How to Make Skin Care Products

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.

Equipment:

Ingredients:

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 creams add moisture to dry skin and improve its texture. This cream preparation is easy and inexpensive to make.

Equipment:

Ingredients:

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.

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

Equipment:

Ingredients:

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.

This simple balm is ideal for chapped hands or windburned skin.

Equipment:

Ingredients:

Yield: About 1/2 cup

Measure 1/4 cup of cold water into the top of a double boiler; add 2 tablespoons of powdered laundry starch and 1/4 cup of glycerin and mix well. Heat over low heat, stirring continually, until slightly thickened; be careful not to let the mixture lump. Let cool slightly; then add 2 teaspoons of bay rum and 3 to 4 drops of your favorite cologne. Pour the mixture into a small jar and cover it tightly. Apply as needed.

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

Equipment:

Ingredients:

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.

There's an amazing array of aftershaves available, and most of them are expensive. This one, besides being cheap and easy to make, is an excellent preparation for closing the pores.

Equipment:

Ingredients:

Yield: 1 gallon

Measure 1 tablespoonful of boric acid into a large mixing bowl and add 1/2 cup of glycerin; mix thoroughly, being careful to get all the lumps out. Stirring constantly, add 1 pint of rubbing alcohol and 1 pint of witch hazel. Let stand 1 hour.

Pour the mixture into a clean gallon jar through a funnel lined with a clean coffee filter; add water to the jar to fill it completely. If desired, add a few drops of your favorite cologne.

Mix this foot bath to relieve tired, aching feet in short order.

Equipment:

Ingredients:

Note: Buy the ingredients at a pharmacy.

Yield: About 11/2 to 2 pounds

Measure 1/4 cup of alum, 1/8 cup of borax, and 1 cup of Epsom salts into a mixing bowl; mix the ingredients thoroughly. Add 1 cup of colloidal oatmeal and mix well again. Pour the mixture into a clean, 2-pound coffee can or a large jar, and cover it tightly.

To use the preparation, stir 1/2 tablespoon of this mixture into a basin of warm water.