On the Thanaka

Locals said it's a cooling powder.

And some claimed it has whitening ability.

But there are no scientific proofs so far about whether it is beneficial or harmful.

Thanaka is a yellowish-white cosmetic paste made from ground bark. It is a distinctive feature of Myanmar (formerly Burma) seen commonly applied to the face and sometimes the arms of women and girls and to a lesser extent men and boys.

- Medie in Yangon March 2014