Holi is a festival of food, friends, colors and enjoyment. People in different parts of the nation play Holi with Chemical and Artificial colors. People put different artificial colors in the pool which mixes with the water causing a reaction to your hair. The hair and skin are bound to get spoiled with the direct contact of these chemicals. So, in order to save your hair from different chemical reactions, here are some essential tips for Pre and post holi celebration.

Hair Care Before The Holi

Oil Massage
Make sure that you apply sufficient oil. It has to be mixture of warm coconut oil & Castor Oil. This will help your scalp and hair stay nourished and save your hair from dry chemical colors.

Root Mask
Make sure that the roots of the hair are masked. As hair is most prone towards the chemical reactions, they tend to become extremely dry. So, to avoid this situation you have to apply a root mask to save them from getting dry and discolored.

Cut Off Split-ends

It is must to chop off your split hair as the split ends would damage the hair more.

Avoid Shampoo

You must avoid doing shampoo a day before going to play the Holi. By doing this you scalp would not loose the essential oils present on the hair and on the scalp. This will be a natural way to avoid hair fall.

A Nice Hair Style

You can always put up a bun by bringing all the hair tied up. Else you can always go for the tight braid as keeping the hair loose might weaken your hair.

Cover Your Hair

It is must for you to cover your hair by bandanna or cap as the direct application of colors will affect your hair. By covering the head/hair, the scalp and hair would stay unharmed.

Hair Care After The Holi

Soak funegreek seeds in four table spoon of curd and apply to the scalp for not more than 30 minutes. Wash your hair.
Use plenty of water and wash your hair with mild soap Or Make sure you firstly wash your hair with only plain water and then wash it with mild shampoo.
After the wash, make sure that you apply lemon juice to the hair and scalp. This will restore the essential acid-alkaline balance in your hair and scalp.
Apply hair oil after the hair dries. This is to ensure that the hair remains hydrated and do not loose its moisture. On the other hand applying oil would nourish the scalp.

So, enjoy your holi without being worried about your hair.

Colours play vital role in fitness of human body. Deficiency of a particular colour could cause an ailment and can be cured when that colour element is supplemented either through diet or medicine. In ancient times, when people started playing Holi, the colours used by them were made from natural sources like turmeric, Neem, Palash (Tesu) etc. The playful pouring and throwing of colour powders made from these natural sources has a healing effect on the human body. It has the effect of strengthening the ions in the body and adds health and beauty to it.

Plant based sources of colours:
Colour Sources

Green: Mehendi and dried leaves of Gulmohur tree, leaves of spring crops and herbs, Spinach leaves, rhododendron leaves and pine needles

Yellow: Turmeric (Haldi) powder, Bael fruit, amaltas, species of chrysanthemums, and species of marigold, dandelions, sunflowers, marigolds, daffodils and dahlias, gram flour

Red: Rose or the bark of crab apple trees, Red Sandal wood Powder, feels of Red Pomegranate, flowers of Tesu tree (Palash), fragrant red sandal wood, dried hibiscus flowers, madder tree, radish and pomegranate

Saffron flowers of Tesu tree (Palash), Mixing lime with turmeric powder creates an alternate source of orange powder, barberry

Blue: Indigo, Indian berries, species of grapes, blue hibiscus and jacaranda flowers

Purple: Beetroot

Brown: Dried Tea leaves, red maple trees, Katha

Black: Some species of grapes, fruit of Gooseberry (Amla)

Problems caused by some common Synthetic colours:

Green – It might contain copper sulphate and can cause problems like eye allergy and temporary blindness.

Red – It might contain mercury sulphide, which can lead to skin cancer, mental retardation, paralysis and impaired vision.

Purple – It might contain chromium iodide leading to health problems like bronchial asthma and allergies.

Silver – It might contain aluminum bromide, which is carcinogenic.

Blue – It might contain Prussian blue, which can cause contract dermatitis.

