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Wellness

Care for your skin before Holi

An expert’s tips on making your own Holi colours, and skin and haircare advice before the festivities kick off tomorrow.
by Dr Abha Kashyap

Part II of III

There are several ways to protect your skin, hair and eyes from the onslaught of Holi colours. While it may not be possible to persuade others to play with natural colours, you can do your bit for the environment and towards human safety by playing Holi with safe, natural colours made of turmeric and flowers.

What’s more, you can make these colours at home, too. Try these:

–  You can make gulaal at home by mixing red sandalwood powder with a bit of maida or plain atta.

– Also try boiling red sandalwood powder in water to make red-coloured water. This is both fragrant and medicinal.

– Mix turmeric and besan (gram flour) to get a bright yellow powder.

– Mix a paste of green leafy vegetables in water to make green-coloured water.

– Plain henna powder mixed in water will give you a vibrant orange colour.

– You can mix henna powder containing amla in water for a bright brown colour.

And before you start the revelries in earnest, bear in mind a few tips:

–  Avoid all facial treatments during this period. If you are prone to allergies and rashes, visit your dermatologist to check whether you need precautionary medication.

– Harsh chemicals in the colours can cause itching and rashes, which lead to eczema upon scratching. Contact dermatitis, abrasion, irritation, itching, dryness, pruritus and burning sensation are the other problems you might encounter. The best way to protect your skin is to apply a thick layer of oil or petroleum jelly or a face cream on the exposed parts of the body an hour before you step out.

– Apply a lot of oil on your hair to protect it from harmful colours. This will also ensure that the residue from dyes in the colour does not get stuck to your hair and scalp. Make sure your hair isn’t dry before you go out to play, because colour will penetrate faster in the hair root and stain it. Oil hair religiously and give it a good massage.

– Wear clothes with long sleeves and full-length bottoms to protect your skin from direct colouration.

– You will need to soak your body in oil. From head to toe, drench yourself in coconut oil or any other easily available oil. Alternatively, you can also use heavy creams.

– Apply a thick layer of the greasiest sunscreen you can find. The oils in it will not let the colour seep deep into your skin, and the SPF in it will prevent you from the harsh rays of the sun.

– Coat your nails in transparent nail paint, so that colour wont stain your nails. Even men will love this tip.

– A thick layer of petroleum jelly must be applied on the lips. Also, opt for long-wearing lip tints to prevent staining.

– You might balk at the idea, but your teeth need protecting, too. Warm some Vaseline against your fingers and gently rub it against your teeth to prevent staining. It will prevent the staining.

– Always cover your eyes whenever there is a chance of colour coming in contact with them. Sunglasses are useful for this.

Other ignored areas of the body are the cuticles, back of the neck and ears. We often ignore these areas and end up having the most staining there! This time, coat the area with Vaseline or some heavy oil. And be safe.

Dr Abha Kashyap is an aesthetic image consultant, MedSpa.

Tomorrow: How to get rid of Holi colour from your skin and hair. Plus, protecting your eyes as you play Holi.

(Featured image courtesy idiva.com)

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Wellness

Holi colours are pure evil

Did you know that the gulaal you’re about to use on Holi is actually skin cancer-causing mercury sulphite? Read on.
by Dr Ajaya Kashyap

(Part I of III)              

The festival of colours is back, and it is immersing people with much-needed joy and enthusiasm. Holi, the festival of colours, is among the most celebrated festivals in the Indian community.

However, be warned: most Holi colors sold in the market are oxidized metals or industrial dyes mixed with engine oil.

The green colour comes from a chemical known as copper sulphate, purple from chromium iodide, silver from aluminum bromide, black from lead oxide and other shiny colours are the result of powdered glass being added to the colours.

All these are toxic in nature and can result in anything from skin allergies to eye irritation and blindness, apart from many other disorders. When washed, they enter our rivers and the soil and increase pollution. So, everyone should play Holi safe as colours can lead to:

Lead Oxide (Black) leads to Renal failure, learning disability.

Copper Sulphate (Green) leads to eye allergy, temporary blindness.

Chromium Iodide (Purple) leads to Bronchial asthma, allergies.

Aluminium Bromide (Silver) is carcinogenic.

Mercury Sulphite (Red) leads to skin cancer.

I suggest you go for natural and eco-friendly colours. They are made from natural substances that are safe and soothing both for you and your environment. Though they are costlier, they are worth their price.

Over the years, the fad of chemical or artificial colours has become part of the festivity. These are prepared from harmful substances like acids, mica, glass powder and alkalis, and are quite capable of causing serious skin complications and allergies. Often referred to as unholy colours of Holi, artificial colours can lead to skin allergies, irritation, redness, rashes, itching and bumps on the skin.

