Foto's

Little girl with on the cheek of the shinmadaung, in a refugee village, near Mae Hong Son.
The shinmadaung is a cosmetic paste white-yellow vegetable commonly used in Burma to cover the face and sometimes the arms of women and girls, and to a lesser extent men and boys.
Its use dates back to more than 2000 years. It is also broadcast in neighbouring countries, such as the Thailand.It is produced from the wood of several trees growing in abundance in central Burma and known collectively as "shinmadaung tree".The shinmadaung is traditionally sold in small logs or in bundles, and today also in paste or powder.
Shinmadaung cream is made by grating the bark, wood, or the roots of the tree with a little water.The cream is applied to the face in simple patterns, the most current being a disk on each cheek, sometimes gangs, or the shape of a leaf, the nose is often stressed at the same time.
Besides its cosmetic function, the shinmadaung a refreshing sensation, protects from the Sun burn, helps fight acne, makes the skin soft and has an anti-mycosique action.Its scent is a little reminiscent of sandalwood.