Lifestyle Choices

LAVENDER (Lavandula officinalis, L. spica)

A beloved herb, lavender is one of the most well-used herbs in cosmetics. Make a strong lavender oil by infusing flowers and leaves in a good oil, eg sweet oil, and use as a rub for aching muscles, or in the bath for softening the skin. Lavender vinegar can be brushed and rubbed into the hair to stimulate hair growth and, rubbed onto the temples, will soothe fatigue and headaches. Have a bunch of lavender leaves and flowers at the bedside and touch and bruise them from time to time — the fragrance will help you sleep. Lavender tea — 60 ml (¹/4 cup) herb to 250 ml (1 cup) boiling water — relieves exhaustion and will help you unwind. This same brew is an excellent face wash and a stronger brew can be rubbed into the hair — 250 ml (1 cup) herb to 250 ml (1 cup) boiling water — to stimulate hair growth. Dab it onto pimples and acne, or use as a gargle to freshen the mouth. You can splash it on as an aftershave lotion or use it in bath oils, vinegars, soaps and perfumes.

LEMON (Citrus limon)

Lemon is an aromatic astringent and is used in many ways. Add the fresh peel to your bath to soften the skin, and the juice to the rinsing water after you have shampooed your hair. Use diluted juice as a rinse for oily skin, as a face wash and as a freshener. Dig your nails into a squeezed lemon to strengthen and cleanse them. Rub a halved, squeezed lemon over rough heels and elbows. Drink lemon juice in hot water or herb teas daily to keep the skin clear. Dab the juice onto spots and blemishes.

LEMON BALM (Melissa officinalis)

This lemony mint is best used fresh, made into a tea — 250 ml (1 cup) lemon balm leaves to 750 ml (3 cups) boiling water — for an excellent face or hair wash. It can also be used in the bath or drunk as a reviving tea. It heals and cleanses blemished skin, and, drunk as a tea, also helps lift depression.

LEMON GRASS (Cymbopogon citratus)

This is a most delicious and fragrant grass. It is the fastest selling herb in my herb nursery and the favourite tea of all the students who attend my classes at the Herb Centre. A tea made of the leaves not only makes an excellent cleansing, astringent wash (250 ml (1 cup) leaves to 1 litre (4 cups) boiling water), but added to bathwater, it revives and refreshes. It cleanses oily skin, combats dandruff, spots and blackheads and makes a nice aftershave lotion. It is also soothing to tired feet if splashed on after a bath, and makes a beautiful hair rinse after shampooing.

LEMON VERBENA (Lippia citriodora)

This is another beautiful bath herb, richly fragrant, and one of the few herbs that never loses its fragrance when it is dried. It is a pore stimulant and a strong tea, made of 500 ml (2 cups) lemon verbena leaves to 1 litre (4 cups) boiling water, can be used as a steam or as a wash. Dab onto oily skin as a freshener, particularly to patches of acne on the neck and back. Use fresh leaves in a bath glove or bag or make lemon verbena vinegar or oil and use in the bath.

LETTUCE (Lactuca sativa)

Ordinary lettuce is an effective wash for pimply skin. Simmer a whole lettuce in enough water to cover it for a few minutes and use the water as a wash. Nursing mothers can dab it onto sore nipples; bathe the breasts in it, too, to give relief. Cooked *lettuce, with salt, pepper, a little butter and a squeeze of lemon juice, will increase the milk flow. Lettuce water will soothe sunburn and rough, wind-burned skin.

LUCERNE(Medicago sativa)

Lucerne made into a tea is an exfoliant (remember the patch test). The leaves can be made into a tea — 250 ml (1 cup) leaves to 750 ml (3 cups) boiling water — and used as a wash or as a steam. Dabbed frequently onto greasy, pimply areas, it will cleanse and heal. Mix chopped or minced lucerne leaves, with pawpaw and apply as a mask — it will gently peel off dry, rough areas. Use lucerne, fresh young and green, in the diet to keep the skin clear, the muscles toned and energy flowing! In my classes, when I talk about lucerne it is the young national servicemen who pay particular attention. They have found it gives them stamina, and they are always on the lookout for a patch of lucerne in their travels.

MARJORAM (Origanum majorana)

Marjoram, fresh or dried, can be steeped in oil and used as a soothing rub for bruises, sprains or strains. Use it as a bath oil or vinegar as it stimulates the circulation and is good for the skin.

MEALIES (Zea mays)

The silk from the mealie can be ground and finely pounded and used in talc and face powder. Cornflour made from mealies is useful as a homemade talc and is soothing and smoothing.

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)
Herbs for Beauty and Health Part 1

• Herbs Foot Care
• The Craft of Hair Care Part 1
• Bathtime Herbs
• What Goes Into your Skin?
• Add a little Herbs into Beauty Part 2
• Herbs for Beauty and Health Part 2
• Beauty and Hair
• The Nutrition of Hair
• Hair Health and Beauty From The Outside
• Taking Care of Other Skin Conditions