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Cynthia Dube, Chronicle Reporter
LOCAL women are falling over each other to buy a “wonder cream” that allegedly enlarges hips and bums in just two weeks.

Those craving cosmetic enhancements of their natural assets are buying 125ml of Botcho Cream for $50 from a lady who sells the cosmetic in Harare. Those outside the capital are having the product sent to them via public transport, after paying on EcoCash.

A fully subscribed WhatsApp group called “Botcho cream big butt $50” has participants praising the product.

A woman who sells the cream, only identified as Rue from Harare has lured women with pictures of her customers on the WhatsApp group. Each day, she said more and more women were contacting her to place orders.

She told the group members that Botcho Cream had no side effects because it is made from natural herbs.

“Botcho cream is meant to boost your hips and bums. It has no side effects because it’s made from natural herbs including white kwao krua herb from Thailand and fish oil.

“The visible change occurs after two weeks and the results are permanent,” said Rue.

“The procedure for using the cream is very easy. Firstly, you have to clean your butt, waist and thighs with a wet warm towel. After that, you have to apply the cream to your hips and buttocks and massage for two to three minutes until the body absorbs the cream.

“You have to apply the cream twice a day, in the morning and evening.”

Group members who claim to have used the cream are encouraging other group members to buy the product to enlarge their buttocks in order to attract men.

Various Botcho Facebook pages with spectacular “before and after” pictures continue to lure thousands of women around the world, who aspire to attain the full bodied look of celebrities like Beyonce, Nicki Minaj and Kim Kardashian.

Research about the cream showed that it originated from West Africa.

“Botcho cream was whipped up by a man named Dr Zoh. But to be clear, he is not a real MD or scientist nor is he a chemist. Still — he’s managed to concoct an all-natural booty cream using ingredient drawn from plants and honey. Botcho is a popular term used in the Cote d’Ivoire to refer to a woman’s huge buttocks. The term and the cream became popular due to the popularity of the Bobaraba (big bottom) dance — the latest song by musical duo DJ Mix and Eloh DJ — which is why Botcho cream is also referred to as Bobaraba cream,” reads an online news article.

It is reported that Dr Zoh whipped up the mixture when he learnt that his sisters wanted fully, curvier figures.

“He used ingredients from the countryside of his grandparents to prepare a concoction. It was recommended to apply twice daily for best results. Reportedly, it works almost right away. The problem, however, with the Botcho cream is that it’s not clear what exactly is in the cream.”

However, a local medical expert yesterday warned women against using the cream to attain the much-vaunted Coca-Cola bottle shape.

The health expert said all medicines in the country must be tested by the Medical Control Authority of Zimbabwe before being used by the public.

“I was not aware of this cream, but l wouldn’t encourage anyone to use those untested creams. If this untested cream enters your body via the skin and goes to your blood, it can affect your liver and kidney,” said the expert who preferred anonymity.

“These creams can even cause diseases such as heart problem and cancer,” he said.

Reverend Jabulani Mafohla from the Church of the Nazarene in Bulawayo’s Emganwini suburb said the creams were unGodly.

“Even if they work, which I doubt, they go against God’s plan,” he said.

Rev Mafohla said God made each individual with unique specifications to attract the perfect partner with whom they can have a dream marriage.

“When one changes their specifications, they end up attracting the wrong person. This may bring them eternal misery. The right person for everyone is wired to respond to unique traits — be it small breasts, narrow hips or big bums,” he said.

Most women, according to a psychologist who declined to be named, mistakenly believe big bums and breasts are what attract men.

“Different men like their women differently. Some men drool over slender celebrities like Nandi Mngoma while others prefer fuller bodied ones like Phindile Gwala (more popularly known as Nonny in the soapie Muvhango),” said the psychologist.

Women have gone to bizarre extents to get bigger bums. Some media reports show women have been injected with tyre sealants, glue, silicone and other strange fluids.

The Daily Mail Online reported in 2012 that Ms April Brown had both her legs and arms amputated after silicone injected into her buttocks to make them bigger, caused life threatening infections and excruciating pain.

— @cynthiamthembo1