Some of the allergies caused are:

Eczema One of the most common skin complications occurring due to effect of artificial colours. In this allergic condition, skin becomes scaly and appears to be inflamed. Besides, it has flaking and blisters that cause extreme itchiness.

Dermatitis Atopic dermatitis is another plausible allergy occurring due to chemical reaction of colours. The allergy causes severe itching, pain and blistering.

Rhinitis This allergic reaction is an inflammation of the nasal membrane, wherein one experiences nasal congestion, discharge, itching and sneezing.

Asthma Artificial colours can also cause severe damage to the airways, or developing asthma. In this allergic condition, one experiences breathing difficulty and shortness of breath.

Pneumonitis Another possible allergic condition occurring due to inhalation of chemically treated colours is pneumonitis, wherein one experiences fever, chest tightness, fatigue and breathing difficulty.

Dr Ajaya Kashyap is the Chief Surgeon, Cosmetic and Plastics, Fortis Hospital, Delhi.

Tomorrow: Caring for your hair and skin before playing Holi. Plus, how to make natural and herbal colours at home.

Categories
Beauty

Quick beauty fixes for the summer

Coffee for cellulite and kosher salt for rough hands…our beauty writer’s got DIY fixes for skin as the heat advances.
by Beverley Lewis

I may not have all the answers to all of life’s problems, but there’s one thing I’m fairly certain of: if there’s a natural solution to remedy a beauty conundrum, I will definitely give it a go. In my experience, natural home beauty remedies tend to be more effective than over-the-counter beauty products and they are very cost-effective.

I’ve put together a quick reference guide of five of my favourite DIY home beauty remedies. Follow them and glow this summer!

Apple cheeks

Apples are full of powerful compounds like malic acid that can have a great effect on your skin. Malic acid is a fruit acid, or an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), which means it works as a gentle exfoliator to reveal smooth, glowing skin. Slice an apple very thinly. Place the slices on the face and leave it on for 15 minutes. These soak up the extra oil and also help close pores.

Smooth operator

Exfoliating your skin regularly should be a mandatory part of your beauty regimen. You need to remove dead skin cells, toxins, and other deposits on your skin which could dull your complexion and lead to blemishes.

Good news is, you don’t need expensive scrubs and exfoliants to get glowing skin. There are several ingredients you can use to make your own exfoliating mask at home.

Try my favourite: salt or sugar body scrub. To make it, pour ¼ cup table salt or granulated sugar into a small bowl or container. Pour olive oil into the container until it covers the salt. Stir the mixture. Rub the scrub all over your body and into your skin. Rinse thoroughly, and you are left with a smooth glowing complexion.

Cellulite, be gone!

Stop cellulite in its tracks with this DIY, spa-like method. With the heat making us all reach out for our light cotton dresses and hats, why should cellulite stop you from flaunting your perfectly toned pins in a tiny pair of shorts?

Try this: warm ¼ cup of freshly-ground coffee beans with two tablespoons of olive oil in the microwave for 10 seconds. Next, stand on a large sheet of plastic or paper and smear this mixture over the affected area, then tightly wrap yourself in saran wrap (what is saran wrap?).

Leave this on for about 20 minutes, then remove the wrap, wash the area and using a natural bristle body brush, massage the area with brisk, upwards strokes. Follow this remedy for six weeks and you will notice a considerable difference.

Get polished

Chipped polish and ragged nails got you down? Get compliment-worthy hands at home with these tips: cut and file nails to your length of choice. As for shape, there are two main options: square or rounded. Next, soak your hands in a bowl of warm water for five minutes. Add two tablespoons of a bath powder or your favourite liquid soap to soften nails. Make sure the water’s not too hot or it will dry out your hands and nails. Then, apply cuticle oil or lotion on dry hands to nourish and soften rough spots.

Follow this with a cuticle stick to press cuticles back so they don’t get in the way of the polish. After this, exfoliate hands with a body scrub or homemade mixture of olive oil and kosher salt or raw sugar. Scrub for two to three minutes, then wash thoroughly. Follow this with a rich moisturiser. And the final step: apply a base coat first, then apply two thin coats of polish.

Puff pastry

“You look tired…” Ah. Those dreaded three words no woman wants to hear. But fret no more, try these natural solutions and you’ll be struttin’ around, wide-awake in no time.

– Place cotton balls soaked in milk under your eyes for a few minutes. The lactic acid in the milk helps reduce puffiness and dark circiles.

