The farm cook & rule book

Washing the face daily with milk helps to soften, whiten and to make the skin smooth. Buttermilk is effective in remedying acne or removing pimples and it has a tendency to remove freckles. Sweet cream may be used as a cure for chapped hands and lips, and for sunburn. If the skin is broken out slightly, the addition of a little grated horseradish or flowers of sulphur to the milk is helpful. These preparations are made immediately before being used since they do not keep well. For Excessive Perspiration If a few tablespoonfuls of baking soda are placed in the bath, the water will be softened and much of the discomfort from excessive perspiration will be overcome. The baking soda may be sprinkled on the body just as talcum powder is. Hand Astringent For hands that are moist most of the time, frequent baths in salt water usually will check the excessive perspiration. If this fails, the hands may be washed occasionally in 1 cupful of water to which the juice of a lemon has been added. For Hard Hands Eub oatmeal on the hands after they have been washed. This cleanses and softens the skin. Cornmeal may be used instead of the oatmeal. A good cleanser is made by mixing 1 tablespoonful of powdered borax with 1 pint of cornmeal. Honey for the Hands For chapped hands rub honey on them. Put on gloves and leave the honey on all night. In the morning wash in bran water. Bran Water Boil a cupful of bran in a muslin bag. Put both the bran bag and the liquid in which it cooked in the wash bowl and wash the hands. When dry, rub a little honey on them. This is excellent treatment for rough, red skins. Honey Mask Dilute honey a little with water and rub on the face before retiring. This mask helps to prevent wrinkles and to soften the skin. Potato Mask For the oily skin which is subject to blackheads the potato mask is a joy. Wash the potato thoroughly and cut it in slices. GRANDMOTHER'S BEAUTY SECRETS 271 Rub these over the skin. It removes the oil, cleanses the pores and whitens the skin. Glycerin Wash For skin irritations, itching or redness the addition of 1 ounce of glycerin to 19 ounces of soft water makes an excellent face wash. Oatmeal Wash Boil 1 pint of Scotch oatmeal in 2 pints of boiling water until a clear liquid is formed. Use a double boiler for this purpose. Strain the liquid through a piece of fine muslin, boil and strain again. Add sufficient rose water to give the liquid the consistency of milk. If one wishes, a few drops of perfume may be added before the liquid is bottled. Onion Tonic For very thin hair, cut an onion in halves and rub the scalp with these vigorously before retiring at night. The juice of onions invigorates the roots of the hair. Egg Shampoo Beat 2 eggs together lightly and rub into the scalp and through the hair which has been moistened with lukewarm water. Rinse out the egg with lukewarm water to which a little melted castile soap has been added. Then rinse in two or three clear lukewarm waters. For Dandruff Saturate the scalp every night with sulphur water which is made by dissolving 1 ounce flowers of sulphur in 1 quart of water. Shake every now and then while the sulphur is dissolving. Let the solution stand until it settles and use only the clear liquid. Skin Tonic