Beauty from the Pantry

Southland Times, Issue 20641, 13 November 1928, Page 13

Beauty from the Pantry

Few women realise that the pantry is a well-stocked beauty shop. The use lor the humble occupants of the shelves, taken externally rather than internally, seems endless. Alum.—This is useful when hot hands are becoming troublesome. The most satisfactory way to use it is to dissolve about 2 drachms in 2 pints hot water, and soak the hands for a few minutes. Bicarbonate of Soda. —This is a good softener for hard water, and aLo an effective mouth-wash and gargle. In cases of t prickly heat or inflamed insect bites, a j soda solution is both soothing and healing. ' It is wonderfully effective for relieving ! under-arm perspiration. First wash the ! parts with hot water and soap, drying thor- , oughtiy. Apply the bicarbonate of soda dry with a powder-puff or a piece of cot- ■ ton wool. Or place one teaspoonful, slightly moistened, in the palm of the hand , and apply under the arm. For sunburn i cover the affected parts with a paste of i bicarbonate of soda and water. A cooling sensation will be experienced immediately. I Bran.—For the care of the hands bran is very useful. Sprinkle bran on the wet soapy palms and rub in. This effectively | removes stains. A bran paste for the 1 hands can be made by taking a tablet of ivory soap and shaving it finely. Add this to li cups boiling water. Let it simmer until the soap has dissolved. Then add a bare 4 cup of bran, stirring constantly until it is smooth. Then add loz glycerine. Bran is useful for the dry shampoo. Part the hair in various places and sprinkle on the bran from a large salt-shaker. Spread the hair out so that the bran can | get through and reach the scalp. Allow it to ■ remain for about 5 minutes. Rub the scalp until it feels all aglow; then take 1 small Turkish towels and rub the hair vig- 1 orously. Next remove the bran by a thorough brushing. The bran friction-bath is one of the very finest cleansers and circulation tonics for 1 the skin. Use Turkish-bath mittens thor- ' oughly wet and soap rubbed in. Then gen- I erously sprinkle on the bran and rub the body. The friction makes the skin feel all aglow. Cucumber.—Cucumber toilet cream has a very whitening effect upon the complexion. Prepare it as follows:—Take 3 small cucumbers, 6oz sweet almond oil, loz white wax, loz stearine, 2 teaspoons tincture of benzoin, a few drops of spinach juice. Cut the cucumber (rind as well) into 2in blocks, put into a saucepan with the oil of almonds, and let it simmer for 4 or 5 hours. Then strain and press out as much juice from the cucumber as possible. Put the oil back into the pan with the white wax and stearine, and heat again until thoroughly jpelted. Take off the fire and beat gently, adding the tincture of benzoin until it is well mixed. Add the spinach juice until the eream is a delicate green colour. Cucumber lotion can be varied to suit any skin. Peel a large cucumber and squeeze the juice from it. Place the juice info a white enamel saucepan and boil. Carefully strain the juice through muslin, and put it faskie until cold. For a greasy skin, to each ounce of cucumber juice add 10 drops tincture of benzoin, shake well, and bottle for use. For a dry skin, to each ounce of cucumber juice add 20 drops glycerine; shake, and bottle. (To be continued.)