Natural Herbal Beauty

Once or twice a week a scrub or a mask makes an extra-deep cleansing and refining treatment. If your skin is sensitive do not use the scrub, nor should you steam your face, but do cleanse with your usual method very thoroughly. (more…)

Cleansing lotions are useful if you do not like to use water on your skin. They are applied and removed with damp cotton wool. A toner must be used afterwards to remove any oily residue. (more…)

This basic cream can be used to cleanse and soothe skin. (more…)

Lavender is the ideal essential oil to use in a face cream as it not only smells wonderful but also help to heal skin blemishes. (more…)

We have a society of sun-worshipers, the glorious golden tan is a We have become a society of sun-symbol of freedom, status and leisure which we all want, sometimes at any cost. But the price we pay for it is often high in terms of I prematurely aging skin and sagging contours. Ultra-violet rays stimulate certain cells in the skin to distribute a pigment called melanin; the same deadly light rays cause changes in the cells of the dermis, leading to rapid aging sagging and wrinkled skin, and in cases of prolonged extreme exposure, to skin cancer.

Tanning is nothing more than a defense mechanism. The melanin that turns the skin brown is the only way the skin has of offering a protective layer to guard itself and the deeper layers of the body from ultra-violet damage. Certainly the damage done to skin cells and to the connective tissues is a great deal worse if the skin is allowed to burn. But even if the skin suffers no burning the damaging changes from exposure to sunlight still occur and so does premature aging. The damage may not show up immediately, until wrinkles appear several years later. To preserve youthful, healthy-looking skin, tan little (go for the pale golden look on your body instead of the baked skin a la St Tropez), and avoid the sun on your face altogether by using a good moisturizer complete with sunscreen, plus a high protection sunscreen that blocks all the ultraviolet rays. Use a lower protection product for your body and let it gently brown. Increase your exposure to the sun gradually, starting with 20 minutes a day (never between the hours of 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.) and stepping it up by 10 or 15 minutes each day until you build up a good protective tan.

Cigarettes, too, damage the skin. Dermatological tests show that smokers’ skins appear 10 to 20 years older than those of non smokers. This is believed to be because each cigarette you smoke depletes your system of 25 milligrams of Vitamin C which is necessary for the health and strength of our tissues. (more…)

Symptoms

Mildly reddish to severely red or purplish skin discoloration; skin feels hot and tender. Sunburn appears one to six hours after exposure to sunlight and peaks within 24 hours, later fading to tan or brown.

Small, fluid-filled blisters that may itch and eventually break; flaking or peeling skin that reveals the tender, reddened underlayer.

Red, blistered skin accompanied by chills, fever, nausea, or dehydration. This severe stage of sunburn is considered a first-degree burn.

Pain and irritation of the eye associated with overexposure to ultraviolet rays from sunlight or other sources. (more…)

COUGHS

Include the following in the diet: apricots, asparagus, green beans, beetroot and beetroot tops, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, dandelion greens, lettuce, mustard, oranges, lemons, naartjies, grapefruit, parsley, peaches, pawpaw, peas, pecan nuts, watercress, spinach and garlic.

Make a standard brew tea using either Lemon balm, Sage, Elderflowers, Honeysuckle, Verbascum (mullein), Thyme, Comfrey or Peppermint, and drink throughout the day. (more…)

Herb and Oatmeal Soap

This soap is the only one I make from caustic soda. So many of the students who attend my cosmetic workshops at the Herbal Centre ask for this recipe that I couldn’t possibly leave it out. They seem to enjoy the satisfaction of making their own soap in the old-fashioned way.

NB: Do not make this soap while children are around. I find it safer to use the caustic soda outside so that the fumes are dissipated. Do not lean over the bowl and inhale, and make sure that you wear long sleeves and rubber gloves as the caustic soda burns. Should a drop fall on your skin, wash it off immediately with cold water. (more…)

Soapwort

Many people are allergic to soap. If that is your problem try making a strong brew of saponincontaining soapwort (Saponaria officinalis) which is both mild and at the same time cleansing.

