Recipenet "Herbal Acne Pads"

Recipes for Natural Health
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HERBAL ACNE PADS
by Colleen Hulett
VN, GF, SF

You will need:

Queen of Hungary's Water (recipe below)
Large wide mouth mason glass jars
100 ml dark glass salve jar
Cotton cosmetic pads (the thin circles)

If you wish to use organic cotton products you can get cosmetic rounds made by Organic Essentials. Look for them at your local health food store.

I've found the Queen of Hungary's water to be an excellent astringent lotion for a quick facial cleanse when little or no makeup is being worn. It can be carried in a salve jar filled with thin cotton face pads and placed in a school locker or work desk for easy access. It does not need to be refrigerated and will preserve itself forever. My teacher, Rosemary Gladstar, says this water was the very first herbal product to be mass produced and marketed and was probably formulated by the early gypsies.

Although my herbal acne pads are excellent for treating acne and speeding up the healing process, one must keep in mind that they work only externally to help rid the body of acne. If you truly want to prevent acne breakout then an internal program consisting of a well balanced diet rich in chromium, essential fatty acids, B-complex vitamins and zinc along with blood/liver cleansing herbs like Burdock root, Red Clover and Milk Thistle will help prevent breakouts altogether and help maintain healthy skin. Consult a licensed health care provider for help in selecting quality vitamins and herbs at the proper dosages for your specific condition.

Queen of Hungary's Water

Ingredients

6 parts lemon balm leaves
4 parts chamomile flowers
1 part rosemary leaves
3 parts calendula petals
4 parts rose petals
1 part lemon peel

1 part sage leaves
3 parts comfrey leaves
Apple cider vinegar
Rosewater
Lavender essential oil

Directions

1. Mix all the herbs together and place them in a wide mouth jar. Leave at least three inches of space at top of jar. Pour the vinegar over the mixture making sure there is at least two inches of vinegar above the herb mixture. Cover tightly and let sit in a warm spot for two to three weeks. (Store left over dry mix in another dark glass jar in a cool dry place away from sunlight until needed (use within a year)).

2. Strain. Set liquid aside and compost the herbs.

3. Add 1/2 cup rosewater to every cup of herbal vinegar made.

4. Add one drop of lavender essential oil to every cup of herbal vinegar/rosewater mixture made.

5. Rebottle.

6. Stack cotton pads in 100ml salve jar 3/4 full. Pour some bottled Queen of Hungary’s Water over the pads so that they are well moistened leaving a 1/4 inch of liquid above them. Screw lid on tightly and bring to school or work. Wipe affected areas at least twice daily.

Sources:

Balch M.D., J.F. Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 2nd Ed., Avery Publishing Group, N.Y., 1997.

Gladstar, Rosemary. The Science and Art of Herbology. Sage, VT.

Contact me at colleen@recipenet.org if you have any questions or comments about this recipe.

Colleen has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography and has been a practicing herbalist since 1996. She is currently studying The Science and Art of Herbology with revered herbalist Rosemary Gladstar.

Recipe published: Fall, 2001

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