Holi with young children: safe colours, skin, eyes and water

Which colours are safe

Use natural or food-grade colours: haldi and besan for yellow, beetroot for pink, mehendi or spinach for green, and marigold or tesu flowers soaked in water. These wash out and do not damage skin or eyes.

Avoid the cheap loose synthetic powders sold by weight, which have been found to contain heavy metals, glass powder and industrial dyes, and are the cause of most Holi skin and eye injuries. Silver and gold metallic paints are the worst of them.

Skip permanent and oil-based colours entirely for children, and skip water balloons — thrown at close range they cause genuine eye injuries and ear damage.

For a baby under one, dry play with a pinch of natural colour on the cheeks is plenty. Skin at that age is thin and absorbs more than you expect.

Before they go out

Oil everything: coconut oil generously through the hair and on the scalp, and a thick layer of coconut oil or petroleum jelly on the face, neck, ears, arms and legs. Colour then sits on the oil rather than in the skin, and washes off with a fraction of the scrubbing.

Cover up: full-sleeved cotton clothes and leggings mean less skin exposed, and old clothes mean nobody minds. Sunglasses protect the eyes surprisingly well for older children.

Trim the nails and fill them with oil or petroleum jelly, or colour lodges under them for a week.

Feed them properly first, and send water. Dehydration in the sun is the second commonest Holi problem after skin irritation.

Afterwards

Wash with lukewarm water and a mild cleanser, not hot water, which sets some colours. Do not scrub — repeated scrubbing damages the skin barrier and does more harm than a bit of remaining colour. Some tint for two or three days is normal.

Besan with curd or milk works as a gentle paste for stubborn colour. Follow with a moisturiser, and oil the hair again after washing.

For eyes: rinse immediately with plenty of clean water or saline for several minutes, do not rub, and remove contact lenses if any. Redness that persists, pain, or any change in vision needs a doctor the same day.

Wash out the mouth if colour has got in, and change out of wet clothes promptly — wet colour sitting against skin for hours causes most of the rashes.

When to see a doctor

Same-day: colour in the eye with persistent redness, pain, watering or blurred vision; a spreading rash, blistering or raw skin; swelling of the face or lips; breathing difficulty or wheezing after inhaling powder; or a child who swallowed a significant amount of colour.

Also same-day: an ear injury after a water balloon, any head injury, or signs of heat exhaustion — dizziness, vomiting, hot dry skin, confusion.

This article is general information, not medical advice, and is no substitute for personal medical advice. For any decision about your or your child's health, please consult your doctor.

Frequently asked questions

Q: At what age can a child play Holi? — Dry play with natural colours from around two or three is reasonable. Under one, keep to a symbolic touch of colour and stay out of crowds and water.

Q: My child has eczema or asthma. — Speak to your doctor first. For eczema, oil heavily and consider dry play only with a natural colour; for asthma, avoid powder clouds entirely, since inhaled powder is a common trigger.

Q: How do I get colour out of hair? — Oil before, then a gentle shampoo and conditioner after — twice if needed, not five times. Colour fades over a few washes, and aggressive washing damages the hair more than the colour does.

Q: Are herbal colours from the shop genuinely herbal? — Some are and many are not, since the labelling is unregulated. Home-made from haldi, besan, beetroot and flowers is the only version you can be sure about.