Cosmetics

Beautifying the body and treating cosmetic conditions has long been associated with Herbal and Traditional Medicine. The earliest types of cosmetic preparations such as distilled waters and creams were prepared by apothecaries and herbalists. While not directly medicinal, keeping someone looking and feeling healthy contributes to greater self esteem, confidence and a more positive view of oneself.

Western Tradition

To Cleanse and Beautify the Skin	Compounds:
Topically (wash or distilled water):	1. Blanched Almonds
Cowslip water, Rosemary boiled in white wine, Soloman’s Seal water or ointment, Yarrow water or creams,	Rice 8 oz. each
1. Wash the Face with Rose Water, or Rosemary boiled in white wine, or Violet’s infused in Goat’s Milk,	Bean-flour 16 oz.
2. Distilled Water of Solomans Seal was commended, the herb being used since the time of Galen.	Myrrh 2 oz.
3. A little Benzoin Tincture in Rose Water was known as Virgins Milk. It cleanses and beautifies the skin.	Camphor 1 ½ oz.
4. Tinctures of Vanilla and Benzoin in Rose water	Soap 20 oz.
5. Water distilled from hard-boiled Egg whites make the skin ‘shine with smoothness’.	Mix well together and used to wash the face. (Pharmacopoeia Generalis, 1783)
6. Alum, Egg white and Rose water, used topically	2. ROUTINE FOR BEAUTIFUL SOFT SKIN
7. Wash the face with a decoction of Lovage to whiten and clarify the Face.	To make the skin soft and smooth, wash well with warm water, dry it, then wash with water that has had Wheat Bran boiled in it. After, dry and apply a little oil of sweet almonds. Doing this every night before bed makes the skin soft and beautiful.
8. For soft and fair skin, small Lemons, dry Figs, Elecampane (equal parts), beat them well. Add boiled wheat and boil them all together in 1 part Vinegar and 2 parts Water. Wash the face with it often. (The Secrets of Alexis, 1615)	3. COSMETIC WATER.
9. White Tartar. 1 pound	Soloman’s Seal root,
Talcum	flowers of Lily of the Valley,
Salt half pound ea.	Broom and Lovage; Asphodel
Seal in a pot and fire in a kiln under well burned. Put the powder into a linen bag, pointed at the end, and hang in a cold celler with a cup placed beneath. after 15 or 20 days, an oil will collect in the cup. After washing the face, wet a cloth in this liquid and apply to the face. In a few days, all spots and sunburn marks will disappear and leave the skin soft, white and clear. (The Secrets of Alexis, 1615)	root, Bryony root, White Lily
To Removes Spots, Freckles and Blemishes	root 1 handful ea.
Topically (wash or distilled water):	Cut and bruise, add Honey 4 oz., Rhenish wine 2 pounds; infuse until they putrefy, then distill in an Alembic; add the distillate to the remnants in the still, distill again, and repeat a third time. To the distillate, add 1 dram of powdered Camphor.
Elder Flower water, Fenugreek meal, Fumitory water (or the herb boiled in whey), Pimpinella, Scarlet Pimpernel, Tansy	It was said to make a most precious Cosmetic water for the face. (Dr. Henry Pauli)
Kitchen Remedies	4. SWEET POWDER
1. Lemon juice or vinegar, diluted with a little water.	Rice flour 4 oz.
2. Orris and Almond meal as a scrub	Aloeswood
3. Beans:	Sandalwood ½ dram
a. bean meal or flowers for Freckles and other spots of the skin, used as a scrub	Rose 1 scruple
b. distilled water of Bean flowers removes spots, freckles and wrinkles (Culpeper)	Camphor 5 grains
4. Peas: as a wash or scrub to cleanse and beautify the skin; freckles, discoloration	Mix and use as a scrub or mask.
5. Oatmeal boiled in Vinegar and applied clears spots and freckles of the skin (Culpeper).	5. COSMETIC POWDER
Herbs	Sweet Almond 2 lbs.
1. Centaury juice or decoction as a wash cleanses the skin of spots and Freckles	Rice
2. ‘the liquor in the Blisters [of the Elm tree] is cosmetic; and takes away Pimples, Spots and Freckles from the Face’ (Salmon)	Orris, of each 4 oz.
3. Paste of Red Sandalwood (with Rose water etc.) is applied to skin spots and freckles in India.	Benzoin
4. Scarlet Pimpernel removes spots and freckles.	Salt of Tartar
5. Tansy is ‘cosmetic, to take off Freckles, Sun-burn and Morphew’ (Culpeper)	Spermaceti, of each 1 oz.
6. Distilled water of Fumitory was used to clear the skin, remove spots and freckles	Essential oils of:
7. Distilled Water of Green Walnuts is excellent to cure freckles and spots of the face.	Lignum Rhodii
Stronger	Lavender
8. Distilled Water of Arum cleanses spots and brightens the skin. Or else the juice may be applied.	Clove, of each 30 drops
9. Typhonium Bai Fu Zi is similar to Arum and is likewise used in TCM in cosmetic preparations.	Form a powder to be used as a scrub or face wash. (Pharmacopoea Wirtenbergica, 1785)
10. Anoint with Bryony juice.	6. SPECIFIC for BLACKHEADS.
11. Alum boiled in water and used as a wash.	Almond Meal 8 oz.
12. The preparation above of Tartar, Talcum and Salt is very good too.	Orris root, powdered 4 oz.
To Whiten the Skin:	Castile Soap 1 oz.
1. Fumitory water used as a wash	Powder and mix finely. To use, mix a little of the powder with hot water and form a paste. Massage this onto the skin, especially where the blackheads are. Repeat several times, then rinse with cool water.
2. White Lily water used as a wash	7. ‘GRANDMOTHER’S BEAUTY BATH’.
3. Turmeric and Almonds are ground with Milk and applied as a paste.	Dried Lavender flowers
4. Decoction of Cumin seed and Turmeric used as a wash makes the skin fair. (Ayurveda)	Bay leaves, of each 1 lb.
5. Cumin seeds (2 parts), Costus, White Mustard seed (1 part each) boil in milk and apply to the face. (Ayurveda)	Barley
For Wrinkles	Oatmeal
1. Rosemary Water, Water Lily Water, Southernwood Water, any one used as a face wash.	Bran
2. Ointment or Distilled Water of Cowslips	Rice, of each 2 lbs.
3. Cast powder of Myrrh onto a hot iron plate, then sprinkle with wine so the fumes rise better. Hold your face over a little distance away and the fumes with fill up the wrinkles.	Sodium Bicarbonate
4. Take an old Capon, feathers and bowels removed and stuff him with small Lemons cut and Fennel seed. Distil and wash the face with this water to remove wrinkles. (The Secrets of Alexis, 1615)	Borax, of each 8 oz.
5. Make an iron pan hot, sprinkle it with wine, and allow the steam to cover the face, and wipe it off with linen cloth. Then in the same hot pan sprinkle Myrrh and allow the fumes to cover the face, the head being covered with a towel to keep in the smoke. Then bind the face with linen cloth and sleep. Repeat for 15 days.	Boil for 1 hour in a sufficient amount of water and add 2 quarts to the bath.