Synthetic colours are the biggest reason why people usually complain of skin, hair and eye problems post-Holi. They are made from chemicals, many times dangerous ones, like lead and mercury sulphide, and the skin readily absorbs these heavy chemicals, creating health issues later. Go in for herbal colours and colours made from flowers and vegetables. Use turmeric for yellow. Use beetroot juice for pink. Use spinach & pudina for green. Use hibiscus and rose petals for red.
• Wear clothes that will cover your body as fully as possible to minimize contact of colours with skin (if you are using synthetic preparations)
• Before stepping out to play Holi, apply coconut oil or olive oil on your skin. These will act as barriers and prevent any synthetic colours from being absorbed by your skin.
• Message your scalp and hair with oil to protect it from colour, dirt and dust, as they can cause hair to become frizzy and brittle.
• Avoid wearing contact lenses because if colours enter the eye, presence of lenses can cause colours to remain behind in the eyes. Wash eyes with clean water immediately on contact with colours.
• Use the right texture of colours. If you are asthmatic or frequently have respiratory allergies, avoid powder colours. If you are more prone to skin allergies, avoid liquid colours.
• Keep a First Aid Kit handy for any unfortunate emergencies.
• In case your skin feels itchy or irritated, wash off the colours immediately with clean water. Preferably, have a warm bath and avoid contact with colours for the rest of the day.

Post-Celebrations

• Have a thorough bath with warm water post-celebrations.
• Do not rub hard to remove colour stains from face or body. Use mild soaps and shampoo to wash off colours or use home products like gram flour (besan) or curd.
• Do not touch food with unwashed hands or hands that are full of colour. Ingesting colours is harmful and can cause digestive upsets.

Wishing everyone a happy and safe Holi. Enjoy responsibly.