TONIC BATHS

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 187, 7 May 1934, Page 5

TONIC BATHS

A New Way to Beauty A course of beauty baths is not only beautifying, but wonderfully healthful and invigorating, and particularly so for those whose daily bath has to be a rather hurried affair. The most pleasant hour for this most pleasant form of beauty treatment is just before going to bed, or before dressing to go out in the evening. Give yourself plenty of time to enjoy it and reap the full benefit from it. Here is one recommended by American women whose strenuous social life makes such baths a daily need

Take one tablespoonful of ground corn meal, to this add a dessertspoonful of powdered orris root, arid a dessertspoonful of finely shaved castile soap. Tie these in a square of blitter piuslin and allow them to soak in the water while the hath is running in. Squeeze and knead the bag until it yields a fine milky fluid.

The result will be a delicious, fragrant. stimulating bath, in which vou should lie and soak for ten minutes, no longer, and do not let the temperature be more than a comfortable warm to hot: Corn meal softens the water, and the orris root gives a perfume of fresh violets which clings to the skin for hours. Yet another bath, excellent, and easy to make, is a cucumber-juice bath. Peel a couple of large cucumbers and boil them till they are quite soft. Press all the juice out of them, and to every pint of the liquid add half a cup of rectified spirits of wine., and one cut) of rose water.

A pint of this in the bath water is sufficient. Cucumber is a powerful whitening agent, but unlike so many bleaches, it is harmless and soothing. It not only whitens, but helps the skin, to throw off waste matter and dried cuticle. The addition of elder flowers and their leaves to the bath has been a beauty remedy since time immemorial The elder flower tree was said by the ancients to have magic properties, and they were not far wrong. Any herb shop will sell a large packet for only a few pence, and they should be in the bathroom of every beauty-loving woman. Soak two good handfuls of elder flowers and leaves in a quart of hot water. Bruise and press them, and when cool strain off the water. Add the juice of two lemons, and put two cupfuls into the bath. This clears the complexion wonderfully, and will do much to remove freckles and sunburn.

It is a good idea to make beauty bathing a habit. Even when your preparations cannot be very elaborate, there are several refreshers and water softeners which can be used daily. _ Dried lavender is one of these. Keep a stoppered jar of it in the cupboard and infuse a handful in your bath. The essential oil of lavender which is in the flowers when not too dry is a valuable cosmetic. Bran and oatmeal are tried and valuable aids to skin beauty, and the salt bath—a handful of common grocer’s salt —is stimulating and mildly antiseptic. It is best, whatever your usual habit may. be, not to take a cold shower after these beauty baths, and their beneficial effects are increased by the use of a flesh brush. This should have a long handle, so that you can comfortably scrub, yourself all over. You will need to use it rather softly at. first, but before very long a brisk brushing will give you only a pleasurable tingje and make your skin velvety and smooth. These baths, combined with a flesh brush vigorously used, will also have a slimming effect.