56 JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS binders and vehicles. These preparations were used because of their decora- tive effect. But the practice in India has been quite different. All these preparations reached a stage of high development very early, and there are among the older formulae many which are still successfully being used. Every Indian home knows the manufacturing details and the use of these cosmetics, and nobody goes to the market in search of the same. The method of manufacture adopted in Indian homes is, in brief, this: A clean and dry copper plate is smeared with the fresh juice of the flowers (full-blossomed) of Taberna Montana Coronarium (locally called Nandibattalu). The plate is then allowed to dry in the sun before a second layer of the juice is applied to it. As much of the juice as possible is spread on to the plate, which is then finally dried thoroughly. This plate is then inverted over a lighted castor-oil lamp (the juice-smeared side facing the flame), the height being adjusted in such a way that as much of the soot as possible is collected on the plate, at the same time keeping the flame alive. More than one lamp may be used at a time to hasten the process. After sufficient soot has been collected (a fact that one is able to judge by experi- ence) the plate is removed and cooled. All the deposit (including the initial juice layer) is scraped off and well mixed with the requisite quantity of pure and fresh cow's butter, in the cold, and kneaded thoroughly, taking care to see that the soot does not form lumps or ball up during the process. Quite often, a small quantity of borneol and saffron paste is added to it during kneading, to enhance its cooling effect and impart a pleasing odour. In spite of the fact that butter is easily susceptible to rancidity, it has been found that the Indian eye shadows prepared in the above manner remain unspoiled indefinitely. This preparation is commonly known as "anjana," "kadige," "kappu," etc., in different parts of the country. It is said to possess remarkable medicinal properties and to banish all sorts of irritation in the eyes, at the same time producing very pleasing and attractive soft black colour effects. SUMMARY From the foregoing, it will be clear that the use of cosmetics is not new in India, but that people are taking time to switch over from ancient Indian cosmetics to the more modern ones. There is, as I have said, one important factor which every manufacturer of cosmetics has to remember when formu- lating a cosmetic preparation for the Indian market. India, being a tropical country, experiences all types of climates at the same time in different parts of the country, and a product which is well accepted under one type of climatic conditions may not be satisfactory when and where there is a change in the climate. If we go a little deeper into the subject, it should not be very difficult to manufacture products which will be ideally suited for

COSMETICS IN INDIA Indian conditions instead of blindly following the standard formulations of the West, which have been devised after intensive research to meet mainly Western requirements. Manufacturers would do well to modify the same (even the technique of manufacture, if necessary) to suit Indian needs, so that, as far as possible, the consumer may be given the type of product he needs. Thereby a positive step would be taken towards the revival of ancient Indian cosmetics with such modifications as may be necessary to suit the needs of the present day. Another point worth noting is the desir- ability of using as high a proportion as may prove practicable of raw materials indigenous to India and sometimes of a highly specialised character. If this can be done while still following the tremendously successful methods of the West with Western methods of experimentation and control, a market of very great potentialities may be opened up in the not too distant future. REFERENCES I•tdian Soap Journal, Vol. XIV, No. 5, November, 1948. Ibid., Vol. XIV (serial commencing from No. 4, October, 1948). Ibid., Vol. XV, No. 11, May, 1950.