Black – It might contain lead oxide leading to health problems like renal failure and learning disability.

So try to play holi with natural colours. I know it is practically not possible all of a sudden. In the meantime, you can minimize the side effects of synthetic colours by following some simple steps. Here are they-

Before playing Holi

Body: It’s also a good idea to apply a thick layer of moisturizer, petroleum jelly or coconut oil on your face and other exposed parts of the body to prevent colours from coming into direct contact with your skin.

Hair: Oil your hair and scalp with olive, coconut or castor oil. Add a few drops of lemon juice to prevent dandruff and infection triggered by the chemical colours.

Clothing: What you choose to wear should cover maximum parts of your body. Wear dark colour-full sleeves cotton clothes. Synthetic cloth would be sticky and denims would be heavy once you have a bucket full of colours/water splashed on you.

Lips and Eyes: Don’t wear lenses. Mostly people are interested in applying surprise colours on your face and you may get your eyes hurt by the lenses. Use a sun glass to protect your eyes from a misfire of colour filled darts or water jets. Apply a lip balm for your lips.

Water: Drink plenty of water before you start playing Holi. This will keep your skin hydrated. Also keep sipping water carefully while playing Holi.

Bhang/Alcohol: Don’t consume bhang if you are a heart patient, excessive intake may lead to heart attack/failure.

After playing Holi
- Do not scrub the colour off with soap. Soaps contain esters that erode the skin layers and often cause rashes. Use a cream-based cleanser or you can even use oil for removing the colours, and then go for a bath. Apply a lot of moisturising cream to keep the skin hydrated.

- If the colours are still left on your skin you can apply besan with milk/milk cream on your body for removing colours.

- Don’t use kerosene, spirit or petrol to clean your face. Try a cream-based cleanser or baby oil.

- Don’t use hot water, it will stick the colour on your body. Use normal water.

- Stay away from sunlight till colour is removed.

- Itching in eye or redness may be normal but if it continues for more than few hours immediately contact with a doctor.


Very first thing to do while playing holi is to protect your eyes and skin. Avoid wearing any type of contact lenses and for skin better come out of home by applying good amount of Lotions, Sun Screen, Coconut Oil on your skin areas like Face, Hand and Neck which are targeted by synthetic colors during play. It is also highly recommended to wear full sleeved cotton clothes in white.
Avoid Playing Balloon, As on holi day and next major eye injuries are due to same, it can cause blunt injuries and also perforations of eyeball which can lead to infections and in some case loss of vision too. Ophthalmologists of city even reports eye surgeries after this festive day celebration.
Use Sunglasses to protect your eyes from balloons, water jets, dye and those dangerous colors.
Save your face, If Color Enters your eyes, use lot of clean water to wash it with clean hands without using handkerchief and without rubbing it.
Keep away from danger playing, drunk groups and mobs. Typically people target making other wet in area, society and lanes before one day of Rang Panchmi, i.e the previous day when Holi tree ‘Holika’ is burned.
Use and Promote use of Safe Organic and Herbal colors as detailed above and use home made colors too.

The Holi- festival of colours has been celebrated since time immemorial with natural colours from Natural booming flowers and the herbs. The fragrance and the aroma of the flowers was the key factor, ensuring the benefits to skin and the health. The therapeutic value of these natural mixtures could arouse the depressed patients.

But over the years and with the contemporary epoch coupled with the ever decreasing attraction for natural colours, the synthetic one has come to the scene with more of the ingredients having sparkling and illuminating colour leaving properties without the safety parameters for the skin and specially the most vulnerable organs- the Eyes. Which has led to the skin allergies to cancer, eye irritation to blindness and severe redness and allergy. These swollen eyes, when washed with water, lead to more severe reaction further as the water and the soil gets entered into it.

