GEORGE TOWN, Aug. 16 -- Before commercial talcum powders and skincare products became commonplace, bedak sejuk was a familiar household staple, used to cool the skin in Malaysia's hot and humid weather and to soothe the itchiness associated with conditions such as chicken pox.

Made simply from rice and water, the traditional cooling powder was once prepared at home for personal use.

Children and adults alike would often be seen with the white streaks it left on their faces and bodies after being mixed with water and applied to the skin.

Over the years, however, bedak sejuk gradually fell out of favour, often regarded as an old-fashioned product used mainly by older generations.

But in recent years, traditional bedak sejuk has begun to...