Page 145 - EBOOK_Jamu: The Ancient Indonesian Art of Herbal Healing

CHAPTER 6

Beauty from Within

IN ESSENCE, BEAUTY CARE IN INDONESIA IS A TOTAL BEAUTY SYSTEM

FOR MIND AND BODY: TO INDONESIANS, TRADITIONAL MEDICINE AND
BEAUTY PRODUCTS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE SAME
PROGRAMME.

Looking good is a way of life for every Indonesian woman. Traditional beauty

secrets are taught alongside the philosophy that a woman is responsible for
maintaining her own health and beauty. The art of total beauty, particularly hair
care, is recorded in temple reliefs from the 9th to 17th centuries, but nobody had
access to these secret recipes without royal permission. Only a select few knew
exactly which ingredients fashioned the exotic potions of the kraton.

Although the palaces do not wield the same influence as in the past, their
power within their region still remains strong. Life behind the kraton walls goes
on as before, and ordinary people still try to emulate court customs. Thus, much
traditional beauty care is intact. Within the palaces, lessons in health and beauty
began in childhood. A Javanese princess or lady of rank received a daily
massage and lulur (an abrasive herbal paste) rub, made from rice, pulverized
bark and flowers. This paste leaves the skin soft, clean, smooth and gives Asian
skin a golden glow. In later years, it helps to slow the wrinkling and ageing
process. At court, lulur was followed by a herbal bath. Then came an intricate
hairstyle and makeup session, and finally the selection of clothing and jewellery.
Before bed a female courtier stood over a brazier for 15 minutes while a rich,
fragrant smoke perfumed her body in readiness for the royal bedchamber.

Palace manuscripts explain that outer beauty is achieved with an almost
unlimited array of herbal skin creams and lotions. Inner beauty is much more
demanding as it requires both mental and physical effort. It involves drinking
jamu and following a tough regime of fasting and introspection.

In essence, beauty care in Indonesia is a total beauty system for mind and
body: to Indonesians, traditional medicine and beauty products are an integral
part of the same programme. Originally the mixtures were ostensibly designed