Things You Didn't Know...

Normal-Skin Mask: Use this mask for normal or combination skin types.

Ingredients:
Egg
Honey
Brewers' yeast or cider vinegar

Yield: Enough for one application

Beat an egg in a small bowl, using a wire whisk to blend yolk and white thoroughly. Add 1 teaspoon of honey and 1/4 teaspoon of brewers' yeast -- or, if you don't have brewers' yeast, 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar. Whisk again to blend. Apply the mask to your face, being careful not to get it in your eyes or on your hair. Let it dry for about 20 minutes, and then rinse it off thoroughly with warm water. Splash your face with cool water and blot it dry.

Dry-Skin Mask: Enjoy the scent of this natural mask while moisturizing your skin.
Ingredients:
Banana
Honey

Yield: Enough for one application

Wash a banana thoroughly. Slice the banana and half of its peel into the container of a blender; add 1 tablespoon of honey and blend to a liquid. Apply the mask to your face, being careful not to get it in your eyes or on your hair. Let it dry for about 20 minutes, and then rinse it off thoroughly with warm water. Splash your face with cool water and blot it dry.

Oily-Skin Mask: Get a deep cleansing with this fresh, natural mask recipe.

Ingredients:
Cucumber
Yogurt

Yield: Enough for one application

Wash a cucumber thoroughly. If the cucumber skin is waxed, remove it; if possible, however, leave the cucumber unpeeled. Slice the cucumber into the container of a blender; add 1 tablespoon of plain unsweetened yogurt and blend to a liquid. Apply the mask to your face, being careful not to get it in your eyes or on your hair. Let it dry for about 20 minutes, and then rinse it off thoroughly with warm water. Splash your face with cool water and blot it dry.

Ingredients:
Beeswax
Anhydrous lanolin
Borax
Rose water or water
Fuller's earth

Note: Buy the ingredients at a pharmacy.

Yield: Enough for one application

Measure 1/4 ounce of beeswax -- about 11/2 teaspoons -- into the top of a double boiler; add 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) of anhydrous lanolin. Stir to blend. Measure 1/2 cup of rose water or plain water; add 1 tablespoon of borax and stir to dissolve. Slowly pour the borax-water mixture into the melted wax and lanolin, stirring constantly until the water is completely absorbed. Remove the mixture from the heat.

Add 1/2 pound of fuller's earth to the blended wax and water, stirring to a smooth paste. Let the mixture cool before using it.

Apply the facial pack liberally to your skin, being careful not to get it in your eyes or on your hair. Let it dry completely, about 1/2 hour, and rinse with warm water to remove all traces of the clay. Finally, splash your face with cool water and blot it dry.

Ingredients:
Fresh cucumbers
Rubbing alcohol
Benzoic acid (Buy benzoic acid at a pharmacy.)

Yield: About 21/2 to 3 cups

Thinly peel 2 or 3 large cucumbers and cut them into small pieces; place in a blender and puree to a fine pulp. Turn the pulp into a saucepan and heat to boiling; let cool. Stir in 1 pint of rubbing alcohol and 1/4 cup of benzoic acid; this keeps the cucumber juice from spoiling. Stir to mix thoroughly.

Pour the mixture into a quart jar and cover it tightly; refrigerate it for 2 weeks. Strain it into a clean jar through a funnel lined with a coffee filter; cover tightly. Apply to skin as desired.

Ingredients:
Beeswax
Castor oil
Anhydrous lanolin
Spirits of camphor

Note: Buy the ingredients at a pharmacy.

Yield: About 21/2 ounces

Melt 1 ounce -- about 2 tablespoons -- of beeswax in a double boiler; add 2 tablespoons of castor oil and 1 tablespoon of anhydrous lanolin, and stir thoroughly. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool. When cool, add 1 teaspoon of spirits of camphor and mix thoroughly. Spoon the mixture into a small jar and cover it tightly.

Apply the cream to the lips as needed.

Ingredients:
Lemons
Wine vinegar
Rubbing alcohol
Water
Perfume

Yield: About 11/2 pints

Cut 2 or 3 lemons into small pieces. Liquefy the pieces of lemon in a blender. Add a pint of inexpensive wine vinegar, 1/2 cup of rubbing alcohol, and 1/2 cup of water, and blend for a few seconds.

Pour the mixture into a quart jar and cover; refrigerate it for 3 days. Add a few drops of your favorite perfume until the mixture smells good to you. Strain the mixture into another quart jar through a funnel lined with a clean coffee filter, and cover it tightly.

To use the skin whitener, spread it between two pieces of muslin. Set this poultice on your skin for as long as convenient, preferably overnight.

