PERFUMERY AND COSMETICS IN ANCIENT AND MODERN INDIA In particular, the flower of the Michelia champaka with its brilliant yellow against the jet-black of the Indian women's hair is exceptionally striking, and groups of women so decked may often be seen proceeding to weddings, visiting friends and so on. The washing of the hair is often done with an aqueous extract of soapnuts, which serves the purpose of a shampoo. This is preferred to soap as it is not alkaline, and does not affect the natural flossiness of the hair. Sometimes black hair-dyes are used, as the Indian women prefer to have their hair a shiny black. At intervals, the hair is given an oil-bath which, in addition to cleansing the hair, is believed to promote its growth and to prevent dandruff and falling of hair. It is also claimed that it has a distinct cooling effect on the scalp. The technique consists in soaking the scalp and hair liberally with vegetable oils, such as gingelly or coconut, in which may be incorporated extracts from medicinal herbs. The oil on the scalp and hair is subsequently washed away, using the extract of soapnuts referred to above. Often, after an initial drying with a towel, the hair is finally dried by being exposed to aromatic fumes from burning incense powder, such as a mixture of shavings of sandalwood, resins like benzoin or styrax, dried roots, dried flower buds, petals, etc. The delicately perfumed hair is then plaited according to the particular style favoured by the lady concerned, and then adorned with flowers. Much attention is paid by India women to the care of the face. To encourage softness, the skin is rubbed gently with a milk-fat, corresponding to the cold cream technique of Western women. The face may then be washed with finely powdered and perfumed Bengal gram or green gram which, acting as a mild abrasive, removes all traces of dirt from the pores. Turmeric (Curcuma longa) powder is also used, as this is believed to retard the growth of hair on the face, but it is nothing like as rapid as modern depilatories. It is thought that the depilatory effect is achieved by using turmeric continuously over a long period, generally from childhood. Decoration of the face varies throughout India: almost universal, how- ever, is the tilaka, which is a dot in the centre of the forehead, which may vary in size from a pin-point to one as big as a shilling, either black, red, pink or deep purple. The black dot is usually of carbonised starch powder, which is made into a sticky paste with water and then applied to the forehead. The coloured powder is made by tinting finely powdered rice starch. A thin film of waxy matter is first applied to the skin to enable the coloured powder to adhere properly. In some places, such as Bengal, the central parting of the hair may be marked with a red streak stretching from the forehead right back to the middle of the head. Many women in South India also still have their nose pierced when they are children, and its decoration may consist of tiny diamonds on the ends of pins or gold rings perhaps the size of a half-crown or larger. Ear-rings are popular with Indian women, and 205

JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS these generally increase in size as one gets further away from cities. Since banks in India are not yet accepted as an essential part of civilisation by many people, it is often the custom for the wealth of the family to be invested in jewelled decorations such as the above, and also in gold and silver bracelets and anklets. Eyes and eyelashes are made more attractive by the use of collerium, which is applied to the tips of the eyelids. Collerium is often home-made by grinding fine soot in castor oil, the soot being prepared by burning a wick soaked in castor oil and collecting it on a clean metal surface. Many women also use kohl. Cheeks and dimples are often decorated with tiny black spots, a custom to be compared with the fashion for the beauty-spot once so popular in Western countries. Generally speaking, the Indian probably bathes more than any other nationality in the world, and daily cold baths are the accepted rule. Women anxious to keep their skin soft and supple use finely ground and perfumed Bengal and green grams, and take regular oil-baths, as has already been mentioned. The oil-bath technique is similar to that described under the care of the hair. The water used for bathing may be perfumed with attar or floral extracts. A type of mud-therapy is sometimes resorted to: this consists in making mud-packs from the alluvial mud of the rivers, this being kept in position--maybe for an hour or so. Occasionally, a steam-bath incorporating the medicinal properties of neam leaves is taken, as this is considered to be very useful in opening the pores for greater cleanliness. Neem leaves are dropped into a tub of hot water and the person bathing sits by the side of the tub. The tub and the bather are then enveloped by throwing a blanket over them to prevent the steam from escaping, the steam being generated by drooping some hot bricks into the tub. It may be imagined that profuse perspiration results from this treatment, and it is considered that as the pores are well opened the treatment has also a valuable deodorising and disinfectant effect. This is followed by a normal bath to cleanse the perspiration. It might be mentioned that Indians regard the Western habit of sitting in a bath as most unhygienic, as they contend that the practice of washing in water which is already dirty is of little value. The majority of baths taken by Indians are of cold water, and the usual method of bathing is to squat by a tub or a water-tap and there to pour water over oneself by use of a large tin or other container. Although India is always considered to be a hot country, in many parts the weather in wintertime can be very cold indeed, and one may often see a man having his daily bath whilst at the same time shivering violently. Finger and toe nails are tinted red by the application of a paste prepared from the leaves of the marudani plant (Lawsonia inermis), the paste being allowed to remain on the nails for a considerable time before removal by 206