cosmetic paste

traditional cosmetic paste

sonaha/thanaka

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Sonaha, or thanaka in Burmese, is a cosmetic paste made from the ground bark of a flowering tree belonging to the Murraya genus. The milky, bright yellow paste is said to have medicinal properties: Rohingya women and girls apply sonaha to their faces in designs such as swirls or blocks, concentrating on their cheeks and noses, to protect their skin from sun damage, insect bites, fungus and acne. Sonaha also has cooling properties, providing relief from the hot blaze of the tropical sun. Its fragrance is similar to sandalwood. Sonaha is beloved by Rohingya girls who use it as traditional make-up, one of the few hobbies available to them past puberty as they are typically homebound after age twelve due to strict cultural norms. They also believe that sonaha prevents their skin from tanning. As in many South and South-East Asian cultures, traditional Rohingya beauty standards value fair skin; the fairer the skin, the more beautiful the girl. Sonaha trees are indigenous to the dry climate of central Myanmar. Traditionally, the bark is sold in logs which are ground into a thin paste using a flat stone called a kyauk pyin. Today, sonaha can be purchased as a ready-made paste or powder (to be mixed with water). It is believed that sonaha has been used for millennia as a cosmetic by various cultures in Myanmar, where it remains popular. Its use in the refugee camps in Cox❜s Bazar connects Rohingya women and girls to this shared, ancient heritage, and celebrates playfulness and beauty despite the harsh realities of refugee life.