Natural Face Bleach: This bleach is good for repeated use and gentle enough for the delicate skin on your face.

Ingredients:
Colloidal oatmeal
Hydrogen peroxide (3 percent solution)
Lemon juice
Tincture of benzoin

Yield: About 1-1/2 cups

Measure 1/4 cup of colloidal oatmeal into a mixing bowl. Add 1/2 cup of 3 percent solution hydrogen peroxide and stir well; be sure the peroxide is fresh and at full strength. Add 1/2 cup of lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon of tincture of benzoin to the mixture. Stir to blend the ingredients thoroughly. Pour the mixture into a pint jar and cover it tightly.Apply the bleach weekly; let it dry before rinsing.

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How to Get Rid of Wrinkles

Wrinkles are a result of aging, and most of us would like to get rid of them, but a surgical face-lift is pretty drastic. Short of surgery, there are some other ways to help eliminate and hide wrinkles.

Prevention
Wrinkles are caused by loss of flexibility in the collagen fibers, the mesh-like cells that give skin its form and shape. As we age, the collagen fibers lose their ability to withstand normal facial motions; at the same time, we lose facial fat. The result is wrinkles.

If you work to eliminate wrinkles before they form, you have a good chance of staving them off. Don't drink alcohol in excessive amounts; it robs your body of moisture. Don't smoke. Avoid excessive sun, and protect your face with sun-blocking creams and lotions. Restore moisture to your skin by splashing your face with cool water, giving yourself a facial, drinking lots of water and juice, and using plenty of moisturizers.

Exercise
If you already have wrinkles, you can take steps to hide and eliminate wrinkles. Exercise at least once a day to firm your skin and muscles; thoroughly moisturize your face and neck before you exercise.

To correct a droopy chin, a weak jaw, or a wrinkled neck, place the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth as far back as it will go; your chin, jaw, throat, and neck will tighten automatically. Repeat several times.

To firm your chin, neck, and throat, stretch your chin up high and thrust it forward, hard; at the same time, pull your head back as far as you can. Repeat this forward and backward motion several times. For a firming exercise you can do anywhere, turn your head to the left, touch your chin to your shoulder, turn your head back to center, and repeat the process to the right. Repeat several times.

To help eliminate a double chin, point your chin toward the ceiling. With your mouth closed, stick out your lower jaw as far as possible until you can feel the tendons in your neck stretch. Hold this position for a slow count of 10; repeat three times. This exercise also smooths out neck wrinkles and strengthens a weak jaw.

Face Creams and Masks
Many products claim to remove wrinkles, and many of them actually work for some people. Albumin or collagen protein creams or lotions contain collagen, the albuminoid substance that gives skin its shape. Creams and lotions that contain collagen act to fatten up and reshape cells that have lost elasticity. They can and do help smooth wrinkles, but they do not cause a drastic improvement. For a less expensive treatment, apply fresh egg white to your face; because it's rich in albumin, it will contract the skin and temporarily improve disfiguring lines. Let the egg white dry for about 20 minutes, rinse it off with warm water, and then splash your face with cool water.

Facial masks -- commercial or homemade -- that contain collagen or albumin are also effective; these include egg-based or milk masks and many other natural masks. Use the masks regularly, as directed.

Hormone creams contain estrogen, progesterone, or steroids. These creams are very controversial, but many claim fantastic results. If you want to try a hormone cream, use it as directed for a month or two -- don't expect overnight results. If you see no results, stop using the cream. If you do see an improvement after a month or two, stop using the cream for two or three months to see what happens. After this time, if you want to use it again, go ahead; follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Instant Face-Lift
Tools:
Mirror
Scissors
Needle

Materials:
Isometric beauty band, or gauze or adhesive tape
Thin elastic tape
Thread
Cosmetic adhesive
Time: 5 minutes to 1/2 hour

At least two products available provide an instant facelift. One is an isometric beauty band to lift and smooth sagging facial skin; this is a handy version of a standard theatrical makeup trick, and can be purchased from most cosmetic supply houses. The second is called an instant face-lift; buy it at any shop that sells theatrical makeup, or make your own.

The instant face-lift consists of two bands over your head, to lift the skin of our cheeks, chin, and jaw. These two bands are the ear lift and the chin lift.
To make the ear lift, cut two 1-inch-long triangles of gauze. Sew one end of an 8-inch piece of thin elastic tape to one corner of each piece. Using a cosmetic adhesive, glue a piece of gauze close to your hairline and directly in front of one ear with the elastic strip aimed at the top of your head; repeat to attach the other piece of gauze in front of your other ear. Pull the elastic strips up and tie them tightly together at the back of your head.

