Herbal Medicine
And Cures
Milk: Soothes skin irritations and hydrates skin. Refines pores.
� To tighten and tone skin: Beat together one egg, one-tablespoon milk and one teaspoon honey. Apply to face and neck area. Leave on fifteen minutes. Rinse.
Apple cider vinegar: Restores the pH balance, which provides a protective coat against bacteria. Astringent. Refines pores, cleanses, and softens. Relieves itchy skin and sunburns.
� Toner: Mix one cup water with one-tablespoon vinegar. Apply one-fourth teaspoon to face after each cleansing. Let dry naturally.
Lemon juice: Has a tightening, cooling effect. Never apply directly to skin. Mix in astringents and toners. Dissolves oils on the skin. Revitalizes. Bleaches skin blemishes and freckles.
Mayonnaise: Improves skin texture and elasticity. Good for dry skin. Smoothes out facial lines. The eggs provide protein, the vinegar helps maintain the acid mantel and the oil provides lubrication.
Cucumber: Skin soother. Astringent.
� Place chilled sliced cucumber pieces on face, lie down and relax for fifteen minutes.
Honey: Pore refiner, skin tightener. Milk and honey are used in dry skin masks to add moisture to the complexion.
� Facial scrub: Mix one-fourth cup oatmeal, one-fourth cup cornmeal, one -teaspoon honey and enough milk to make a paste. Use circular motions to apply to face and neck area. Avoid eyes. Leave on 10 minutes. Rinse.
Barley: Prevents skin outbreaks. Anti-blemish. Refines pores. Sooths irritated skin. Relieves sunburn.
� Barley mask: Mix one tablespoon of barley flour, one-half teaspoon honey and egg white to create a medium paste. Gently massage into skin. Leave on for 30 minutes. Rinse.
Cornmeal: Mild, abrasive skin cleanser. Promotes finer skin texture. Use stone-ground cornmeal.
Clay: Used to absorb excess oil. Good for oily skin. Relieves irritated or blemished areas. Clay-based mask will help draw out toxins and impurities. Tightens pores. Rich in minerals. Stimulates circulation by bringing blood to surface to cleanse, nourish and revitalize, giving a healthy glow. Can be drying. Choose appropriate clay for your skin type.
Witch hazel: Natural astringent low in alcohol. Removes excess oils. Stimulates skin and tightens pores. Gentle on skin. Kills bacteria. Reduces inflammation and soothes irritated skin. Rejuvenates. Alleviates pain of stings and sunburn.
Almonds: Almond meal used in facial and body scrubs to use as a natural buffer to exfoliate dead skin. Stimulates. Pore reducer.
� Mix almond meal with water to make a paste. Apply to skin. Leave on 20 minutes. Rinse.
Eggs: Before throwing away an eggshell, rub egg white from inside of shell to lines under your eyes. Improves tone and tightens tissue. Softens skin. Pore refiner. Egg whites are best for normal and oily skin; yolks for dry to normal skin.
� Mask: Beat an egg white until slightly frothy. Add one-teaspoon non-instant powdered milk and one teaspoon honey. Beat thoroughly and apply to face. Leave on for 15 minutes. Rinse.
� Mask: Apply egg white to clean face. Leave on for 10 minutes. Rinse. May be left on overnight.
Papaya and pineapple: Enzymes dissolve top layer of dead skin cells.
� Papaya and honey mask: Mash one-half cup papaya in blender. Blend in two tablespoons honey and apply to face. Leave on 15 minutes.
Rose water: A gentle astringent and moisturizer. Helps to tone and tighten skin. Soothes irritated skin. Promotes healing. Softens skin.
Green tea: Antioxidant.
� Green tea mask: Make tea. Mix tea leaves with plain yogurt, oatmeal and favorite herbs. Leave on for 15 minutes. Rinse.
Yogurt: Softens skin, bleaching, whitening effect on skin. Relieves sunburn.
� Natural moisturizer: Mix plain yogurt with acidophilus and aloe vera.
Aloe vera: Use on dry, chapped skin. Moisturizes. Inhibits immune system responses to sunburn.
Tea tree oil: Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Helps clear acne.
Oatmeal: Soothes and heals dry and irritated skin. Softens. Exfoliates dead skin cells.
� Facial scrub: Grind oatmeal in a blender until it becomes a fine powder. Moisten face. Apply powder with fingertips. Rub gently in curricular motions. Rinse.
Muddy complexion: Mix one-half cup yogurt with one and one-half teaspoons lemon juice. Leave on overnight for bleaching effect.
