Around Holi, I believe you should protect your skin against the externalities of the world as much as possible.
Forest Essential’s have these beautiful photos, advocating the use of their oil.
So, naturally you are wondering do I need to read more about Holi??
This year is very unusual as we stand on the precipice of a global pandemic. While I want you to attend every single party in town, including the ones with thousands of people, with or without Forest Essential’s oil, it would also be nice if you are alive at the end of the year.
Let’s talk Covid-19
Bill Gates penned an informative article in the NEJM and he writes:
- Covid-19 is a threat as it kills healthy adults as well as elderly people with existing health problems.
- Covid-19 is transmitted efficiently. The average infected person spreads the disease to two or three others — an exponential rate of increase. There is also strong evidence that it can be transmitted by people who are just mildly ill or even presymptomatic.
It is useful to keep as a reference, the WHO’s guidance
WHO guidance for the public
Wash your hands frequently: for at least 20 seconds (sing Happy Birthday twice). If this is not an option, then hand sanitiser is an option.
Maintain social distance: Maintain at least 1 metre (3 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth
Practice respiratory hygiene: This means covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately.
If you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical care early: Stay home if you feel unwell. If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention and call in advance. Follow the directions of your local health authority.
I am still going to play Holi at home…
The unquestionably poor quality of most Holi colours makes defending your skin difficult.
You should focus on the following pre-emptive and protective efforts:
The Holi guide to skin salvation
1) Discourage crazy cousin/work colleague/neighbour who inexplicably only buys permanent indigo paint from attending
2) Play dry holi, as the powdered colour should brush off
3) Avoid your face as much as possible
4) Apply multiple (more than 3 coats of nail varnish) on the front of your nails AND the exposed back
5) Oil your hair and then comb it tightly into a bun. You don’t want to leave any gaps where the colour may seep in
6) Cover your entire body from face to toe and then from toe to face in Vaseline. Its disgusting (I agree), but its your only friend here.
I don’t favour oil for the face to toe application because it gets absorbed into your skin. Also, some oils can block your pores causing break-outs, this is not the case with Vaseline which is non-comedogenic.
Vaseline is an occlusive and it essentially sits on your skin. The aim is for the colour to get trapped into the Vaseline before it reaches your skin.
7) After you’ve finished playing Holi, the temptation is to step under a shower. Don’t do that. Get a clean towel and wipe as much of the Holi colour off BEFORE you hit the shower. If the colour is encrusted, use coconut oil to dissolve it and then wipe it off with a towel.
8) I have developed my own very effective Holi pack. Please use the pack as a last resort for very stubborn stains. The reason is behaviourial – we are tempted to over-rub our skin when it is stained, but this damages the skin barrier and the colour seeps into skin, causing irritation.
Calming your skin post-Holi
The best options are aloe vera and cucumber juice. I use Holland & Barrett’s aloe vera gel (INR 700 for 200ml) and its soothing.
Recipe
Combine the following to form a thick paste:
- 2 tbsp besan (or chickpea flour)
- 1 tsp tumeric
- 2 tbsp olive oil (or another heavy oil)
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp yogurt
1 tbsp is about 10 grams, so this should make a lot of paste. You need the honey because that’s the sticky element that will remove the Holi colour.
Photo by Sharon McCutcheon from Pexels