To make the chin lift, cut triangles of gauze and sew elastic strips to them as above. Attach one triangle just below and behind each earlobe. Pull the strips up, tighten them, and tie them.

Two elastic strips, one in front of the ears and one over the jaw, lift sagging skin to smooth out wrinkles.

Cut off excess elastic. Arrange your hair to cover both the gauze wedges and the strips of elastic.

For the best results with an instant face-lift, you must use a cosmetic adhesive -- ask a theatrical makeup supplier or a cosmetologist. Or try cutting the triangles out of adhesive tape instead of gauze. Practice as necessary to achieve the results you want.

Wrinkle Cream
Wrinkle creams are expensive, and the more elegant, the higher the price. This recipe is a little unusual, but it works.

Ingredients:
Alum
Orange flower water
Gelatin
Glycerin
Anhydrous lanolin
Spirits of camphor
Tincture of benzoin

Note: Buy the ingredients at a pharmacy.
Yield: About 11/2 cups

In a small dish, dissolve 1/4 teaspoon of alum in 2 teaspoons of orange flower water; add 1 teaspoon of gelatin and soak until the gelatin is softened. Add 1/4 cup of glycerin and pour into the top of a double boiler; heat over low heat until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Add 8 ounces of lanolin to the mixture and stir it together slowly. Add 1/4 teaspoon of spirits of camphor and 1/4 teaspoon of tincture of benzoin; stir to blend. Remove from heat. Beat the warm mixture with an electric mixer at medium speed until the cream is cool and fluffy. Spoon into a clean jar and cover tightly.

Apply to the skin at night; massage the cream in well for 5 to 10 minutes.
In addition to treating wrinkles, you can provide extra nourishment and pampering for your skin that will make it look healthier. See the next page to learn how to make additional skin creams, toners, and facial hair bleaches.

Facial Hair Bleach
This effective cream hair bleach is both inexpensive and easy to prepare.

Ingredients:
Hydrogen peroxide (3 percent solution)
Ammonia
White henna

Yield: Enough for one application

Measure 2 tablespoons of 3 percent solution hydrogen peroxide into a mixing bowl; make sure the peroxide is fresh and at full strength. Add 10 drops of ammonia and stir in enough white henna to produce a smooth paste, not too thick or too runny.

Apply the bleach to the hair and leave it on for about 15 minutes, or until the desired shade is achieved. Rinse off the bleach thoroughly. Complete the treatment by washing thoroughly.

Skin Food Cream
If you want to replenish your skin's beneficial oils and supply it with nutrients, there's no need to buy expensive cosmetics. This gentle cream is as rich as they come.

Ingredients:
Beeswax
Coconut oil
Anhydrous lanolin
Almond oil or heavy mineral oil
Tincture of benzoin
Orange flower water

Note: Buy the ingredients at a pharmacy.
Yield: About 51/2 ounces

Melt 1/2 ounce -- about 1 tablespoon -- of beeswax in a double boiler; add 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) of anhydrous lanolin, and stir to blend thoroughly. Stir in 2 ounces (1/4 cup) of almond oil or heavy mineral oil, 2 or 3 drops of tincture of benzoin, and 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) of orange flower water.

Caution: Almond oil vapors are toxic.

Pour the mixture into a mixing bowl and beat it with a wire whisk or an egg beater until it's creamy. Spoon the cream into a small jar and cover it tightly.
To use, rub the cream into the skin and massage vigorously.

Tissue-Toning Cream
Tissue-toning creams add moisture to dry skin and improve its texture. This cream preparation is easy and inexpensive to make.

Ingredients:
Beeswax
Anhydrous lanolin
Almond oil or heavy mineral oil
Witch hazel
Rose water
Borax

Note: You can buy these ingredients at a pharmacy.
Yield: About 10 ounces

Melt 1 ounce of beeswax -- about 2 tablespoons -- in the top of a double boiler; add 1/4 cup (2 ounces) of anhydrous lanolin. Warm 5 ounces of almond oil or heavy mineral oil in a small saucepan and add it to the lanolin-and-wax mixture; stir to blend.

Caution: Almond oil vapors are toxic.

In another small pan, heat 2 tablespoons of witch hazel and 2 tablespoons of rose water; dissolve a pinch of borax in this solution. Add to the lanolin-and-wax mixture and mix thoroughly. Pour the mixture into a pint jar and cover it tightly.

Apply the cream sparingly and rub it into your skin gently.Don't forget your hands and feet when you're pampering yourself. See the next page to learn how to make your own hand and nail care products using easy instructions and ingredients available at the grocery and pharmacy