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Natural Skin Care
- Miriam Kresh
Most of the Nuts reading this are already well grounded in skin care, and
many use their own home-made products only. I'm one of those. People act
surprised when I tell them I'm almost 50; they tell me I look younger. My
skin is not baby-smooth, as teenage acne left its indelible marks, but I
believe it is softer and more flexible than most women's of my age, with
wrinkles that betray only how often I smile. What is the big secret? Read
on, dear Nut: those who have steeped themselves in natural skin care advice
may find a surprise or two, and those who want to learn will find useful
ideas. I hope. Any complaints, see Khadijah ;).
No Matter What Your Age, Hydrate!
This is not one of the promised surprises: everybody knows this. Most of us
are not drinking enough water on a daily basis. Eight glasses of non-caffeinated beverages every day, will keep your tissues moist and your
spirits on an even keel (being slightly dehydrated puts people in a bad
mood, even before a headache sets in). Make two cups each of two different
herbal teas, and there you have four cups. Herbal tea suggestions:
chamomile, marshmallow, violet leaf, nettles, Rooibos, anything with rose
hips. Drink four glasses of water in between, and voila, you're on the way
to moister skin. No matter what kind of wonderful moisturizers we apply,
nothing takes the place of liquids taken by mouth.
Whey Cool...
Whey is an awesome substance. It has lots of easily-assimilated protein and
is somewhat anti- microbial. A glass of whey can be drunk as part of your
daily liquid intake (it's sourish like yoghurt). Put some in your soap as
part of the liquid; dilute a sugar scrub with a little whey (this will spoil
over a day or so, so use it right up); put a quart into your next hot bath,
or make one of the following facial masks:
Oily Skin Whey Mask
2 Tblsp. green clay
Enough whey to make a thin paste
2 drops EO of lavender or chamomile
Dry Skin Whey Mask
2 Tblsp. green or pink clay
Enough whey to make a thin paste
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. almond oil
2 drops EO of helichrysum or of carrot seed oil
Apply the mask to a freshly-washed face; allow to dry 20 minutes, then rinse
off. Velvety!
Learn About the Wild Beauty Aids Around You
I don't see that much discussion about the common stinging nettle in skin
care; a pity. Infused into oil or water, it is a valuable herb for
irritated, chapped skin (exactly the conditions it produces as a fresh
herb). I find that any lotion or salve works better if nettles are part of
the herbal infusion. Especially recommended for eczema and psoriasis.
Mallows are another under-rated medicinal weed. For oily skin, blend a
couple of big mallow leaves with a little distilled or filtered water until smooth; apply right away to the face as a mask. The soothing vegetable
mucilage released by the crushed leaf will calm down irritated, red skin. Dry skin needs a bit of moisturizing boost, so add 1 tsp of good-quality oil
to the mallow smoothie: almond, avocado, unrefined hemp, plain olive.
Chickweed is wonderful for your skin. Eat it raw in salads or in sandwiches;
tincture it and take 20 drops twice daily to regulate appetite, help your
thyroid return to normal (this is not a substitute for thyroid
medication, however), and soothe your tissues from the inside. Chickweed has
the uncanny ability to draw out matter from under the skin, so it makes a
good poultice for infected acne or cysts that are opening. Just make a
strong chickweed tea, soak it in a clean handkerchief or small towel or
piece of cotton, depending on the size of the area, and apply. Allow the
poultice to remain until you feel it getting hot; then discard it and put a
fresh one (with a new hanky, towel, or piece of cotton).
