Herbal Diary: Source of Herbal Remedies and Recipes

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50 Uses of Essential Oils

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Introduction To Herbs
Collecting Wild Herbs
Grandma/Grandpa's Remedies
Herbal Tea Collection
Top Ten Researched Herbs

Growing

Common Companions
Drying/Preserving
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Natural Child Care

Herbs & Children
Natural Remedies For Children
Using Essential Oils With Children
Herbal Medicine For Children
Herbal Treatments For Children

Natural Beauty

Homemade Beauty Solutions
Essential Oils In The Bath
Essential Oils & Affect On Skin

Natural Health Care

Miscellaneous

Therapeutic Teas & Mixtures
Honey As A healer
Aphrodisiacs
Herbs For Liver Problems
Herbs For Obesity
Herbs For Quitting Smoking
Infertility
Native American Herbal Remedies
Natural Care For Hair Loss
Dealing With Head Lice
Herbs For Arthritis
Natural Arthritis Care
Herbs For High Blood Pressure
Herbs For Kidney Stones

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Herbs For Circulation
Herbs For Hypoglycemia
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Homemade Beauty Solutions


(don't forget to check our recipe section for TONS of great beauty recipes!

PH Balancers

Use this cleansing, restoring rinse after your regular cleansing or after any or all of the skin treatments on this page. Apply with clean sterile cotton balls or gauze or simply splash on, being careful to avoid your eyes:

Basic Balancer

  • 3 cups distilled water
  • 1/3 cups apple cider vinegar
  • Combine water and vinegar. Pour into a clean decorative decanter and store in the bathroom.

Various essential oils or herb infusions (in place of the plain distilled water) may be added to the basic balancer for fragrance and/or therapuedic value:

For oily skin add one of the following oils or infusions:

  • Calendula (marigold)
  • Geranium
  • Horestail herb
  • Sage
  • Yarrow

For dry, sensitive skin add one of the following oils or infusions:

  • Borage
  • Cornflower
  • Houseleek
  • Lady's Mantle
  • Marsh mallow (roots and leaves)
  • Parsley
  • Sorrel
  • Sweet Violet (flowers and leaves)

Acne

1) Make a face pack of bran plus baking soda and water. Mix into a paste, apply to the face, leaving on for 15 minutes. Rinse with solution of 1 part apple cider vinegar and 8 parts water.

2) Parsley : Use an infusion of fresh parsley to wash the skin

3) Mint: Peppermint is an excellent antiseptic wash for acne.

4) Garlic: Peel and mash eight cloves of fresh garlic. Apply to face avoiding the area around the eyes. Leave on for about 15 minutes. Wash off with a warm cloth. Finish with a rinse of the vinegar pH balancer.

5) Wine: Breakouts can be controlled by applying wine with a cotton ball, white wine for fair skin, red wine for darker complexions.

6) After washing skin rinse with any of the following herb infusions:
a) chamomile which is purifying
b) yarrow to eliminate toxins
c) catnip which is an antiseptic
d) lavender which is antiseptic
e) thyme which is a strong germ killer

7) Dilute some lemon juice with water, dab pimple with solution to kill germs, cool inflamation and improve blood circulation.

8) Purchase or make your own calendula(marigold) ointment. Apply to reduce inflamation and speed healing. Or make an infusion and apply as a compress to the skin.

9) Lady's Mantle Acne Remedy
An infusion of lady's mantle herb is an excellent soothing and healing face rinse.


Antiseptics

1) Tea tree oil is a powerful antiseptic. Use it for acne, either diluted or full strength.

2) Burdock leaves in a poultice are excellent for boils and swellings, and as a wash for acne.

3) Thyme is a powerful antiseptic making it an excellent wash for pimples

4) Garlic has well known antibiotic properties making it an excellent treatment for pimples and acne. Apply peeled, mashed garlic cloves to pimples and other skin blemishes.


Astringents/Tighteners/Toners

1) Cucumber is cooling, gentle astringent, use the juice or mashed pulp.

2) Eggwhite Toner
Clean face thoroughly using any natural cleanser. Apply raw eggwhites to the skin and leave on for at least 15 minutes. Wash off with tepid water.

