In the past, Thai people usually applied perfumed powder, mixed with scented water, to their faces and bodies. The good smell of perfumed powder helped them feel fresh and comfortable.
Another property of perfumed powder is its effectiveness in reducing skin irritations, as almost all of the ingredients comprise indigenous Thai herbs.. Moreover, Thai people have also used perfumed powder to make auspicious markings on valuable or important items to bring good luck.
Preparing each batch of perfumed powder involves a complex process that starts by placing talcum powder in a container holding gum benjamin, kaffir lime, brown and white sugar and sandalwood oil. This kind of talc is called “perfumed powder”.
To obtain a sweeter smell, scented water, or flowered water, is added to the talcum powder. The liquid is then spread onto banana leaves to be turned into small portions, which are then dried indoors. Later, pieces of talc are kept in a covered jar, so that the aromatic smell will remain for a long time. When people want to use the powder, they just take a piece and mix it with scented water.
