What do you do to take cover from the harsh sun or the wild rain when there are no modern amenities nearby? Look up to the growing branches of the plants. While one spends a fortune today to save their skin from factory-produced sunscreens, traditionally, people have been resorting to the tree shades and numerous natural plants extracts to rely for good skin. In fact, in indigenous communities around the world, people prefer natural anecdotes in the absence of access or the economic strength to purchase modern day products. Going beyond seeking shelter, here’s looking at how some of the traditional communities from around the world utilised plants to the maximum for their sunscreen.
There are several fascinating ways in which plants and plant products are used to protect the skin. In fact, many modern organic products also use the same principles. Here are the top four ways in which traditional communities depended on plants.
Thanaka: In Myanmar, the bark of the Thanaka is diluted with water and rolled into a grainy paste and applied directly onto the skin. This yellow paste helps in keeping the skin cool in the harsh temperatures, provides mild UV ray protection and is known to reduce skin irritation or inflammation.
Tree-shade sunscreen: In many indigenous communities around the world which flourish in the arid regions, trees are the best protection that they can have. Picture the landscape, everywhere you look around is barren with stunted growth of shrubs and bushes. Among this stands a large tree with a canopy branching out. These trees are far and fewer in distance but they are life saviours during peak temperature. Trees like acacias are a miracle in these desert regions and often community members gather around its trunk to save themselves from heat burns.
Organic Clothes and accessories: Just like every part of a tree can be harvested either for eating or other utilities, similarly, a tree can be used beyond its production and shade to get natural sunscreen. Many trees in arid regions, like the palm trees, have natural fibres and plants. These are collected and woven into organic fibre garments or even hats. Apart from arid regions, this is common practice in communities living in tropical areas like the Pacific region too. These naturally- fabric clothes act as a full-body sunscreen and blocks UV rays from damaging the skin.
Tree oils: While tea tree oil or coconut oil are well known for their skincare usage, did you know many nomadic or indigenous communities applied oil every day before they went out to hunt? Baobab oil, pine and resin coatings or coconut oil were often directly extracted from the plant and applied on the body before men went out to hunt for the day, back in the years. Since hunting was a day activity, these oils nourished the skin with Vitamins and also protected it from the harsh rays, till they came back to the camps in the evening. Moringa oil and palm oils were also used by ancient Egyptians for daily grooming routines.
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