This common garden plant, known as `Bouncing Bet’ or the pink creeping Australian phlox, is actually something of a pest in the garden as it spreads everywhere and once you have it, (more…)

250 ml (1 cup) nettles, yarrow or rosemary 500 ml (2 cups) boiling water

Pour boiling water over the herbs. Stand and allow to steep for 20 minutes, then strain. Pour the tea into an enamel saucepan and shave into it 1 cup of a good, pure soap (I use a baby soap or goatmilk soap). Heat the mixture, stirring constantly until the soap is melted. (more…)

Chapped Hand Glove

125 ml (¹/2 cup)finely chopped or minced borage leaves

1 dessertspoon castor oil 125 ml (¹/2 cup) oats

1 dessertspoon honey

Mix into a paste, adding a little hot water to the borage leaves. Spread over the hands, put on the gloves and keep them on for an hour or two, or overnight. (more…)

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is a wonderful wash for problem skins as it helps to combat oiliness. Dilute 60 ml (¹/4 cup) vinegar to 750 ml (3 cups) tepid water and use as a wash, or drink a little every day: 1-2 teaspoons in a glass of tepid water. This, incidentally, is a wonderful cooling revitalizer in the heat of summer, particularly after vigorous exercise. It can also be used as a compress, held over bad spots or dabbed onto the affected area. Dilute to the strength most acceptable to your needs. Many people find it too strong to apply neat.

Blackhead Remover (more…)

 

Classic migraine is much more than just a bad headache. It is a severe and often disabling pain in the head—usually on one side only—accompanied by sometimes alarming symptoms such as altered perception, a feeling that the skull is in the grip of a tightening vise, pins and needles or numbness, nausea and vomiting, and an inability to do anything. Symptoms can come and go and last for hours— sometimes even days. No two people usually experience the same symptoms, and one person can experience different symptoms on different occasions. (more…)

Skin is the largest organ of the body, weighing nearly 9 lb (4 kg) on an average adult, and covering an area of over 2 sq yd (about 2 sq m). It is also the first line of defense in ally threat from outside, so it is hardly surprising that it is often the victim of aches and pains. This is especially so from accidents and injuries, but infection and illness can also cause painful inflammations from within the body that appear on or just below the skin’s surface. (more…)

Milk cleansers are much gentler on your skin than soaps. Making your own herbal cleansing milks is simple. To keep them fresh for more than

1 week, freeze the strained herbal milks in ice cube trays, and pop out a cube to thaw as needed.

For Dry to Normal Skin:

2 tablespoons calendula flowers

1 tablespoon chamomile flowers

1 tablespoon rose petals (more…)

Nails become brittle and dry when exposed to hot water, soaps, and nail polishes or other chemicals. Massage a few drops of this protective oil into your nails and cuticles in the morning and evening

2 tablespoons jojoba oil

2 tablespoons almond oil

15 drops sandalwood essential oil (more…)

This rich avocado mask can be used weekly as a treat to nourish dry skin. Mix up a large batch and apply it to your arms and legs if they tend to be dry and flaky.

• 1 tablespoon ripe avocado
• 1 teaspoon yogurt
• 1 teaspoon Gentle Cleansing Grains
• 3 drops sandalwood or lavender essential oil (more…)
  
   

Pure jojoba oil is an excellent facial moisturizer. Because it is similar to the skin’s natural oils, it is easily absorbed. Fragrant essential oils balance and rejuvenate the skin.

• 1 ounce jojoba oil
• 10-20 drops essential oil appropriate for your skin type (more…)
  
   

You’ll need:

2 tablespoons nettle

2 tablespoons red clover blossoms

2 tablespoons lavender flowers

2 tablespoons linden flowers

10 drops lavender essential oil

12-inch square piece of muslin or cotton handkerchief

Stress increases the production of internal toxins and hinders the body’s detoxification processes. Purification, healing and rejuvenation are more easily accomplished when the body and mind are relaxed. Herbs are wonderful allies not only for detoxification, but also for soothing and calming the body, mind, and spirit. This fragrant bath combines the purifying properties of nettle and red clover blossoms with the relaxing properties of lavender and linden blossoms. (more…)

Make time in your life each week to create your own at-home spa experience. Set aside at least 2 hours if you can, but even if you have only I hour, you can indulge in a variety of bodycare treatments that will refresh and renew your body, mind, and spirit.

Gather together everything you will need; your skin, hair, and bodycare products and a thick bathtowel and robe are essentials. Some nice extras include a bath pillow, candles, incense, and soothing music. (more…)