Safe Holi: How To Pick Organic Colours

It is important to do a small skin test before buying colours for Holi.
Natural colours would wash off with water without leaving any marks, advises Surbhi Bansal, co-founder of Nirmalaya Wellness.

Holi is incomplete without the riot of colours. However, sometimes the synthetic colours that are easily available can have long term effects on our skin.

Instead of risking your skin and body with chemicals, you can opt for organic, colours made from naturally sourced raw materials.

These Holi colours are not only safe for your skin and hair but also environment-friendly as they get washed away into the soil.

These are some of the benefits of using organic colours:

• Natural Holi colours cause no harm to your skin while cheap synthetic or man-made colours may cause rashes, redness, and irritation. Children are the worst affected as it affects their eyes and sensitive skin.
• Synthetic colours also damage your hair and scalp. The chemicals present in them eventually seep into your scalp causing damage to the core. This can result in hair loss and dryness.
• The chemicals present in synthetic colours can seep into the eyes and cause internal damage. However, this is not the case with organic colours.
• Let's not forget animals and the harm that can be caused to them. Applying artificial colours on animals can cause severe skin irritations and infections. Organic colours, on the other hand, are perfectly safe to use on animals.
• Finally, whatever is left on the walls and ground eventually gets washed away and is absorbed by the soil. The chemicals present in synthetic colours can lower the level of nutrients in the soil and can subsequently affect the grass, plants, and trees that grow on them. Most organic colours are environment-friendly and act as nutrients for the soil and grass.

The real question is how to pick the right colours for Holi.

A little care and attention towards our skin and the environment can help us enjoy Holi more safely.

Here are some tips to ensure you are choosing the right colours:

• A company that makes premium quality products will never cut corners on the packaging. If the packaging seems tampered with, then there is a possibility that it is not an ideal product.
• If you are buying organic colours, then carefully look at the colour and texture. If there are shiny particles, it is not naturally produced. Natural Holi colours are made from turmeric or henna, dried flowers and have ingredients like gram flour or rice flour.
• Bold text on packaging can be misleading. One should read the ingredients and warnings printed on the product and try to understand what is conveyed. An important point to be noted is that organic colours do not have a long shelf life.
• It is important to do a small skin test before buying colours for Holi. Natural colours would wash off with water without leaving any marks.

Celebrating a safe Holi with our loved ones should be our priority.

While Holi is meant to be fun, it shouldn't cause any harm to the environment or mankind.

Let's make sure we take care of ourselves and our loved ones this Holi season.