If you were asked to make your own organic colours for Holi, you might feel that it’s a tedious and expensive process. However, what if you were told that organic colours can be made using easily available items from your very own kitchen?
Originally too, the colours for Holi used to be made with flowers that were available in the area. These colours used to be organic. But over the years, synthetic dyes and chemicals like lead replaced these flowers as they were cheaper and easier to produce. The downside is that chemicals are toxic for your skin and can cause many allergies and diseases. They also have adverse effects on the environment as they are not biodegradable.
But this doesn’t mean that you can’t have a vibrant Holi! Follow these steps to easily make your own organic colours using humble household items:
Magenta:
To make a magenta colour, put freshly grated beetroot into a bowl and add a little water to it. Then squeeze the beetroot for a few minutes till the water turns a magenta colour. In another bowl, take corn starch. The quantity of corn starch should be twice the amount of grated beetroot. Using a sieve, pour the magenta water into the corn starch. Mix the corn starch till it is evenly coated with the colour. The mixture will be a little wet. To dry it, place it in sunlight for two days. Alternatively, you could dry it out using a microwave. After the mixture has dried, pass it through a sieve to get a finer powder.
Yellow:
To get a yellow colour, mix turmeric powder with gram flour. You can also use corn starch instead of gram flour, if that is easier to access. Mix the mixture and then pass it through a sieve. This will give a fine yellow powder.
Green:
To make a green colour, grind a bunch of spinach and a bunch of mint with one cup of water. Then pass it through a sieve. Put corn starch into this mixture. The quantity of corn starch should be twice the amount of mint. Mix till the mixture is evenly coated in a green colour. Then dry it by placing it in sunlight for two days. Alternatively, you could dry it out using a microwave. After the mixture has dried, pass it through a sieve.
Holi is a time of fun, festivities, and- as this blog may have helped you make- colour! Making your own natural and organic colours is a fun activity for the family and helps you make sure the pigments you use are safe for your skin, hair and clothes.
But no matter the source, colours can stain clothes and it can become frustrating to see your favourite t-shirt or jeans have bright colour stains. Worry not- because we’re here to help!
Harsh detergents can cause the cloth’s colours along with the stains to fade, or may even end up bleaching the garment making it lose its shine and colour. Using a gentle, effective bio-based detergent like ProFab helps ensure that the stains are removed thoroughly while the softness of the fabric remains, keeping your clothes and you happy. What’s more, it contains zero allergens or toxic chemicals, so your clothes are soft, fluffy, and perfectly safe to wear.
Have fun this Holi- we’re there to help you with the mess! :)