There's no better day than Holi to let your guard down and indulge in some mad colourful revelry.

Having said that, the aftermath of all that partying and being smeared in colourful hues can take a toll in a bad way on one's skin and hair.

Fatema Kathawala gives you an insight on how to maintain your skin and hair this festive season.

Holi -- being aptly described as a festival of colours and happiness -- is one such festival that brings out the child in us.

The vibrant colours and the festive mood is enough to light up the atmosphere and enable people to enjoy and bring out all the madness. This festival has the ability of making sure everyone is absolutely drenched in coloured powder, paste and water.

However it is very important to have a safe celebration. During Holi, we tend to use colours which contain harmful chemicals which in turn harm our hair and skin. The colours that are usually used for Holi can lead to skin allergies, rashes and damaged hair. It's thus preferred to play Holi with organic and safer colours.

Dr. Geetika Mittal Gupta, MD, International Skin and Anti Ageing Center, New Delhi, said: "Holi is the time when the skin gets totally ripped off its natural oils and softness, owing to the chemicals contained in colours, so taking proper precaution is important.”

This festival can sometimes wreak havoc on your skin and crowning glory, but all it takes to keep them safe and beautiful is a little care, both before and after Holi.

Since taking care of your hair and skin during Holi is extremely vital, we put together a list of things to do for decent skin and hair care.

Things to do PRE-HOLI

• If your skin texture is dry, start moisturising it until the skin texture returns to normal.
• To keep your skin safe from colours, try wearing clothes that cover your entire body so that there is minimum exposure.
• Apply mustard oil on your face, neck, ears, hands and legs a day before Holi. The colour can be easily removed from your skin by doing this
• Do not keep your hair open, tie it up so that lesser area of your hair is exposed to colour.
• A day before Holi, get a nice head massage with coconut oil. This will provide your hair with ample nutrition which gets dry due to colours.

Things to do POST-HOLI

• Add two tablespoons of lemon juice to a bowl of curd and apply it on the coloured areas. Then, take a bath with normal or lukewarm water to take the colour off.
• Rinse your hair completely without using shampoo at first. Once the colours are removed, then you can wash them with a mild shampoo and conditioner. Use cold water to rinse the colour off as hot water only makes the colour stick to the roots.
• Take 1 tablespoon each of olive oil and coconut oil; mix 1 teaspoon each of castor oil, glycerine, vinegar, conditioner and your shampoo to it. Apply the mixture on your hair and the scalp and leave it on for an hour and then rinse it off.

ALSO SEE

• Holi pics: Remembering a childhood Holi celebration
• Holi recipe: Mava gujiya

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