It’s an extreme grave concern that the colours in vogue now-a-days, are severely deteriorating and are originally are oxidized metals or industrial dyes for dyeing the textiles. The chemicals included in these preparations include- lead sulphide, heavy metal acids and alkalies, powdered glass, copper sulphate and mercuric sulphite causing the aforementioned problems with more severe allergies and permanent disabilities as mentioned below :-

Temporary Blindness

It pertains sudden vision loss or blurred vision , may block the sight and grey patch on retina appears. The duration of temporary blindness may last for a few minutes to few hours or for the rest of your life. It is a serious medical complication and must not be ignored. The delay in treatment may lead to complete loss of the vision. The holi spray does more harm to the eyes. Once a colour gets into your eye, quickly wash your eye with cold water. Washing eyes will protect your eyes from losing sight. While playing holi, ensure that your eyes are protected with sunglasses.

Eye Allergy

Not only during the holi but post holi eye allergy is fairly seen among the people where redness in the eyes, itching, tearing , burning, stinging and watery discharge forms the main diagnostic features of Eye allergy. The inflammation on the eyelids lead to blurred vision. The more and longer the synthetic colour into the eye, more severe would be the damage. Wash your eyes immediately with cold water continuously for atleast ten minutes. The relaxation does prevail only after the removal of the colour from the eyes. Various eye drops available in the market are recommended to used to get relieve from the eye allergy.

Uveitis (inflammation of the iris):

If the chemicals come in contact with the iris, it can cause serious inflammation. ‘Particularly, in people who wear lenses, the effect is doubled because the chemicals can smear the lens and can get trapped between the lens and the eye surface causing infection,’ says Dr Dhawan.

Reason for eye infection during Holi:

- The synthetic colours that are being used in Holi may contain heavy metals like lead which can cause pink eye, corneal abrasion, chemical burn, or blunt eye injury so try to avoid such colours altogether

- Green synthetic colours of Holi are known for causing fleeting blindness which is a phenomenon of sudden vision loss

- Wherever possible try to avoid water balloons as these can cause blunt eye injury

- You may have observed shining mica particles in red colour but these are really harmful since they can cause damage to the cornea

- Try not to wear contact lenses as colour may get trapped between lens resulting in infection

Indeed, Eyes need extra care during the holi

- Wear sunglasses or protective eye wears during the holi as a safety measure to avoid any sort of colour entering into it.

- Never rub your eyes in case colour enters into them as this may cause loss of the vision.

- In order to ensure the adequate eye care, apply thick layer of coconut oil around the eyes. That would allow you to remove the colour with an ease without much harm to the eyes.

- Its indeed in the benefit to have the overall precautionary measure to not to smear the colours anywhere near the eyes.

- The colours, oozing out from the hairs may get entry into the eyes, can be severely deteriorating. To avoid this, tie or fasten your hairs together by using a cap.

Play safe Holi: take essential precautionary measures

- Strictly Avoid synthetic , dark colours. They are more sticky and has the tendency to stick permanently and becomes extremely hard t remove them.

- For skin allergy sensitive patients, its highly advisable to have anti-allergic tablet to be taken immediately.

- Make a habit of making your own colours using, besan, palak (spinach), rose petals and certain flowers.

Have a safe holi…!!!!!!

Do you know you can make holi colors at home which are organic and natural and most important safe for you and your kids ? Whatever you teach them in early years when they start playing holi in Mumbai with neighbourhood, they will consider the same to be playful, safer and way to enjoy and celebrate. So better teach them safer lesson which are Eco-friendly too. Below are some simple steps to make home made colors.

Last year few young girls, teen and adults played holi with talcum powder and face creams to save their skins from those synthetic gulal, oil paints and varnish which damages the skin and wipes out all the face glory that were taken care and maintained upon spending huge amount at beauty parlors.