What other wild herbs do you see growing around you? Look them up in a field
guide or ask an old person who has always lived in the neighborhood. Then
email me and ask what they're good for! I'm at hillsofg@netvision.net.il
Get All Steamed Up
Nothing like a facial steam. Five minutes of steaming the face opens pores
and makes the skin sweat to release toxins and dirt. Start with a clean
face, then sit down over a steaming bowl of water infused with 1 tsp. of one
or more of the following herbs (put a towel over the bowl and your head to
trap the steam):
Oily Skin Steaming Herbs:
Chamomile
Calendula
Lavender
Mint
Parsley
Lemon Peel
Rosemary (not for pregnant ladies)
Comfrey leaf
Nettles
Chickweed
Mallows
Shepherd's Purse, fresh only
Rooibos tea
Dry Skin Steaming Herbs:
Chamomile
Calendula
Lavender
Plantain
Chickweed
Mallows
Rose Petals
Hibiscus flowers
Sage - just a leaf or two
Comfrey root: make a cooked tea ahead of time to release the mucilage from
the roots
Hollyhock flowers
Violet leaves
Rooibos tea
Elderflowers
Warning: thread veins can be made worse by steaming.
So, What's the Routine?
The basic steps towards a clear, flexible skin are sufficient hydration
(eight glasses daily!), cleansing, and application of topical skin care. Only
you know how often to wash your face: most wash every day with soap; those
with acne two to three times daily; some with very dry skin prefer not to
wash the face more than once every few days, using steam or just a quick
warm rinse in between. Maintaining the skin free of dirt, oil, and sweat is
the goal and you know best how often to cleanse. Remember that washing with
very hot water is not a good idea if you have a few thread veins or very
dry, delicate skin.
Once weekly, treat yourself to a facial steam, followed by a sugar scrub.
A
wise Nut knows that the occasional sugar scrub is a wonderful way to
exfoliate and leave the skin clean. Don't forget to lightly rub the lips,
too. Alternatively, use a light toner to just pat on. Hydrosols are
wonderful for this, all by themselves. Or put aside some of the tea you make
for the steam treatment and splash it on, afterwards, cool.
It's important not to briskly rub your face dry with your bath towel; take
the time to just pat dry. Then moisturize with one of your wonderful
handmade lotions. Here is my favorite herbal lotion:
Miriam's Favorite Herbal Lotion
250 ml. distilled or filtered water, infused with 1 Tblsp. each of chamomile
and elderflower
1/4 tsp. glycerine
4 level Tblsp. e-wax
Oils:
Borage: 55 g
Almond: 50 g
Emu: 5 g
Jojoba: 30 g
* for extra skin pampering, infuse the oils with an additional 1 tsp. each
of chamomile and elderflower. This is one extra step, because of course the
herbs have to be strained out of the oil before proceeding. Use another few
grams of each oil to compensate for the loss which occurs when the herbs
absorb some.
2 capsules Vitamin E Mixed Tocopherols
15 drops of your preferred eos: I love geranium, lavender, clary sage,
carrot seed oil and a leetle helychrisum. Rose otto if you can afford it!
1. Infuse 300 ml. of water with the herbs; allow to steep 20 minutes.
2. Meantime, measure out and start melting the ewax and oils in a double
boiler or in a hot-water bath.
3. When the herbal tea is strong and cooled down, strain it. Re-measure it
to make sure you have 250 ml. If there is a little less, make up the
difference with water.
4. Re-heat the herbal tea until it's hot but not boiling; add the glycerin and stir well.
5. Add the tea/glycerin mixture to the hot, melted ewax/oils, and get in
there with your stick blender. A good whisk works too, of course. Blend well
and slowly remove from heat. Continue to blend until the lotion has become
thick and cool.
6. Pierce the Vitamin E capsules and add to the cream, blending well.
Drop in the eos, blending very well, or leave unscented as a base for
individual eo variation. Pour into cosmetic jars and store in the fridge.
Note: You notice this is a preservative-free recipe. If you use a
preservative, proceed as you are used to. This cream can also be frozen if
you think you won't be disposing of it within a few week's time.
See how you glow!
~ Miriam Kresh
DISCLAIMER: This information is for educational
purposes, based on the study, education, and
experience of the author, and is not meant to replace the advice of a trained
physician. Soapnuts and the author are not responsible for any outcome of
your use of this information.
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