It couldn’t get better than this. A long weekend that also includes a day to celebrate Holi, the final word in color, fun and frolic for anyone who has ever celebrated the Indian festival. While most plan to celebrate it with their near and dear ones in their immediate environments, there is a significant number who seek out new Holi experiences away from familiar habitats, enriching their experiences. As you gear up to have a celebratory weekend and a fun-filled Holi celebration, here are 3 essential precautions that will help you towards a safer and more secure Holi Celebration 2016.

1. Protect your Skin

Before you go out to celebrate, apply either cold cream, moisturiser or a mild application of oil as they prevent colours from settling down into the skin. Once back, after your scrubbed-down bath, apply a mild layer of calamine lotion across the major irritant spots, which will help contain them to a great extent. Please avoid using excessive bleach, shampoo and hard scrubbing of skin as these can be more detrimental to the skin than good.

2. Choose your Colors

Ensure that you use vegetable-dye based colors in your celebrations and insist that your loved ones and the immediate community ensure buy the same too. Please stay away from metallic colors which in themselves are lethal cocktails of deadly chemicals that would do long-term damage, that could be irreversible. Some also contain heavy metals like lead that have the potential to damage the nervous system, kidney, reproductive system, gums and blood problems.

3. Protect your Lungs

Physicians from AANI say people with a history of skin infections, asthma and breathlessness, allergy-related issues of the eyes and sinuses, those with dandruff problems and pregnant women should be careful.

Here is wishing you all a Safer and more Secure Holi Celebration 2016.