Myanmar Thanakha

Thanakha is the paste from the bark of the Thanakha tree. It is a water-based face makeup worn by women and girls and sometimes boys. Applied thickly it is an effective sun-screen. Applied lightly, it tightens the skin and prevents it from getting oily. After a bath it is most refreshing when lightly smeared on the face and body. The circular mortar stone, with a shallow trough along its rim, is a necessary part of Myanmar woman’s toilette. On it she will grind her daily fresh batch of makeup paste. A woman might have three mortars, one for her face, neck and hands, the other for the more lowly parts of her body and a small one for travel.