This Holi, gift beautiful skin to your friends

Step out of the stereotypical celebrations - make gujiyas with chocolate, throw a party at home sans colours, bring a smile to your friends' faces with thoughtful gifts…

Re-ideate the gifts
Drop the boring gift ideas. Gujiyas and boxes of sweets don't make the cut any more. Here's an out-of-box option: Help your friends beat the Holi hues with homemade beauty packs.

'Avoid scrubs as one needs to be gentle with damaged and dirty skin,' says Dr DM Mahajan, dermatologist, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, Delhi.

Here's what the expert suggests for dry skin - mix 2tbsp almond powder, 2tbsp besan, 7-8 drops of lemon juice and 7-8 drops of honey. For oily skin, make a mix with 2tbsp besan, 2tbsp multani mitti, 7-8 drops of lemon juice and 7-8 drops of honey.

A hair-cleanser can be prepared using a mix of a mild shampoo, vinegar, an egg yolk and curd. Apply a mix of lemon juice and vinegar to remove colour from the teeth. Pack the concoctions attractively. Buy plastic/glass jars and spray paint them with different colours, in keeping with the mood of the festival. Gift the packs in these. Tie colourful ribbons around the neck of the jars to beautify.

Remember, a lot of the ingredients used in the packs are perishable. So, tag the gift with an expiry date or a note which reads, "Refrigerate and use within 24 hours".