Thanaka (Kra-chae), the traditional UV protection cosmetic

Last winter, I had a chance to backpacking to Myanmar for the second time in my life, since the first time is in the summer two years ago (For about my traveling experience to Myanmar, I’ll find a chance to write in this blog in near future.).

One famous thing in Myanmar is the beauty of Myanmese women. The elegant skin of Myanmese girls was told since the ancient era, even  in Thailand there is a idiom described as “she who has Myanmese’s skin and Indian’s eyes” – indicating that the skin like Myanmese people and the brighten-rounded eye like Indian people is the ideal of beauty in Thailand in the ancient time. The secret of the Myanmese-stype beauty is, of course, the magnificent cosmetic called “Thanaka”

Thanaka is the wood powder originally made from the Rutaceous plant named Naringi crenulata (synonym: Hesperethusa crenulata). However, current thanaka available in the market is also made from other plant in Rutaceae family, for example, Murraya spp. and Limonia acidissima or the wood-apple. 

Compressed thanaka powder from Bogyoke Aung San Market, Yangon, Myanmar.

Thanaka (as Naringi crenulata wood) is interested from its UV protecting effect, as well as antioxidant and anti-acne activities. No wonder why Myanmese people have smooth and silky skin since most of them always use thanaka. Moreover, some plants that are used to made thanaka product like Limonia acidissima also contain antioxidant and anti-acne activities, although there is no comparative report between them that which one is the best to be a thanaka.

Myanmese girl with leaves-figure thanaka on her cheek,
Kuthodaw Pagoda, Mandalay, Myanmar.

Thanaka is also the main cosmetic used in Thailand since a long time, but we know in the name of “Kra-chae”. In the traditional way of use in Thailand, thanaka is mixed with sandalwood or Kalamet and other stuff and then called “Kra-chae-chan”. This cosmetic was widely used in the past, even mentioned in numerous literature and folklore. Nowadays, Kra-chae-chan is not more than a rumor or a legend that cannot be existed in the present time. Thai people ignore local Kra-chae in their hometown and travel abroad to Myanmar, just to buy Thanaka back to sell in their country. What a shame!