This Holi, look for your gulal in the kitchen shelf

The artificial colours of Holi are loaded with harmful toxic chemicals. Buying organic colours is an option, but making your own colours at home is even better when all those healthy natural ingredients that you need are hiding in your kitchen!

Editorial Team | Published: March 20, 2019 12:18 pm

Tags: Holi Holi 2019

Make your colours at home using natural ingredients like turmeric and saffron. ©Shutterstock

Holi, the festival of colours, ushers in the advent of Spring in India. Traditionally, the colours used in this festival were used to be made of flowers, herbs and other natural ingredients. However, the healthy natural options are being substituted by harmful chemical substances such as copper sulphate, mercury sulphite, acids, mica, glass powder alkalis, lead, so on and so forth. According to a study conducted by the German Federal Environment Agency, the colours used while celebrating Holi contains high concentration of particles below 10 micrometre and these toxic substances can be dangerous for your lung and overall well-being.

These colours can lead to a host of mild to severe conditions including acne, skin allergies and discolouration, temporary blindness, respiratory issues and even skin cancer. It is pertinent to mention here, that artificial Holi gulal can be extremely dangerous for pregnant women. Some of the synthetic colours contain carcinogenic substances that can cause tumour build-up. Moreover, excessive exposure to high lead content present in these colours can increase the chance of premature birth, miscarriage, low weight birth and even abortion in extreme cases. However, if you want to enjoy the festival of colours without a worry in the world, make your own colours at home using healthy natural ingredients. Here are the kitchen ingredients you can use for creating different hues.

Saffron: Take a bowl of water and sprinkle saffron flowers in it. Keep it overnight. Boiling these flowers in warm water can also give you the fascinating saffron shade. When applied on skin, it can also work as a beautifying agent.

Gooseberries: Black is one of the most notoriously used colours during Holi and it carries the maximum amount of harmful chemicals that can lead to various skin problems. So, if you want to go au naturel, simply boil dried amla and leave it overnight. Mix it with clean water the next morning and voila, your black gulal is ready.

Beetroot. If you are looking for pink colour that doesn’t have any chemical, all you need to do is look into your grocery cart. Take out a few beetroots, slice them, and soak the slices in water and you will get various hues of pink. Also, if you soak this veggie overnight, you will get a magenta shade.

Tea leaves: Brown is not a typical Holi colour, to put it straight. However, if you want to add a unique blend to your palette, make this colour at home. Boil coffee or tea leaves and let them cool. Now you can use this water to get the brown shade.

Turmeric: While chemical-based colours can be the reason behind an acne breakout, you can save yourself and your friends from this skin issue by opting for a yellow colour made out of turmeric and gram flour. Mix the two powders to get the dazzling yellow shade. Give your skin a chance to thank you this Holi.

Red Sandalwood: It is known to nourish your skin and help in managing an acne breakout. Make a passionate red hue by mixing equal proportions of red sandalwood and flour. Happy Holi!

Henna Powder: Exposure to green artificial colour can lead to eye allergy, puffiness and even temporary blindness due to certain chemicals in it. You can create a herbal green colour at home by mixing equal amount of henna powder and flour. This mixture can be good for Using this mixture, conditioning your hair as well.

EASE THE EFFECTS OF CHEMICAL COLOURS

On a day when the spirit is “Bura na mano, Holi hai,” you can’t be quite sure about saving yourself from artificial colours. If you can’t (which is most likely to happen), then you need to ensure that the chemical colours don’t stay back. We tell you how to wash your skin off those harmful toxins.

Say no to harsh soaps: After playing Holi, do not use harsh soaps immediately to get rid of the colours. Soaps are alkaline in nature which can rob your skin off its natural moisture, making it dry. You can use a lotion or a cleansing cream that can soothe your skin. In case you have a sensitive skin, you can try tea tree oil for better results.

Opt for coconut oil: You don’t have to worry about your skin type if you are using coconut oil to remove colour from your skin. It is hydrating and can be used by anyone except for those who are specifically allergic to oils. However, it is important to wash the oil from your face and body using cold water. Additionally, it can also be used as a cleanser for your scalp and hair.

Try sesame seed oil: It can be used as a colour remover. You can massage it on your body and face to get rid of the harsh colours. Also, it offers added protection to your skin.

Lemon juice: After following all the above tips, you can mix lemon juice with water and use it to rebuild the acid-alkaline balance of your scalp. Try this only after you have removed the chemicals and colours from your hair and scalp with shampoo.

Published: March 20, 2019 12:18 pm

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