Acne-prone skin is already inflammation-sensitive. Holi adds friction, chemicals and sun exposure to that load.
Modern Holi colours often contain synthetic dyes, fragrances and sometimes heavy metals, which compromise the skin barrier.
Alkaline additives in some Holi colours can disrupt the skin’s natural pH and increase dryness and reactivity.
Mixing colour with water causes pigments to penetrate more deeply, disrupts skin pH, and increases the risk of barrier damage.
Pausing strong actives before Holi helps reduce sensitivity and lowers the chance of post-festival acne flare-ups.
Disclaimer: I am not a dermatologist. All information in this newsletter is based on scientific research and approved by our in-house board-certified dermatologist. Any advice shouldn’t be treated as prescriptive for your acne, since acne treatment depends on individual context. Kindly consult a dermatologist to understand your skin condition and the severity of your acne before using potent skincare actives.
If you would like to consult our dermatologist, comment or DM us.
As a kid who grew up in Delhi with a million cousins and friends, it’s safe to say that Holi was a biggg deal each year. The day started with bright powder colours, progressed to a slimy mud-pit, and ended with sticky silver paint that I’m pretty sure was only meant for coating metal products. One of the most vivid memories I have from Holi back then was a line of parents waiting at the end of the day, trying to figure out which blue-silver robo-looking specimen was their kid.
Skin health was clearly not on my mind back then (and honestly, it’s fine - I was 10!). Through my 20s, I actually stopped playing Holi, because I was convinced it would ruin my skin further. It’s taken a while to realise that fun and skin health aren’t mutually exclusive - it just takes a little awareness, planning, and extra care!
As you all prep for a colourful Holi this year, here is our dermatologist’s guide to playing Holi without hurting your skin.
How Can Holi Colours Be Damaging To Your Skin?
Traditionally, Holi colours were made from natural ingredients like flowers, sandalwood and turmeric - ingredients that benefited your skin. But now, they’re a dubious cocktail of ingredients that have:
A base like corn starch or rice flour, which gives the colour its dust-particle like texture. The base, if not adulterated, is harmless.
Synthetic pigments, which give the powder its colour, mostly originate from the food and cosmetics industry.
Anticaking agents, which are added to prevent clumping of the final product. Like sodium bicarbonate, calcium carbonate, tricalcium phosphate or silicon dioxide. These can dry or irritate your skin and disrupt the skin’s natural pH.
Preservatives like sodium benzoate, sodium bisulfite and sodium methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate, which can irritate sensitive or acne-prone skin.
Fragrances which can trigger redness, irritation and potentially act as EDCs (endocrine-disrupting chemicals). I’ve written about this previously here.
Most modern Holi colours use synthetic dyes to create bright, long-lasting shades. In some independent analyses, these dry powders have been found to contain measurable levels of heavy metals, particularly lead.
Yellow and green powders have shown higher lead levels in certain studies, followed by violet, pink and red.
Some samples also have high endotoxin levels. Endotoxins are harmful chemicals produced by bacteria that trigger the skin’s immune response, increasing redness and reactivity.
Water balloons and pichkaris filled with coloured water might sound fun, but sadly, they only make matters worse. When you mix colour powder with water, the pigment dissolves in it. This causes it to sit longer on the skin, penetrate deeper and difficult to wash away. When the pigments are alkaline, they can disrupt the skin barrier, and the skin’s natural pH balance - putting you at a higher risk of skin irritation.
How To Care For Your Skin Before, During And After Holi (Dermatologist Approved)
If you have acne or acne-prone skin, your skin is already dealing with enough. The last thing you want is added inflammation or another acne flare-up. So we asked our in-house dermatologist - how you can navigate your skin health during Holi. Here’s everything she had to say:
Before Holi
Keep your skincare routine minimal at least 2-3 days prior to Holi. Do not add any new actives to your routine or get any skin procedures done.
If you’re using retinoids, AHAs/BHAs, benzoyl peroxide or exfoliating toners, pause them 2–3 days before Holi. These products already make your skin more sensitive. Adding synthetic colours on top increases the risk of irritation, redness, itching and acne flare-ups.
Use a gentle cleanser and a non-comedogenic moisturiser containing ceramides, panthenol, and squalene to strengthen the skin barrier.
Avoid occlusive creams, facial oils and heavy creams - these mostly contain oil-based comedogenic ingredients which can clog pores and trigger acne.
Opt for herbal or certified skin-safe colours, which are free from artificial fragrance, synthetic dyes, and chemicals. A safer colour usually contains corn starch, and a mixture of dried flowers, herbs or fruits.
Nat Habit’s Gulaal Raas - a safer alternative to synthetic colours
Apply a thick layer of SPF 50+ to shield your skin from the sun. Don’t let the colours sit on your skin mixed with water for long hours - wipe them off as and when you can. The longer the Holi colours sit on your skin, the more room for them to react with the skin.
Wear sunglasses to reduce red, itchy, flaky skin around the eyes (also called peri-orbital irritation), which occurs in response to irritants on the skin.
When you’re done playing with colours, you should rinse your skin with plain water first. Do not scrub aggressively, as this might irritate your skin.
Use a micellar water followed by a mild cleanser. If needed, you could use the cleanser up to 2 times (any more than that could dry your skin out). Post cleansing, pat dry and don’t rub your skin.
Follow this with a barrier-repairing moisturiser containing panthenol and ceramides, but no fragrance or comedogenic ingredients.
Do not use any actives at this stage, since your skin is already overburdened from the colours (yes, even if the colours are natural). Resume any acne treatment or actives, the next day if your skin feels normal (i.e., not irritated, itchy, or red).
You should avoid chemical exfoliants, scrubs, or potent actives like retinoids, benzoyl peroxide, azelaic acid, or vitamin C for the next 48 hours.
Note: Cleansing balms are usually fine, because they dissolve oil and grime and get washed off. But it’s best to check for comedogenic ingredients in cleansing oils and balms.
Scrubbing Stubborn Colours Can Do More Harm Than Good
Our natural instinct is to aggressively scrub off stubborn colours as if our life depended on it. And I get it - nobody wants to go to work the next day looking like they joined the cast of Avatar. But this scrubbing inflicts even more damage to the skin barrier. When you scrub hard with a cleanser, loofah, or physical exfoliants like almond scrub, or even double cleanse repeatedly, you cause micro-tears in the skin because of the friction. This puts your skin barrier at a risk of inflammation.
Redness and inflammation caused by aggressive cleansing in the case of acne-prone skin
Over-cleansing can also trigger rebound oil production (your skin’s way of compensating for dryness), leading to delayed breakouts.
If colour stains persist despite cleansing, you need to let them fade naturally. Our skin sheds continuously, by a process called desquamation. Allow it time and it will get rid of the stains on its own. Always remember - a calm skin heals faster than overworked skin.
When you layer friction, sun exposure, sweat, synthetic pigments and harsh cleansing, you irritate the skin barrier and trigger inflammation which is why breakouts are common after Holi. But this doesn’t mean you can’t have fun anymore if you have acne-prone skin. You can be cautious about the kind of colours and products you use - before, during, and after playing Holi. It’s not rocket science - all you need to do is:
✅ Protect your barrier before,
✅ Limit irritation during, and
✅ Support recovery after.
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