India has diverse cultures, with people of different religions and beliefs living together to bring harmony. And it goes without saying one of the best things about the country is its festivals. There are more than 20 grand festivals, and one that stands out for me is Holi.
Holi is the festival of colours, a fun-filled celebration with family, friends, mithai, and colours. Aren’t we all ready and excited to colour each other with gulal. While initially, the celebration was only with gulal, now numerous chemical-based colours are available in the market, and they are dangerous for the skin, hair and eyes. While there are also organic colours, you never know who holds a chemical-based or organic colour.
Let’s be honest; it can take significant time to remove the colour of your skin and hair. So it is essential to take some precautions. This blog has shared some precautionary tips and remedies to eliminate stubborn Holi colours. So here are the steps and methods to help you eliminate the Holi colours.
Pre Holi Preparation
Skin Care
Before you step out for your Holi rituals, remember, as a child, your mother dipped you in coconut oil; well, that’s the reason why your skin was still delicate, with very minimal damage. We are not suggesting anything new; this is one of the crucial steps. You can apply a thick layer of oil on your skin, and if you have skin issues with oil, you can always opt for a dense, non-comedogenic moisturiser. This will create a thick barrier on your skin and make removing the stubborn Holi colour easier.
Always opt for an old pair of clothes you don’t mind if they get stained or spoiled. Opt for cotton and solid colour clothes as they make it easier to spot colours easily. They can be washed in the washing machine or given to your next-door laundry guy. So that’s about your clothes while it can get cleaned. What about your skin and Hair? While talking about skin and hair, let’s not forget our eyes, as they are more prone to exposure to holi colour, now called organic or chemical, and both are dangerous for your eyes.
Hair Care
Ensure you oil your hair a day before the Holi celebration with nourishing hair oil. You can use a gentle coconut oil. Trust us; your hair and scalp will thank you after your vigorous, rough, and challenging Holi play, as this step will help remove the stubborn Holi colour from your hair more quickly. One more step is to keep your hair covered with a cap; for girls, you can opt for scarves and tie wraps stylishly.
Now that we are all set with the precautionary measures, here’s what you can do once the mess is made and now we discuss how to remove the colour.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to remove stubborn Holi colour from skin and hair
Start with Dry Removal
Begin by gently rubbing a soft towel to remove the dusty, dry colour from your skin and hair. Make sure not to go very hard as it can spread the colour more and even irritate your skin or, worse, may give you rashes.
Massage your skin with coconut oil
Take some coconut or almond oil, and you can rub it on the exposed parts where there’s colour on your body. Oil can break down and also dissolve the pigments effectively. Once you massage the oil into your skin, it further penetrates the colour particles, helps loosen the grip, and makes it easier to lift the colour particles. However, if your skin doesn’t respond well to oil, you can also opt for moisturisers. The gentle rubbing helps in dislodging the colour from the skin. There are a wide number of options available on Amazon for you to choose from.
Lukewarm Water
Once you have massaged your hair and skin with oil, rinse it off with Lukewarm Water. Avoid using hot water as it can strip natural oil from your skin and accelerate the irritation further.
Use gentle Cleanser
A gentle cleanser that helps remove dirt and harsh chemicals from the skin can be best. You can opt for , Simple, or Dot & Key , as they are super gentle on the skin. But remember, while washing your face, be extra soft on your skin, as it will slightly dread the dead skin and loosen out the stubborn colour particles, making them easier to remove from the skin.
Shampoo and Conditioner
A mild, sulfate-free shampoo like L’oreal’s Hyaluron Pure 72H will help your scalp cleanse deeply, removing the stubborn colour while maintaining moisture. Use the shampoo on your scalp and then work it through the length of your hair to remove further colour residue. Try using cold water, but if you catch a cold quickly, opt for lukewarm water and keep washing until the water from your hair runs clear.
After washing your hair, use a nourishing conditioner like L’oreal’s Hyaluron Pure 72H Rehydrating Conditioner on the lengths and ends of your hair, which can help regain the moisture and softness of your hair.
Moisturise Your Skin
After showering, the first step is to pat dry your skin and check for any areas on your skin where there is still any colour residue. Do you need any wash? If not, go with this step of pat dry with a soft towel. Then, apply a hydrating moisturiser or lotion on your face, hands, and feet to replenish the lost moisture and smooth out the agitated skin. You can choose a hydrating moisturiser from Foxtale, as it hydrating and will enhance the texture of your skin further.
Spot Treatment Remedies
Suppose there is still any area like your chin or hands near the elbow. In that case, you can use a gentle scrub to exfoliate the stubborn colour and impurities. You can always opt for homemade packs like mixed gram flour with milk and honey. You can also take 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to a bowl of curd and apply it to the areas with colour. After this, you can rinse it with lukewarm water. Similarly, there are many other home remedies. As you know, there’s always something we’ve been hearing, and the ultimate tip comes from your nani and dadi, The Dadi-Nani Ke Nushke, and trust us, they actually work. They are easy and inexpensive, and if they don’t work, there’s nothing for you to lose, right?
Ending Note
So make sure to make the most of this Holi Celebration with some Rang, Riwaaz and Thandai. Make sure you use organic colours and be gentle when you play Holi with your loved ones. However, you never know how much you may play or how many colours you will be applying, so make sure to take the precautions we listed above and follow up with the other tips we have provided in the blog above. Have a fun celebration, and Happy Holi from us!