Dry skin: Puree one unpeeled peach; mix with five pulverized, blanched almonds and one egg yolk. Apply to face and neck area. Avoid eye area. Leave on for fifteen minutes. Rinse.
Facial Scrub: Mix one-fourth cup oatmeal, one-fourth cup cornmeal, one-teaspoon honey and one teaspoon milk. Make paste. Use gentle curricular motions to apply mixture to face, avoiding eye area. Leave on 10 minutes. Rinse with cool water. --OR- Moisten a cup of finely ground cornmeal. Rub in circular motions over facial and neck area. Avoid around eyes. Rinse. Loosens dead skin cells, removes dirt, prevents blackheads and smoothes skin.
Oily Skin: Mix three teaspoons yogurt, one-teaspoon Fuller''s earth, one egg white and one teaspoon honey. Leave on ten minutes. Rinse.
Mayo Mask: Homemade mayo: Add one whole egg, one-half lemon and a pinch of sea salt into blender. Mix at slow speed. Drizzle in cold pressed vegetable oil in a fine stream while being blended until thick consistency. Add small amount of apple cider vinegar. Massage mayo onto face and neck area. Leave on fifteen minutes. Rinse.
Astringent: Mix one-tablespoon fresh or one and one-half teaspoons dried peppermint with one-cup witch hazel. Combine in jar. Allow to steep for one week, shaking jar every other day. Strain. Use one teaspoon.
Apple Cider Vinegar Splash: Mix one-teaspoon apple cider vinegar with one pint of spring water. Spray a fine mist onto face and neck twice daily before applying moisturizer. Never apply a moisturizer to dry skin. Dilute mixture with water if you find it too drying. Relieves blotchy skin.
Oatmeal Skin Smoother: Mix ground oatmeal and whipped whole egg. Gently massage onto face. Leave on ten minutes. Rinse.
Dry Skin: Mix four teaspoons mayo, one-teaspoon Fuller''s earth and one-half teaspoon kelp. Apply to face. Leave on for 10 minutes. Rinse.
Oily Skin: Mix buttermilk and salt to make a paste consistency. Gently massage on face. Rinse.
Cleanser: Mix one ounce sunflower oil, one ounce avocado oil and two ounces sesame oil. Can be stored without refrigeration.
A Natural Retreat is as Close as Your Bathtub
Create the Mood...Bath pillow or rolled up towel to cushion head
Take the telephone off the hook
Music
A cup of herbal tea
Favorite book
Candles
Quiet mind with breathing exercises
Bath water at 90 to 98 degrees (warmer to relax and soothe aching muscles or cooler temperature to invigorate)
For both cool and hot baths, always get into the tub when the water is warm; gradually adjust the water so your body gets used to the temperature change. Soak in bathtub for a maximum of 20 minutes--any more and your skin loses moisture.
Apple cider vinegar - for itchy, irritated skin or for sore muscles. Use for sunburned skin or to restore the skin's pH balance. Use one cup.
Epsom salts - for sore muscles. Relaxes muscles. Eliminates toxins. Use one pound. Use only occasionally.
Ginger - to recharge and help ease aching muscles. To help warm the body when fighting off cold or flu. Use sparingly.
Baking soda - for itchy skin. Restores the skin's pH balance. Soothing for some skin irritations. Use one cup.
Lemon - to refresh and cool, tighten pores and reduce oiliness.
Milk - to soothe dry skin. One quart milk or one cup powdered dry milk.
Seaweed - to relax muscles.
Oatmeal - to soothe irritated skin. To make a homemade scrub take a "sponge" of cheesecloth fill with oatmeal, bran or fresh rosemary. This sloughs off dry skin cells and deep cleanses.
Aromatherapy bath - add sandalwood, lavender, sage, chamomile, pine needles, mint, thyme, rosemary, sassafras, lemon balm or lemon peels. To add herbs to bath either brew herbs as a tea and then strain into bath water or place herbs in a muslin or cheesecloth bag. Place the bag directly under the slowly running hot water for a few minutes.
For oily skin mix one cup of Epsom salts and one-half cup of baking soda. Add your favorite mixture of essential oils. Store in glass jar. Add two tablespoons to bath.
To dissolve essential oils in water always mix with vegetable or nut oil before adding to bath water.
Smooth an oil all over your body and relax on a towel for one half hour. Then, with a loofah or a rough washcloth, gently scrub the oil away in a bath or shower.
Applying lotion after a bath helps lock in moisture.