This year, Holi falls on March 14, 2025, a Friday. The Hindu community throughout India and other parts of the world will celebrate the festival of colors with great zeal and fervor by smearing and splashing each other with vibrantly colored powders and water. While everyone is excited to join in on the fun and laughter, it is also important to take care of your skin during the celebrations. Although these water balloons and colored powders contribute to the joyous atmosphere, they may also include harsh chemicals and colors that can cause allergic reactions, skin irritation, or temporary skin discoloration.

Furthermore, health and skin specialists warn that the combination of colors with perspiration and water can clog pores and cause breakouts and other skin issues, while extended exposure to sunlight during outdoor Holi celebrations can cause sunburn and skin damage. Therefore, it is essential to take preventative action to safeguard and nourish our skin both before and after the Holi festival.

Following a conversation, famous Indian dermatologist Dr. Tejasvi Bhandari based at Skinesis Clinique, Vasant Vihar offered the following recommendations on the Holi holiday.

Getting Ready for Holi

1. To establish a barrier between your skin and colour, apply a thick layer of moisturiser or any heavy oil, such as coconut oil, on your skin.

2. Use sunscreen with a minimum SPF 30.

3. Put on protective gear, such as long sleeves, eye protection glasses, and a scarf to keep your hair from getting damaged by colours.

4. To avoid collection of colour inside your nails, keep them short.

5. Instead of using chemical-based coloring, use natural colors derived from plants, flowers, leaves, etc.

6. Before purchasing, always make sure to verify the contents of the Holi colors or opt for some herbal holi colours.

After Holi  skincare: 

1. Use lukewarm water to gently wash off colours.

2. Scrubbing or rubbing your skin to get rid of colour is a big “No.”

3. To assist your skin maintain moisture, apply a moisturizer as soon as possible after taking a bath to slightly damp skin.

4. After experimenting with colors, avoid using retinol, glycolic acid, kojic acid, or vitamin C on your face (if you use them in your skincare regimen) as these can aggravate your skin. After four to five days, you can resume them; in the interim, just use sunscreen and moisturizer.

5. If your skin is irritated, aloe vera gel or simple coconut oil can also assist to calm and repair it.

6. Hydrafacial is another choice of treatment which will further help in cleansing, exfoliation and hydration after putting sheet mask after some 1 week post Holi festival.

Conclusion

This Holi let your skin glow without harming your beauty, Have a dance, laugh, decorative, blissful Holi colours which should be herbal safe. Just remember to take care of your skin pre and post your celebrations.

Get in touch with your dermatologist if you have further itching, irritation, or any kind of allergic reactions from the colours etc.

Happy Holi! May your festival be as colourful and beautiful as your skin.