Victorian Era Remedies
Skin Care
This time 2 Australian treasures made it to the counter. The Ladies' Handbook of Home Remedies and Grandma's Favourite Remedies. Anything with 'old remedies' really does belong on my shelf. I know it. The books know it. I'm sure the shop keeper sees me coming and dusts off all the 19th century books. Ah, who am I kidding. Since when would a little dust keep me from my finds? Crumbly, faded... it doesn't matter. The older the better. I love to pour over tricks used by resourceful Victorian Era woman.
Here's some wisdom I gleaned from Grandma's Favourite Remedies for eliminating spotty skin and making the complexion bright. And really, how could I not share this? Anything that starts with 'gather lavender' is worthy of a mention. So...
1. Gather lavender, elder flower or citrus blossom.
2. Boil in water.
3. Leave mixture to stand until cool.
4. Strain the liquid and use it several times a day to bathe skin.
Grandma from the United States made it into the remedy book too. Her wisdom came in a drink of equal parts wild indigo, echinacea and pulsatilla. They were boiled together, strained off and left to cool. Twice a day she would drink a small glass of this. If anyone knows what pulsatilla might be, please let me know.
And if drinking your medicine was not your thing, you could always make a viola tonic. Used to bathe the skin at night, it was prized for reducing inflammation and soothing the skin. I guess these Victorian women knew when they planted their flowers and herbs, they were not only making cottage gardens, they were stocking their medicine cupboard.
Do you have a home remedy for keeping skin clear? Are your remedies in a dusty book, or is the wisdom handed down from generation to generation?
10 comments:
Did you know; It has been found that the homeopathic medicine pulsatilla works best for people who have a sweet and gentle nature and are accommodating. Very cute.
My Nanna used to make her own orange water, and was adamant that lemon juice removed freckles.She would only wash her face in rainwater, and firmly believed that red lipstick was only used by hussies! :)
When we lived in Darwin, we knew this old aboriginal fella who used methylated spirits as a remedy for lots of things - including mosquito bites. We didn't want to try that one. :)
Lee, I think your Nanna and my Grandma had the same idea when it came to hussies!! And that detail about the pulsatilla is very cute, indeed :)
Amanda, I had to laugh about the methylated spirits! My dear aunty in Greece would pounce on us with metho and cotton buds the minute we complained about a mosquito bite. I think it really does work!! We were drenched in the stuff ;) But it stinks to high heaven....
I love finds like this! Perhaps I need to plant some lavender in my yard. :)
Hope you and your family are well. Have a good week!
Blessings,
Karen
Hi Karen, I'm with you! I need to plant some lavender too. I've had a few bushes over the years but none in the garden at the moment. I will plant one in the next few weeks and I'm sure I'll remember you each time I look at it :)
Blessings
Dotti :)
Wow, thanks for this tip. I'm a real lavender freak and if this old remedy doesn't clear the skin, it'd be great for the senses.
Paula, you are a woman after my own heart!
Ah, no home remedies, but my grandmother used Pond's cold cream all her life. She had the softest skin of anyone I've ever known. Guess what I'm using now? :)
My grandmother used handmade rosewater (lavender isn't exactly common here in Sweden) and when it was winter she used rape seed oil on her feets, hands and face to protect them from the cold.
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