Keep the name handy ‘RANG DULAAR’ is the name of those safe organic gulal sold in Mumbai markets at cheaper rates, these colors are made up of dyed natural colors, rice flour by Vanstree which is special farm at Karnataka by NGO women farmers. These safe colors can be found at Sahakari Bhandar, Namdharis, Bombay Stores and Twenty Four Letter mantra which are all leading stores in Mumbai. Get your Gulal, Pichkaris and water balloons all made up of Organic products and enjoy the fun of this festival.

Making Holi Colors At Home

Making Water Colors

Orange : Take Hot Water and Add 500 gm of Tesu Flowers.

Blue : Take Hot Water and Dip Grate beetroot and Black Carrot for few hours.

Pink : One day before holi festive rang panchmi, Mis 500 gm rose petals into hot water.

Making Dry Colors

Pink : Make a mixture of Sindoor (Vermilion) and Maida.

Yellow : Use Besan with Turmeric Powder.

Green : Use Maida with Henna Powder.

Making Oil Colors

Red : Use mixture of Coconut Oil With Sindoor (Vermilion).

Yellow : Coconut Oil with Turmeric Powder.

It is almost winter now. Winter is called the season of cold, flu and infections. Changes of every season require change in diet and lifestyle. Ayurveda prescribes a distinctive lifestyle and recommendations to beat the cold. Using only natural ingredients, it offers an excellent treatment option for cold.

Ayurvedic View

In Ayurveda, common cold is called pratishyaya. In this condition, all the three doshas of your body are responsible. Cold occurring due to vata dosha is indicated by symptoms such as mucus discharge, a runny nose, and dry cough. In case of cold because of pitta dosha, a sore throat, blocked nose, and fever are indicated. People who get cold on account of kapha dosha experience headaches, heaviness in the head, and thick mucus discharge.


Ayurvedic Remedies

There are several Ayurvedic remedies for cold. They include the following:

Herbs:

Several natural herbs are used for treating cold according to Ayurvedic principles.

Cassia roots are effective for treating cold. The roots should be burned and the emitted smoke must be inhaled. As a result of this treatment, your mucous discharge increases rapidly, and totally stops after some time.

Bishop’s weed is ideal for opening your clogged nasal passages. You need to tie the seeds of this plant in a cloth and directly inhale it. It helps in clearing congestion and deal with nasal blockages.

Cinnamon is effective in curing cold. Boil cinnamon with pepper and honey in water. Consuming this mixture helps in reducing a sore throat and prevents your cold from worsening.

Having antiseptic properties, cumin seeds are also used for treating cold and its symptoms. It helps with curing fever and throat irritations.

Dietary Changes:

You should fast a whole day after experiencing the various symptoms of cold. This fasting will help you with detoxifying your body and eliminating the toxins. You should choose a diet, which consists of steamed and boiled vegetables, vegetable soups and stews. Stay away from food items, which are difficult to digest, like oily, rich, and spicy foods, milk, and other dairy products. Consume hot food for giving relief to your cold symptoms.

Lifestyle Recommendations:

- The cold climate rips the natural moisture and oiliness from the hair and skin. So it is recommended to have a regular oil massage at least twice a week. Just heat some sesame oil and apply it all over body before taking bath. Also, winter may cause body aches. Oil massage relaxes the body and reduces pain.

- Don’t take bath in hot water, rather take a bath in warm water.

- Do exercises regularly (don’t strain yourself) during cold climate. In fact, winter is the best season to get back in shape. Even if you do some simple exercise for a few minutes, you can sweat out a lot and it keeps your body warm.

Ayurvedic Medicines:

- You may opt for Bring Asava. This is a prescribed Ayurvedic medicine for cold, which should be taken regularly for a week.

- A nasal drop named Anu Taila is effective in treating cold. This drop should be taken after mixing it with honey. It helps in reducing inflammation in your respiratory tract.

It is important for you to consult an Ayurvedic practitioner before starting Ayurvedic treatment for cold on your own. A licensed doctor will be able to prescribe you the best solutions based on your condition and symptoms.