Representational image. PTI

Holi, the much-awaited festival of colours, is here and you must be excited to celebrate it. Though the pandemic is going to play spoilsport this year, you can always indulge in a homebound, joyous Holi celebration adhering to safety protocols. So gear up to have a fun-filled Holi, and don’t worry about the colours damaging your skin.

Here are some essential and helpful skincare tips. Since taking care of your skin needs to be a holistic process, you need to start prepping before playing Holi as well.

Apart from drinking plenty of water, and ensuring your skin stays hydrated both internally and externally, you can follow these effective skincare regimes.

Pre-Holi skincare tips:

Oils: Apply any organic oil, like coconut and almond, on your hair, face, neck and hands before playing Holi. It will act as a barrier to harmful chemicals in the colours.

Ice cubes: Rubbing ice cubes prevents damage by delaying the penetration of colours immediately into the skin.

Sunscreen lotion: Choose the right SPF for your sunscreen lotion and apply it before getting drenched in colours. You can use petroleum jelly on your lips to keep them hydrated.

Nail paint: Also, keeping your nails painted with nail polish is a good way to ensure protection to your cuticles.

Post-Holi skincare tips:

Organic products: Stay away from soaps, face washes immediately after you get yourself colour smeared as the harsh chemicals strip your skin off its supple, alkaline nature. You can use organic cleansing products, instead.

Homemade face masks: To retain the natural elasticity of your skin and enhance the glow even after getting drenched in colours, you can always opt for sandalwood paste, turmeric powder, besan, rose water mix-‘uptan’.

Olive oil/coconut oil: Dip cotton balls in olive or coconut oil and apply on the skin to wipe off the colour.

Moisturizer: Use a mild moisturizer after removing the colours.

You can also opt for natural moisturizers like honey, milk cream, aloe vera gel to replenish the moisture lost, and prevent dryness.