3) Elderflowers, lavender, orange flower water and rosewater are all classic toners for all skin types. Make a strong infusion of any of the above, refrigerate and use within 3 days.

4) Lecithin Toner
Dissolve lecithing granules in jojoba or almond oil. Apply to face and throat as a day or night cream.

5) Lemon is a strong astringent, dilute with water before using, being careful to keep away from eyes.

6) Lemon Toner
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 cup distilled water
2/3 cup witch hazel
Combine all ingredients. Pour into a clean bottle or decorative cosmetics container. Shake well before using. Apply with a clean cotton ball.

7) Pine Toner
2 cups fresh pine needles
1 cup distilled water
1/2 cup witch hazel
Place pine needles in small saucepan with distilled water. Bring water to boil. Allow water to cool completely then strain and discard pine needles. Add witch hazel and stir well. Pour into a clean bottle or decorative capped container. Apply to skin with a cotton ball. Store in a cool dark place.

8) Protein Toner
Beat together 1 Tbsp milk, 1 tsp honey and 1 egg. Apply to face and neck. Leave on as long as desired. Rinse off with warm water followed by a splash of cold.

9) Queen of Hungary Water
This water can be used as an astringent, aftershave, deodorant, hair and skin tonic and even as an inhaled headache remedy:
1 part roses
1 part lavender
1 part rosemary
1 part sage
1 part orange peel
1 part lemon peel
2 parts mint
To 2 ounces apple cider vinegar, add 2 ounces of the above herbal formula. Put in an air-tight glass jar, let steep for about 2 weeks. Strain and add 1 1/2 cups pure distilled rosewater. Pour into a decorative, air tight decanter and use daily.

10) Rose Water & Glycerine Astringent
1/2 pint olive oil
1 ounce rose water
a few drops of glycerin
1 ounce vodka

11) Sage Astringent
4 Tbsp dried sage
4 Tbsp vodka
1/4 tsp borax
3 Tbsp witch hazel
10 drops glycerin or honey
Steep the sage in vodka for 2 weeks then strain. Dissolve borax in witch hazel, stir in the saged vodka and glycerin. Pour into bottle with a tight cap. Shake before each use.

12) Strawberry: Mash strawberries, use as an astringent and cleansing face mask.

13) Violet: Simmer violet flowers in a little milk to make a softening and mildly astringent face lotion.

14) Witch Hazel: Use an extract of witch hazel as an astringent, a skin freshener and to soothe skin irritations.

15) Lemony Lavender Toner
3 drops lemon oil
3 drops lavender oil
3 teaspons of distilled water
Use a soft cotton ball to massage mixture into the skin after cleansing. Follow with a moisturizer if desired

Blackheads & Blemishes

1) Heat honey slightly and apply to face, tap face gently with your fingers.
Wash honey off with warm water then rinse with cool water. A bit of wheat germ may be added to the honey before applying.

2) To loosen and cleanse blackheads, make a paste of oatmeal, honey and an eggwhite. Apply to the skin, massage for 10 minutes then rinse with tepid water.

3) For blackheads, make a paste of oatmeal and water.

4) For blackheads, make a paste of almond meal and water.

5) Blotchy skin: Make a mixture of 1 part apple cider vinegar and 8 parts water. Store in a decorative bottle in the bathroom. Rinse face 1-2 times a day with the solution.

6) For blackheads, rub with a slice of tomato

Brown Spots and Freckles

1) Apply odorless castor oil or vitamin E nightly.

2) Apply lemon juice as a bleach to the spots

3) An old folk remedy for freckles: Dissolve some suger in the juice of one lemon. Apply mixture to each freckle with a camels hair brush!!!!

Dry Skin

1) Make a puree of 1 banana and 1 papaya, peach or avacado. Apply to skin. Leave on for at least 20 minutes then rinse with warm water, followed by a moisturizer of natural margarine or natural vegetable oil.

2) Apply natural mayonnaise, either homemade or from natural foods store. Massage into skin, leave on for 15-20 minutes, rinse thoroughly with warm water.

Face Lift

Combine a handful of strawberries, a handful of grapes, 1/2 pear, 1/2 apple and 1 oz. orange juice in a blender. Apply a thin layer of honey to face, then apply fruit mixture to face. Leave on for 30 minutes. Rinse with warm water. Finish with a rinse of the vinegar pH balancer.

