How to make natural colors for Holi at home?

How to make natural colors for Holi at home?

16 Mar 2016 | 4 min Read

Kanika Manaktala

Author | 10 Articles

With Holi round the corner, no trip to the market is complete without kids’ demands for color packets and Holi paraphernalia. But I stop short of buying anything, thanks to this fear of skin allergies due to all the chemical laden stuff around. This time I found my way out of this fear and discovered some easy DIYs to make Holi colors at home. I was pleasantly surprised to see a lot of options around provided by nature as well as my kitchen.

 

Let me begin with dry colors: 

RED 

Red is one of the most sought after colors due to its sheer vibrancy. To obtain dry red color, dry red roses in shade till they lose all moisture. Powder them in a grinder and add flour to increase volume. 
 
The same can also be done with Hibiscus flowers depending upon their abundance.

 

ORANGE

To get a beautiful shade of orange, dry Flame of the  Forest flowers, more commonly known as ‘Tesu’ flowers and crush them in a blender. The climate in North India at this time is best suited for the growth of Tesu flowers.

 

GREEN 

Mix good quality henna with flour to increase the volume and you get the green that you desired for. Please make sure the henna that you use is largely chemical free.

YELLOW

To make yellow, the color of spring, Mix turmeric with besan for a good volume. You could also dry Amaltas flowers and crush them to powder, only if they are available in your part of the country.

 

 

Let us make some wet colors now. 

RED 

Wet red color can be made a number of ways. 

 

  • Add a small amount of choona (lime), usually available with the paan seller and two tablespoons of turmeric to a bucketful of water and you get a brilliant shade of red.
  • Boil pomegranate peels in water and dilute this water to the desired amount to get a pretty red color.
  • Mix red sandalwood in water to get a vibrant red color though this may be a little expensive and may not be available at all places.

ORANGE

Just as we used Tesu flowers to make dry orange color, we could boil them in water and leave overnight to get wet orange color.

GREEN

Boil neem leaves, the best known natural purifier, in water to get green color, which is protective and cleansing properties for your skin.

Boil greens like spinach, coriander in water to get a natural and an edible green color.

 

 

BLUE

Mix desired amount of ‘Neel’ (blue liquid), the whitening agent used for clothes, in water to get a radiant blue color.

YELLOW

  • Add turmeric to water to get yellow color
  • Boil marigold/ amaltas flowers in water and leave them over night in water to get yellow color.

 

PURPLE/MAGENTA

Boil pieces of beetroot in water to get the shade of purple/magenta that you want.

 

BROWN

Mix ‘kattha’, usually available with the paan seller, with water to get shades of brown. 

Boil tea/coffee in water to get brown colored water.

How cool was it to make natural colors! What’s more, it takes away the apprehension of using store bought colors. The only thing we need to worry about is making space in the refrigerator to avoid spoilage.

Here’s wishing you and your family a very bright, colorful, safe and natural Holi!

 

Read More: Colors of Change – Shop For Organic Colors This Holi!
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