How to have a safe Holi with natural colours and cleansers

By making your own natural colours for Holi, you can open your doors to nature and be safe from the harmful effects of chemicals. The dry “Gulal” and the wet colours of today contain many chemicals, which can irritate the skin and scalp, causing allergies and eruptions, says Shahnaz Husain. On the other hand, natural ingredients like turmeric, red sandalwood, maize (makka), gram four (besan), as well has many flowers can be used to obtain natural colours. 

Here are some ways of making natural colours for Holi:

Simmer Tesu flowers in water. Leave overnight. Strain and use the water to play Holi. Tesu flowers leave a yellow colour. The botanical name of Tesu is Butea monosperma.

Henna powder can be mixed with gram flour (besan) or maize flour (makka) and used as dry green colour. 

Turmeric (haldi) can be used both as dry and wet colour. Turmeric can be mixed with gram flour for dry colour. Or, it can be added to water and boiled. Leave overnight and then use. 

Boil beetroot in water. This leaves a bright magenta colour. Cool and use the water. Or extract beetroot juice, add a little water and then use it. 

Dry leaves of Gulmohur can be powdered finely and used as green colour. Flower petals of red semul can also be soaked in water. 

Peels of red pomegranate when boiled in water gives a red colour. 

Red sandalwood powder can be used both dry and wet colour. 

You can also use Natural Cleansers to remove Holi colours:

Skin:

To make your own cleanser, take half a cup of cold milk and add one teaspoon of any vegetable oil, like “til,” coconut or sunflower oil. Mix well. Dip cotton wool into this mixture and use it to cleanse the face.  

For oily or combination skin, take half teaspoon of lemon juice, add one teaspoon each of cucumber juice and cold milk. Apply on the face with a gently massage. Leave on for 10 minutes and wipe off with moist cotton wool. Then wash with plenty of plain water. 

Mix two tablespoons olive oil OR sesame seed (til) oil with half a cup of curd and one tablespoon each lemon juice and honey. Also, add a little turmeric. Apply this on the face, neck and arms. Leave it on for 15 minutes and then wash off with water. Removes colours and also removes tan. 

Nails:

Use cool water to wash the nails first. Then put a tablespoon of almond oil and two tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice. Mix well. Dip finger tips in this and soak for 10 minutes. Then wash off and rub nails with a piece of chamois leather (available at a cosmetic shop).

Hair:

To remove colours, first rinse hair with plenty of cool water, to wash off the colours and pieces of mica and prevent them from settling on the scalp.

Heat til oil and apply on the scalp and hair, along with egg white. Then wash the hair after half an hour. After shampoo, mix the juice of a lemon and half a cup of rose water in a mug of water and use as a last rinse. 

To make your own hair cleanser, take a handful each of dry reetha, amla and shikakai. Add them to one litre of water and allow them to soak overnight. The next day, simmer the herbs with the water on a low fire, till the water reduces to half the quantity. Do not allow it to boil on a high flame at any time. Allow the mixture to cool and then strain it with a clean cloth. Use the liquid to wash your hair. This quantity should be enough for four to five washes. Keep your home-made hair cleanser in the refrigerator for further use. Make small quantities at a time.

Have a Safe Holi! 

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