Large Pores:

1) Mix almond meal with enough water to make a paste. Apply to pores for 20 minutes. Rinse with warm water, then apply withch hazel or a solution of apple cider vinegar and water.

2) Mix table salt and buttermilk into a paste, apply on enlarged pores and massage well. Rinse with warm water.

Lines and Wrinkles:

1) Apply the leftover eggwhites in the bottom of the shell to the lines under your eyes

2) Apply odorless castor oil to the crepe-like skin under the eyes or on the throat.

3) Prick 3 capsules of vitamin E and drain into small bowl. Add 2 tsps plain yogurt, 1/2 tsp honey and 1/2 tsp. lemon juice. Apply to face with cotton ball. Leave on skin for about 10 minutes. Rinse.

Makeup Removers

1) Apply milk or plain yogurt to face with a cotton ball, then rinse.

2) Eye Makeup Remover
1 Tbsp castor oil
1 Tbsp light olive oil
2 tsp Canola oil
Blend all ingredients together. Apply with tissue or cottonball to remove makeup on and around the eyes.

Moisturizers, Creams and Lubricants

1) Peaches & Cream Moisturizing Lotion
Peel and mash one very ripe peach. Strain through a sieve to extract all the juice. Mix peach juice with an equal quantity of fresh cream. Keep refrigerated.

2) High Protein Moisturizer
Beat 1 egg yolk into 1 cup whole milk. Apply to face with fingertips. Bottle and store remainder in refrigerator.

3) Apply any of the following vegetable, seed or nut oils to the skin
a) Virgin olive oil
b) Sesame oil
c) Peanut oil
d) Avocado oil

4) Use 2 parts rose water and 1 part glycerin to make a lotion. Apply nightly and work into skin.

5) Buy a pound of natural margarine from the health food store, NOT the supermarket. Store in refrigerator. Apply enough to cover smooth skin. It will absorb into the skin and surprisingly, does not leave a greasy residue.

Oily Skin

1) Make a puree of fresh tomatoes, apply to the skin

2) Beat together 1 egg white, 1 tsp spirits of camphor, 1 heaping Tbsp skim milk powder and a scant drop of essential oil of mint. First apply a thin film of odorless castor oil to the skin , then apply a thick layer of the egg white mask. Lie back for about 15 minutes. Wash off with warm water, then rinse with an apple cider vinegar and water solution or witch hazel.
natural beauty
Specific Remedies
Body/Fot Deoderants Anti Aging Essential Oils
Natural Hand Care Natural Oral Care
Essential Oils & Skin Care Natural Skincare Aids
How-To's
Making Bath Bombs Making Skin Toner Base
Soap Making Guide More On Soap Making

Colds/Flu/Respiratory

Beating The Cold Bug
Herbs For Common Cold
Herbs For Cough
Natural Asthma Care
Natural Care For Fevers

Digestion/Stomach

Herbs For Constipation
Herbs For Diarrhea
Herbs For Digestion
Herbs For Motion-Sickness

For Men

Herbs For Prostatic Hypertrophy
Herbs For The Prostate
Herbs For Impotence
Natural Care For Prostatis

For Women

Anemia During Pregnancy
Back Pain During Pregnancy
Fertility & Contraception
Herbs For Childbirth
Herbs For Delayed Menses
Herbs For Menopause
Herbs For Post Childbirth
Herbs For PMS/Menopause
Herbs For Post Partum
Herbs For Pre-Menstrual Tension

Headaches/Migraines/Insomnia

Get A Good Night's Sleep
Herbs For Headaches
Herbs For Insomnia
Herbs For Migraines
More On Insomnia

Injuries

Herbs For Burns & Scalds
Natural Care For Bone Fractures
Herbs For Dog Bites

Skin Ailments

Herbs For Eczema
Herbs For Poison Ivy
Natural Acne Treatments
Natural Care For Dermatitis
Natural Care For Stretchmarks
Natural Care For Wrinkles
Stop Cold & Canker Sores

Natural Pet Care

Herbal Healing For Pets
All Purpose Herbal Pet Kit
Dealing With Fleas
Pets & Essential Oils
Traveling With Catnip
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