– Freeze a couple of spoons over night. In the morning, rest them on your eyes until they are not cold any longer. If you do this every morning, you will see a big difference in about two weeks.

– Slice one small piece off of a potato, and cut the slice in half. Put each slice under your eyes and leave it under your eyes for 20 minutes.

– Place two thin lemon slices directly onto your bags or circles. Don’t squeeze your eyes tightly but be careful not to open. After 20 minutes carefully rinse off with cold water.

Have a beauty question? Send it to us as editor@themetrognome.in or tweet it to us at @MetrognomeIndia and Beverley will answer it for you.

(Pictures courtesy idiva.com, 123rf.com)

Categories
Deal with it

State bats for responsible Holi this year

Government wants the State to celebrate an environment-friendly Holi this year. You can buy natural colours at the Mantralaya, too.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

There’s a severe drought on in the State, the likes of which has not been seen for several years. The situation is set to spiral totally out of control, with farmers letting livestock go, and people looking for water to drink far and wide.

Meanwhile, the rest of the State is gearing up for Holi.

It is indeed a worrying dichotomy that while one of Maharashtra grapples with even small quantities of drinking water, cities like ours have water in plenty, and which we will use to the maximum limits when Holi arrives. Anticipating the unprecedented wastage of water that is soon to take place as the Holi celebrations get underway, State Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan wants us all to celebrate responsibly.

What Chavan wants

“Please avoid the use of water to celebrate Holi this year,” Chavan said via a statement released earlier this evening. “Opt for natural colours and celebrate a water-less Holi if possible. The cities tend to celebrate also with plastic balloons and synthetic colours, which damage the environment and which are dangerous for health as well.”

So committed is the State to a responsible and environmentally-conscious Holi this year, that a stall selling natural colours will be set up for the public at the Mantralaya on March 21 and 22. Apart from this, public service announcements will be made through all radio and TV channels (private and government-controlled), as well as in 205 cinema theatres across the city and State. The Government will also flash these announcements on local trains and BEST buses.

Plans are also afoot to have Chavan and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar will communicate, via voice calls, with about one crore mobile subscribers and talk about using non-chemical based colours during Holi, apart from considering a water-less celebration. A letter bearing the public service message will also reach Government offices, editors of newspapers and channels, schools, colleges, courts, etc.

(Picture courtesy handmaidliset.blogspot.com)

Categories
Deal with it

8-year-old donates Rs 5,000 to CM Relief Fund

Kanishk Dongre gave up the money earmarked for his birthday celebrations, plus some personal savings, to CM’s drought relief fund.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Who says the youth is totally self-centered? An eight-year-old boy, Kanishk Dongre, today did something so sweet, that even the Chief Minister of the State, Prithviraj Chavan, was all smiles.

Today, Kanishk handed over a cheque of Rs 5,000 to Chavan, towards the CM’s Relief Fund for drought-affected villages in the State.

Kanishk’s father, Raju, works with the State Government’s Director General of Information and Public Relations (DGIPR) department. Kanishk, a resident of Badlapur and a class two student of Carmel School, went with his parents to visit the CM at the Vidhan Bhavan this afternoon to hand over the money; the State Legislature is currently in Session and the CM was present there at the time. It turns out that the Rs 5,000 was actually earmarked for the boy’s birthday celebrations this year. However, the boy decided to donate the money, along with some prior personal savings, towards the drought relief fund.

Who says you need to make a grand gesture to make a difference?

Categories
Deal with it

Mumbai Police HQ on terrorists’ list?

Are terrorists planning on doing the dirty with the Mumbai Police Commissioner’s office? Our Police chief seems to think so.

The Mumbai Police anticipates trouble.

As per a directive issued to his men by Mumbai Police Commissioner Dr Satyapal Singh, there may be a threat to the Mumbai Police Headquarters located near Crawford Market, south Mumbai. “All vehicles arriving at the HQ must be asked to slow down even before they approach the main gate, and once at the gate, they must be thoroughly screened,” his missive says.

The directive comes on the heels of the recent serial blasts at Hyderabad on February 21. Following the blasts, Delhi and Mumbai were immediately put on high alert by security agencies. However, the Mumbai Police HQ has surely received a specific threat, which has prompted this action.

This move is aimed at vehicles loitering outside the HQ as well.

Meanwhile, a non-bailable warrant (NBW) has been issued against Indian Mujahideen (IM) founder Yasin Bhatkal – IM is believed to be behind the Hyderabad blasts. A Delhi court issued the NBW today against Bhatkal and nine other operatives of the IM.

(Picture courtesy mumbailocal.net)

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