As long as there has been science, there has been nature. (Deep, huh?)
We know that women have been using whatever they could get their hands on to add to their beauty for a LONG time. Obviously, what they used was made by nature. Now days, we have people who are adamant about only using natural products on their skin.
Just the other day, I was reading about using some concoction on your face or body, as it was the perfect thing for hot summer weather. It could easily be whipped up with items you would probably have in the kitchen. It sounded rather refreshing.
I just laughed to myself. A zillion years ago, my mother received a little booklet of “cosmetic” recipes from a secret friend gift exchange. I was the one that was ready to try them out, since money spent on fancy skin potions was just not done at our home.
I had great success with one recipe that was a mask made of dry oatmeal and some type of herb, mixed into a paste and allowed to dry. Actually it may have been mint. I don’t know, it was a LONG time ago. Anyway it smelled wonderful and my face was so smooth afterward. Really, how bad could my skin have been anyway? I may have been about 12! Luckily, I did not clog the drain with the removed oatmeal mask. Thinking back, I can’t imagine how it didn’t get clogged! It was basically like I had just dumped a bowl of oatmeal down the sink!
We lived on a little hobby farm outside Denver, and had a terrific crop of strawberries that summer. Strawberries! I had seen a facial recipe using strawberries. Where was that little book? Ahhh, with recipe in hand and freshly picked berries, I smashed them up and added whatever was to be used, and slathered it on my face. I just knew that this fantastic fragrance and natural product was going to enhance my skin to an unknown degree. Unknown degree was right!
As I began to remove it, I could see that my skin was kind of red. Did the strawberries stain my skin? As I continued to remove it, I could see that not only was it red, it was continuing to deepen in color, and beginning to look a little puffy! At that point I began to panic! I got the rest of it off, and splashed on cool water; and splashed on cool water; and splashed on cool water.
I don’t remember trying out any more natural recipes for my skin. I was afraid of being too natural.
Now, I just EAT strawberries.
Women used to use white powdered lead as face paint in many places in Europe and Asia. Very natural, but not so good for you. Just because it is natural, doesn’t mean it is safe. I wrote a blog post on that.
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Kristie, this post made me smile. At first I was thinking, “Wow, strawberries are in season; maybe I can make a mask!” But I think I’ll follow your advice and stick to eating them. My face is red enough on its own!
It also reminded me of all those natural mask recipes I used to read about in the young women’s magazines. I used one a few times for oily skin that contained lemon juice and something else. Now I wish I could remember what else was in it. I never tried oatmeal though, which as you said was probably good for my parents’ sink!
It really is amazing to think of some of things that people do in the name of beauty. The interesting thing is that “beauty” is not always the same from culture to culture. I think I remember seeing your post, but couldn’t find it now.
The flip side of not everything natural being good for you, is that sometimes there are practices that seem so odd or are attributed to being old wives tales, that as years go by, are proven to actually work. Not just in the name of beauty, but other areas of life. (Wish I could think of one as an example, but it’s late!)
Thanks! I hadn’t thought of this in years! I liked the oatmeal mask, but yes, it’s a little risky for the plumbing!