Holi is a day away and you have made plans to run away! We suggest you stay and give ‘em boys some competition.

Worry not about your skin and hair, leave that to us. Here’s how you can ensure that Holi is not so unholy for your skin…

DIY colour

You know that colours contain a high dose of chemical which can spell disaster for your skin and hair. What you don’t know is skin-friendly colours can be made at home. iDiva’s skin expert Dr Apratim Goel suggests these colourful concoctions:

Mix haldi with besan and you have a lovely yellow colour. You can also soak some grated beetroot in water over night for a bucketful of red! Soak marigold flowers or henna in water overnight to drench your friends in yellow. Mix sandalwood, haldi, lime juice and water to make a paste – its colourful and good for your skin too!

Before the game

Dab on loads of moisturiser, hair oil and sunscreen before you get smeared in colour. Dr Goel advises, “Use a barrier cream like Dermashield 30 minutes before you start playing with colour. Don’t use coconut oil in your hair since it gets absorbed by the scalp. Instead mix castor and olive oil and apply this on your hair.”

Colour your nails with a dark nail paint to avoid staining them with Holi colours.

The shield

Clothes are your best protection against skin menaces. So, stick to full-sleeves and wear a dark coloured tee or kurta to avoid any embarrassing peek-a-boos!

Shorts and skirts are bad choices, pants and salwars are your saviours. Tie-up your hairs in a bun or pigtails as you get ready for the battle of colours.

Post the game

Don’t be in a whirl wind rush to take a bath before everybody else. Dr Goel says, “If you scrub your skin too harshly to remove colour stains, your skin will become very raw. So, put loads of moisturiser and leave it on for 20 minutes. This opens up the pores and the colour comes off easily.”

Take a bath with lukewarm water and add a few drops of lime. Dr Goel explains lime is a natural bleaching and whitening agent, so it helps in removing stains. You can also use a moisturising soap like Aquasoft or Oilaton. Wash your eyes with lukewarm water while taking a bath.

If you feel your hair would be squeaky clean after emptying a bottle of shampoo, you are wrong! Our expert doc says, mix a few lemon drops with water and carefully rinse off the entire colour. Apply a conditioner and leave it in for at least half-an-hour and wash off with a shampoo. You can massage your scalp with coconut oil at night and leave it overnight.

With so many tricks and tips up your sleeve, we are certain you’ll have a happy Holi!