Cosmetics

            Now that “natural” and “organic” cosmetics are readily available on the market, it is possible to spend unprocessed amounts of money in order to moisturize, smooth, and otherwise beautify the face and body, all the while having a clear conscience that we are not polluting our bodies with mysterious and unidentifiable ingredients. The choices are many and the results often too obscure or subtle to notice, so while you are shopping around for the perfect solution to your skin and hair needs, make do with these safe and sure (and inexpensive) home treatments and remedies for skin health and safety:

 

Aloe.  A native to Africa, the beautiful aloe is a desert plant belonging to the lily family, which has earned it the alternate title of “Lily of the Desert”. Aloe has been used for its healing properties for thousand of years, and continues to be used by those who are aware of its beneficial properties and myriad uses. Even those with a brown thumb should consider growing an aloe plant at home. Aloe is strikingly easy to grow. After all, this is a desert plant and it needs very little attention in order to flourish. It is well worth having fresh aloe leaves on hand to treat burns and cuts.

                        Inside of the plant is a mucilaginous gel that absorbs into the skin and provides a protective coating that both expedites healing and provides relief from both pain and itching. Aloe vera is soothing to sunburns and can be kept in the refrigerator in order to provide instant cooling relief. Aloe vera is available in a food-grade form, which is the next best thing when applied topically (if fresh leave are not available), as it is missing the perfumes and additives commonly used in store-bought aloe products. Apply food-grade aloe directly to the face in order to expedite the healing of acne and blemishes.

                        Food-grade aloe can be mixed with a glass of water and taken internally where it is reputed to purify the blood and liver, cleanse the colon and intestines, and to soothe ulcers. Aloe vera is said to alkalize the digestive juices, a process that soothes indigestion; however, do not ingest the leaf of the aloe plant or apply to deep wounds, as this can actually delay healing time.

Bentonite Clay. This healing clay, which is mined largely in Montana and Wyoming, is soft, fine, and odorless. Useful as a facemask to cleanse and tighten pores, bentonite clay can be mixed with water (for oily skin), milk (for normal skin), or heavy cream (for dry skin). Mix into a thick paste and apply to the face and neck, and allow to dry, then rinse. Bentonite clay is also available in a liquid form that can be taken internally and is said to absorb toxins and cleanse the intestinal tract.

 

Jojoba Oil.      Gathered from the crushed bean of the jojoba shrub, jojoba oil is native to the Sonora Desert of northwestern Mexico, Arizona, and Southern California. This woody evergreen shrub can grow as tall as fifteen feet and has a life span of one to two hundred years. The jojoba shrub flowers in the spring, produces fruit by August, and then, as the green fruit dries in the desert heat, its outer skin shrivels and pulls back to expose a wrinkled brown soft-skin seed, referred to as a nut or bean. These nuts, which are about the size of an olive, contain an odorless vegetable-like oil with fantastic properties. It takes seventeen pounds of jojoba seeds (there are about 1,700 seeds in a pound) to produce one gallon of jojoba oil, which earns jojoba a rather high price on the shelves.

                        Native Americans have utilized jojoba oil for hundreds of years, using it to treat all sorts of conditions: sores, cuts, burns, and as a skin and scalp conditioner. One of the great benefits of jojoba oil is its stability. It does not go rancid, as it is not really an oil but a polyunsaturated liquid wax, similar to sperm whale oil – minus the scent. Jojoba oil is hypoallergenic, does not clog pores, and can be used directly on the face, body, and scalp and hair to soften skin, reduce stretch marks, and wrinkles, and as a general healing agent.

                        For sensitive and troubled complexions, a few drops of jojoba oil rubbed onto the face after a shower can be far less catastrophic to the pores than any of those high-priced lotions available at the health food store. Just remember, a little bit goes a long way; just a few drops can be enough.

 

Manuka Oil. The manuka tree flourishes across New Zealand. However, the variety that is said to be the most intensely medicinal is found on the East Cape. The essential oil of manuka is stored in the leaves and then extracted through steam distillation, a process that utilizes no chemicals and produces a pure and unadulterated product. This healing oil has long been used by the native Maori of New Zealand. Manuka oil is known to have antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral properties and is available as a pure oil, diluted oil, cream, and soap. Manuka is said to be extremely effective in the treatment of athlete’s foot and other fungal type infections, and can be applied topically for a variety of ills, including pimples, insect bites, canker and cold sores, eczema, head lice, ring worm, warts, and for muscular aches and pains. Manuka soap is said to aid in the reduction of foot and body odor as well as to help reduce skin outbreaks.

                        For aching muscles, mix about twenty drops of manuka oil into your massage oil of choice. For cold sores, apply undiluted oil 4-5 times per day. Two or three drops of undiluted oil can be gargled to treat a sore throat, and the diluted oil, or the cream, is said to be effective on infant cradle cap. Apply the undiluted oil directly to stubborn cases of athlete’s foot, or for milder cases or as a preventive measure, use the cream. The undiluted oil is also said to be effective on strep and staph infection that are resistant to antibiotics. For staph, apply directly to the skin, and for strep, use as a gargle. The taste may not be enticing, but the results should make up for it.

 

Papaya, fresh. Tired of spending large sums of money on high-end facial products? For a quality facial peel at a fraction of the price, reach for a fresh papaya instead! Mash about ¼ cup of papaya pulp and apply to the entire face and neck and around the eyes (though avoid getting the papaya in the eyes). Allow the pulp to remain on the face for 10-15 minutes, then rinse clean. This treatment will reduce find wrinkles and give a fresh, taut glow to the skin. A mild stinging sensation is normal and a sign that the papaya is working its magic. Should the stinging turn to burning, then simply remove with fresh water.

 

Tea Tree Oil.             The native people of Australia – the Aborigines – have long been aware of the incredible antiseptic and healing properties of tea tree oil. Antiviral, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, tea tree oil is one essential oil that no medicine cabinet can do without. Tea tree oil can be diluted with vegetable oil (try jojoba) and administered to cuts, scrapes, and athlete’s foot. Tea tree oil, as is evident by its powerful scent, is strong and should not be applied full-strength to the face. Instead, dilute with water or oil and apply directly to blemishes, or add a few drops to your favorite facemask to expedite healing.

                        Three or four drops can be added to the bath during a flu or cold for its calming and cleansing effects. Add four to six drops of tea tree oil to ¼ cup water for a topical antibacterial wash. Four to five drops of tea tree oil can be added to one tablespoon of warm olive oil and used as antiviral and antibacterial eardrops. Tea tree oil is a worthy investment, not just because of its myriad uses, but because a little bit goes such a long way. With only a few drops or so needed at any given time, the bottle will begin to get dusty long before it grows empty.