Play safe, and have a herbal Holi

During ancient times, vegetable dyes, flowers and plant products were used to obtain the colours for Holi. They were certainly safer than the chemicals that are present in the Holi colours of today. According to a report, these colours “contain dyes which are openly sold without any information on their chemical nature and toxicity”. They contain chemicals, shiny particles of mica and even lead, as well as powdered glass, acids and alkalis. These substances are not bio-degradable. Apart from being a hazard to the environment, they affect the skin and hair adversely. They irritate the skin and scalp, causing allergies and dermatitis. They can lead to allergic rashes, or pimples and acne. The skin can also suffer from dryness, flaking and rough reddish patches. These substances also collect on the scalp, causing dryness and itching. The hair texture suffers, becoming dry, rough and unmanageable.

Make your own natural colours: Simmer Tesu flowers in water. Leave overnight. Strain and use the water to play Holi. Tesu flowers leave a yellow colour.

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

Turmeric (haldi) can be used both as dry and wet colours. 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.

Peels of red pomegranate (anaar), when boiled in water, gives a red colour.

Red sandalwood powder can be used as both dry and wet colours. Natural remedies for skin and hair protection: Make oil with neem for the hair. Heat 250 ml pure coconut oil, or sesame seed oil. Take a handful of neem leaves and add it to the oil. Keep in the sun during the day for four or five days. Strain the leaves and keep the oil for use to relieve itching and scalp eruptions.

Turmeric has many healing properties. It is a natural antiseptic and keeps the skin healthy. It also helps to remove tan. Mix together four parts of curd, add one part honey and a little turmeric. Apply on the face, neck and arms daily for a few days after Holi. Wash off after 20 minutes. It brightens the skin and makes it soft and smooth.

Crush sesame seeds (til) coarsely and soak in water overnight. The next day, strain it and use the milky liquid to wash the face, neck and arms. This helps to soothe sunburn. Sesame seeds have sun-protective properties. They have SPF of 6 and also soothe the skin.

Or, the day after Holi, mix two tablespoons honey with half a cup of curd. Add a pinch of turmeric. Apply this on the face, neck and arms. Leave it on for 20 minutes and wash off with water. Helps to remove tan and soften the skin.

Apply aloe vera gel or juice on skin. It moisturises the skin, relieving dryness. It also soothes sunburn. It contains zinc, which is antiinflammatory. Take one tablespoon gram flour (besan), one teaspoon curd and one tablespoon aloe vera gel. Mix together and apply on the face, washing it off after 20 minutes.

Marigold (gainda) flowers help to soothe skin and scalp irritation, which is common after Holi. Add a handful of fresh or dried marigold flowers to three cups of hot water.

Allow it to stand for an hour. Strain and cool the water and use it to rinse the face and hair. Or, take a cup of marigold flowers. Crush them with the fingers and add two teaspoons olive oil. Blend well. Add the mixture to warm bath water.

SKIN CARE BEFORE AND AFTER HOLI

Holi is celebrated at a time when nature renews and refreshes herself. With a little care, we can do the same and also sustain the natural beauty of the skin. Protection before playing Holi is very important.

Before playing Holi: Since Holi is played out of doors, sun exposure can have a detrimental effect on the skin. Apart from harmful UV radiation, sun exposure also makes the skin dry by causing depletion of moisture and also tans the skin.

Therefore, remember to apply sunscreen 20 minutes before going out in the sun. Use a sunscreen of SPF 20 or 25 and above. If your skin is prone to pigmented patches, select a higher SPF. Most sunscreens have built-in moisturizers. Apply sunscreen on the face, back of the neck and arms.

After Holi: The real problem is removal of colours after playing Holi.

Rinse the face with plenty of plain water and then use a cleansing cream, or lotion. To make your own cleanser, take half a cup of cold milk and add one teaspoon of any vegetable oil, like “til”, olive or sunflower oil. Mix well. Dip cotton wool into this mixture and use it to cleanse the skin.

Sesame seed (til) oil can be used to remove colours from the body, massaging it on the skin. This not only helps to remove the colours, but gives added protection to the skin.

The writer is a pioneering herbal beauty entrepreneur who has taken the herbal heritage of Ayurveda worldwide