CARE AND TREATMENT OF THE SKIN

Tincture of benzoin (ten cents' worth), dissolved in a pint of wine, imparts a smoothness to the skin, and does not harm it, as so many face washes do. This should be put on at night, before going to bed ; the face first washed with pure and fine soap, and then rinsed off in clear, cold water. The benzoin can be dissolved in water, as well as wine, though the latter is preferable. For a rough or sunburned skin, use two ounces of distilled water, one of glycerine, one of alcohol, and half an ounce of tincture of benzoin. Without the water, and with the addi- tion of two ounces of prepared chalk, free from bismuth, it makes a fine cosmetic for whitening the face, and is not injurious, like the expen-^ sive " Balms " or " Blooms," so highly advertised.

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The beauties of the court of Charles II. took a small piece of green benzoin, and boiled it in spirits of wine until it became a rich tmcture. Fifteen drops of this poured into a glass of water will produce a liquid that looks like milk, and emits a most agreeable perfume. This wash is an excellent remedy for spots, pimples and eruptions, renders the skin clear and brilliant, and the cheeks a beautiful rosy color.

Another is medicated soap, melted and made into balls, with finely ground oatmeal. Oatmeal and buttermilk together possess wonder- fully beautifying qualities, and oatmeal by itself now occupies a place on many washstands, steeped in water in small quantities. Its balsamic qualities and glutinous oiliness make the flesh beautifully soft and white. A little lemon juice may be added advantageously.

For a remedy to produce immediate and wonderful effects in whiten- ing the skin, use tar and olive oil heated together and cooled ; use upon the face when going to bed, with a mask of thin old linen or muslin put on to prevent coming off — farther protecting the pillows by an old sheet thrown over them. In the morning a bath of white castile soap and water brings the face out pure and softly tinted as a child's. This is not only the best, but the most perfectly harmless and cheap preparation that can be procured.

To improve the texture of the skin, bathe it before going to bed in very warm water and toilet soap of fine quality, rubbing thoroughly with a coarse towel. Then wash off all soap with cooler water, and dry the skin with a soft towel and smooth.

The discoloration known as mask is removed by a wash made from thirty grains of the chlorate of potash in eight ounces of rose-water.

Wrinkles are less apparent under a kind of varnish containing thirty- six grammes of turpentine in three drachms of alcohol, allowed to dry on the face.

For pimples on the face use this recipe : Thirty grains of bicarbonate of soda, one drachm of glycerine, one ounce of spermaceti ointment. Rub on the face ; let it remain for a quarter of an hour, and wipe ofi all but a slight film with a soft cloth.

To Remove Moth Patches — Wash the patches with a solution of common bicarbonate of soda and water for several times during the day, for two days, or until the patches are removed, which will usually be in forty-eight hours. After the process, wash with some nice toilet soap, and the skin will be left nice, clean, and free of patches. Lemon juice is also good rubbed on the skin. Or this : Beef tallow, melted and made very hot in a spoon ; dip into it a tiny mop, made of old linen rolled up tightly ; apply to these spots as hot as it is bearable at retir- ing, and again after the morning's bath. In a week or ten days they usually disappear.

Yellow Spots are often annoying blemishes ; Sometimes they can be

CARE AND TREATMENT OF THE SKIN. 351

removed by rubbing with flower of sulphur frequently. This is also a safe remedy : One ounce of strong sulphur water, one-quarter ounce of lemon juice, cinnamon water one drachm. Wash with this three or four times a day. Sometimes these spots indicate derangement of the stomach, and may require medical advice.

To Remove Freckles — Put one ounce of alum, same of lemon juice in a pint of rose-water ; apply at night.

Scrape horse-radish into a cup of sour milk (cold) ; let it stand twelve hours ; strain and apply two or three times a day.

Mix lemon juice one ounce, powdered borax quarter drachm, sugar half a drachm ; keep for a few days in a glass bottle and apply occa- sionally.

Muriate of ammonia half-drachm, lavender water two drachms, dis- tilled water half-pint ; apply two or three tipies a day.

Into half a pint of milk squeeze the juice of a lemon, with a spoonful of brandy, and boil, skimming well ; add a drachm of rock alum ; apply at night. The above are all good and have been used effectually, though nothing will take freckles off permanently.

To Reinove Wrinkles — Put pieces of court plaster on the face where the wrinkles are inclined to come, just before going to bed, and remove in the morning. The plaster contracts the skin and prevents its sinking into creases and lines. It also protects and softens the skin. Warm water should always be used to wash the face in, as it keeps off wrinkles. Tar soap is the French specific for incipient wrinkles.

To Remove Moles — Moisten a stick of nitrate of silver and touch the mole ; it will turn black and sore, but will soon dry up and fall off. If not successful, try again. Or, into a pint bottle of rum put a table- spoonful of flour of sulphur ; apply once a day and the moth patches will disappear in two or three weeks.

To Retnove Tan — Mix magnesia in soft water to the consistency of paste, spread on the face and allow it to remain a minute or two, then wash off with castile soap-suds, and rinse in soft water.

Face Eruptions —T)\sso\v& a.n ounce of borax in a quart of water, and apply this with a fine sponge every evening before going to bed. Or flowers of sulphur; rub it in well with the fingers, and then rub it off with a dry towel, or rub with a coarse towel and then apply cold cream.

Refined chalk made i,nto a thick plaster with one-third as much gly- cerine as water and spread on the parts will cool inflammation and reduce redness of the nose or face.

To Remove Pimples — Two ounces of bicarbonate of soda, one drachm of glycerine, one ounce of spermaceti ointment, or a weak solu- tion of carbolic acid in rainwater will cure pimples and simple eruptions.

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