India's first beauty cream and how Mahatma Gandhi helped save it during Swadeshi movement

In 1919, an unknown brand of white cream presented to the King of Afghanistan, who visited Bombay, got an unexpected name. The cream was produced by Indian businessman Ebrahim Sultanali Patanwala.

How Afghan Snow went from a royal remark to a household name

Ebrahim Sultanali Patanwala was a merchant from the region of Rajputana, which is now known as Rajasthan, and made perfumes and other cosmetic products. When the Afghan king came to visit Bombay in 1919, he was offered a hamper of goods. One of the items was an unnamed white cream. The king reportedly thought that the cream smelled like Afghan Snow. Ebrahim adopted the phrase as the product's name, with the king's approval. This moment gave birth to India's first beauty cream.

Afghan Snow was a multi-use beauty product. It could serve as a foundation for make-up, a moisturiser, and even a sunscreen. The ads for this product were also centred around nourishing and cleansing the skin. One distinguishing feature of Afghan Snow was that it was never advertised as a skin-lightening cream.

The identity of India's first beauty cream gained significance during the Swadeshi movement when preference for indigenous products was promoted instead of foreign ones. Afghan Snow was perceived wrongly as a foreign product. The businessman consulted Mahatma Gandhi to clear the air.

Gandhiji is said to have acknowledged that the cream was an Indian product and had promoted it through his writings. His promotion of the product was linked to the Swadeshi movement and the demand for local products.

By the mid-20th century, the Afghan Snow became a symbol of elegance and the elite lifestyle. The brand was responsible for sponsoring the first Miss India beauty pageant in 1952 and became known due to its connection with Indian film and celebrity culture. People like Nargis and Raj Kapoor were linked with Afghan Snow, while other female actors such as Devika Rani and Poonam Dhillon promoted it.

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