Cosmetics

To Cleanse and Beautify the Skin

Topically (wash or distilled water):
Cowslip water, Rosemary boiled in white wine, Soloman’s Seal water or ointment, Yarrow water or creams,

1. Wash the Face with Rose Water, or Rosemary boiled in white wine, or Violet’s infused in Goat’s Milk,
2. Distilled Water of Solomans Seal was commended, the herb being used since the time of Galen.
3. A little Benzoin Tincture in Rose Water was known as Virgins Milk. It cleanses and beautifies the skin.
4. Tinctures of Vanilla and Benzoin in Rose water
5. Water distilled from hard-boiled Egg whites make the skin ‘shine with smoothness’.
6. Alum, Egg white and Rose water, used topically
7. Wash the face with a decoction of Lovage to whiten and clarify the Face.
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)
9. White Tartar.         1 pound
    Talcum
    Salt                         ½ pound ea.
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)

To Removes Spots, Freckles and Blemishes

Topically (wash or distilled water):
Elder Flower water, Fenugreek meal, Fumitory water (or the herb boiled in whey), Pimpinella, Scarlet Pimpernel, Tansy

Kitchen Remedies
1. Lemon juice or vinegar, diluted with a little water.
2. Orris and Almond meal as a scrub
3. Beans:
a. bean meal or flowers for Freckles and other spots of the skin, used as a scrub
b. distilled water of Bean flowers removes spots, freckles and wrinkles (Culpeper)
4. Peas: as a wash or scrub to cleanse and beautify the skin; freckles, discoloration
5. Oatmeal boiled in Vinegar and applied clears spots and freckles of the skin (Culpeper).

Herbs
1. Centaury juice or decoction as a wash cleanses the skin of spots and Freckles
2. ‘the liquor in the Blisters [of the Elm tree] is cosmetic; and takes away Pimples, Spots and Freckles from the Face’ (Salmon)
3. Paste of Red Sandalwood (with Rose water etc.) is applied to skin spots and freckles in India.
4. Scarlet Pimpernel removes spots and freckles.
5. Tansy is ‘cosmetic, to take off Freckles, Sun-burn and Morphew’ (Culpeper)
6. Distilled water of Fumitory was used to clear the skin, remove spots and freckles
7. Distilled Water of Green Walnuts is excellent to cure freckles and spots of the face.

Stronger
8. Distilled Water of Arum cleanses spots and brightens the skin. Or else the juice may be applied.
9. Typhonium Bai Fu Zi is similar to Arum and is likewise used in TCM in cosmetic preparations.
10. Anoint with Bryony juice.
11. Alum boiled in water and used as a wash.
12. The preparation above of Tartar, Talcum and Salt is very good too.
13. ‘For dark spots that appear in the face and look like
lentils—dry Leeches, mix with vinegar, and smear on’. (Rhazes)

To Whiten the Skin:

1. Lemon juice applied topically
2. Fumitory water used as a wash
3. White Lily water used as a wash
4. Turmeric and Almonds are ground with Milk and applied as a paste.
5. Decoction of Cumin seed and Turmeric used as a wash makes the skin fair. (Ayurveda)
6. Cumin seeds (2 parts), Costus, White Mustard seed (1 part each) boil in milk and apply to the face. (Ayurveda)
7. Egg white mixed with Lemon juice distilled, to which can be added a little Borax or Alum before distilling.
8. Snails distilled with Goat Milk with Hops and a little Camphor

A DISTILLED WATER
Tartar 1 oz.
Alum ½ oz.
Borax 2 drams
Camphor 1 dram
Water 2 pints
Distil. (Platerus)

For Wrinkles

1. Lemon juice topically
2. Apply Oil of Myrrh
3. Distilled Water of Soloman’s Seal, Rosemary, Water Lily, or Southernwood, any one used as a face wash.
4. Ointment or Distilled Water of Cowslips
5. “Distilled Water of green cones of the Pine tree removes wrinkles excellently”. (Porta, 1669)
6. 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.
7. Take Hard boil eggs, cut in half, remove the yolk and in its place put Myrrh, put the eggs together and bind them with thread. Hang them up in a glass and keep in a cool and moist place; collect the water that falls. This is applied to wrinkles. (Porta, 1669)
7. 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)
8. 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.
9. Take Wax 1 oz. Dissolve with (Asses) Milk, stir together and when cool add Oil of Sweet Almonds, Alum ½ oz. ea. Apply before bed at night. (Platerus)
10. Soak Kidney beans in Malmsey wine (sweet fortified wine) for 24 hours. Remove the black part where they sprout, then distil them with Lemon and Honey. Separately, distil some beef. Mix the waters together, put in a glass and leave in the sun for 15 days. Wash the face morning and evening to remove wrinkles. (Porta, 1669)
11. “Mullein flowers, Soloman’s Seal, Lemons (equal parts). Steep in white wine, then distil. Wash the face to make it fair and to remove wrinkles. (Porta, 1669)

OINTMENT FOR WRINKLES
Gum Arabic
Tragacanth
Mastic
Camphor equal parts
Take Dregs of Linseed oil or Lees of Olive oil, enough to mix together. Apply to wrinkles, also for sagging breasts. (Porta, 1669)

ANOTHER OINTMENT:
Deer Horn burnt
Amianthus
Sal Ammoniac
Myrrh
Franknicense
Mastic equal parts
Mix with Honey to an ointment and apply. (Porta, 1669)

Stretch Marks

1. Oil of Myrrh topically
2. Swedish Bitters applied as a compress
3. Butter, Egg White with Mastic and Frankincense
4. An ointment made of Suet of a Kid or Ram in Rose water.

AN OINTMENT
Mastic
Frankincense ½ oz. ea.
Myrrh 2 drams
Burnt Deer Horn
Sal Ammoniac 1 dram ea.
Barley meal 2 drams
Nigella 1 dram
Roasted Squill ½ dram
Form an Ointment with Honey. (Platerus)