During a trip to Madagascar, you'll surely spot women on the beach sporting a kind of white or orange face paint—that's masonjoany, a beauty mask made in Madagascar! Sometimes it's applied uniformly across the face, and sometimes in ornamental patterns.

Sun protection on the coasts, but so much more than that…

Masonjoany is the name of both the makeup and the wood from which it's made. It's actually sandalwood, used in aromatherapy, perfumery, and carpentry. Its aroma is powerful and persists even after centuries, as evidenced in Indian temples. In fact, Malagasy people learned how to use masonjoany from Indians. In India, sandalwood continues to be widely used as incense.

Sandalwood, a tree native to India, Nepal, Australia, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, and Hawaii, must have been introduced to Madagascar where it thrived beautifully. Masonjoany is so prevalent, especially in Malagasy coastal cities (particularly in the West, North, and South), that this product is now widely available commercially, packaged as powder, lotion, cream, cleansing milk, soap, and more.

However, Malagasy womenmostly still use the traditional method: rubbing a sandalwood branch or nowadays branches of other endemic medicinal plants against pre-moistened coral stone, then applying directly to the face, since the paste dries quickly. It may seem labor-intensive, but it's the method their mothers and grandmothers used.

A tradition, a habit, a beauty trend

Sakalava women from Majunga (Mahajanga), Diego Suarez (Antsiranana), or Nosy Be, as well as Vezo women from Tuléar, routinely apply masonjoany (tabaky for the Vezo) to their faces, whether in their daily lives or during ceremonies and festivals. The primary reason is that it's been fashionable for generations. The secondary reason is that it protects skin from the intense sun on Malagasy coasts, regardless of the season.

Beyond protecting against UV rays, masonjoany is a beauty mask that also acts on blemishes, acne, toxins, and wrinkles. So it's natural that teenagers, adults, and older women all apply it. Beyond that, it has soothing and relaxing properties. Masonjoany is the beauty ally of the Malagasy woman, helping her feel feminine and beautiful!

Masonjoany has become the symbol of Malagasy women's beauty. When we think of them, we picture women wearing a white or orange beauty mask. It's become such a phenomenon that nowadays, it's offered for application to travelers and vacationers on Madagascar's popular beaches. And for the fun and artistic side, it's applied in the shape of flower, leaf, and petal motifs, and more. It pulls the skin a bit at first, but then you get used to it!

© Détours Madagascar - November 18, 2019