BATHS FOR BEAUTY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22588, 4 June 1935, Page 19

BATHS FOR BEAUTY

One of the latest enthusiasms of the film city is the bath a« a means to beauty of body and face (says the Sydney Mail). Baths of every kind—saline, herbal, and medical —have their devotees, and many and various are the methods of bathing which, so it is declared, not only make, slim figures and clear complexions, but improve the nervous system and general health.

The value of bathing is apparent when it is remembered that the human skin contains about 2,000,000 sweat glands, to say nothing of some hundreds of thousand* of oil glands. These are always at work —or should be—casting out waste matter from the system, lubricating the skin with natural oils, and taking in oxygen. Beauty bathing, then, keeps all these glands active and gets rid of poisons. Here is one bath much in vogue for which we have to go to the herbal shop, but which is quite cheap to buy. Purchase one pound of wild thyme and one pound of chamomile flowers. Simmer these herbs for about 10 minutes in a quart of water, when all the good will have been extracted. This liquid is then poured into the hot bath. Chamomile and thyme are particularly good for both the nerves and the complexion. Bran baths, though well known, are still held in high favour, and there are several varieties of these. One is the bran alone" about two cupfuls of which should be tied in a butter muslin bag and allowed to soak in the bath while the hot water is running in. Squeeze the bag several times. The water will become deliciously creamy and soft, and the bag itself should be used as a sponge with which to knead and rub the body. Bran baths are excellent in cases of sunburn, taking the heat and sting out of the skin. „ ~ . ~ • . Here is another form of bran bath yery delightful to use and most beneficial in making the skin act;— Fill a muslin bag with a mixture consisting of two tablespoonfuls of bran, one tablespoonful of powdered borax, one tablespoontul ot powdered orris root, one tablesDOoniul of grated castile soap, and a few drops of lavender or oil of verbena. Saline baths have proved to be most valuable for slimming and for drawing poisons from the skin. All minor forms of rheumatism yield quickly to a courseof saline batha. . For one of these mix six ounces ot coarse lump salt, four ounces of common soda, and a few drops of oil ot bergamot. . , . . The water should be used very hot in this type of bath, and one should remain in it for at least 10 minutes. Have handy a large basin of unsalted hot water, and after the 10 minutes, scrub the body thoroughly in this, using a good super-fatted soap and a rubber flesh brush. Wash off all the lather and return to the saline- bath for another 10 minutes. Then take a brisk rub with a hard towel. These baths should, of course, be taken at night. Their effects will .then be doubly beneficial, the skin acting more fresly during sleep. _ Beauty specialists advise a thorough cleansing of the face and neck with cold cream before one of these baths. ihe cream, however, should in no case be left on, but should be wiped off carefullv with a face tissue. .«.',. The delicious end to a saline bath is a fragrant oil rub-down. Warm half » teaspoonful of oilve oil and the same amount of oil of thyme. Pour a few drops of this on to the palma of the hands and briskly rub the body all over with it for a few minutes * It must be well rubbed in, and so little should be used that a light friction afterwards with a towel will leave not a vestige of grease on the skin. ' A good skin food should always be massaged into the face and neck after the beauty bath and before going to bed. The thoroughly cleansed pores will quickly absorb the nourishing cream.