Rose Hand Cream—This is an excellent scented hand cream which softens and moisturizes.
1 tsp beeswax
¼ tsp honey
4 T almond oil
4 T rosewater
- Put the beeswax, honey and almond oil in a glass jar standing in a small pan of hot water. Stir until melted and blended.
- Stir vigorously while pouring in the rosewater. Take the jar out of the water, and continue to stir gently until the mixture has cooled.
(You can purchase commercial rosewater at any grocery store, or make your own providing no pesticides or herbicides have been used on the plants or on the ground.
To make your own rosewater: Pick 5 large flowers, remove the petals. Place the plucked petals in 2 cups of boiling water. Remove from heat, and let cool. When cool, squeeze the ‘juice’ out of the petals for your ‘rosewater’. The lightly scented remaining rosewater may be used in cooking, or as a lovely rose scented ‘splash’ or spray when refrigerated and kept in a spray bottle.)
Floral Hand Gel—Lavender flowers and chamomile flowers have similar and beneficial properties: to cleanse, soothe, and soften the skin. Apply this hand gel sparingly, rub bin it well into the skin.
½ cup petroleum jelly
2 T lavender flowers, stripped from the stalks
1 cup chamomile flowers, approximately
1. Heat the petroleum jelly in a double boiler. Stir in as many flowers as the jelly can take up.
2. Cover and simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, and leave to cool.
3. Strain through a non-metallic strainer, pressing the flowers against the sides to extract as much of the volatile oils as possible.
4. Pour the fragrant jelly into jars, cover, and label.
Violet Skin Ointment—This is very effective as a soothing ointment for irritated skin inflammation.
Small handful of sweet violet leaves (wild violets)
½ cup lard or shortening
1. Bruise the violet leaves and use as a poultice.
2. Or, Boil the leaves together with the lard or shortening for 15 minutes. Strain, and then let cool. Use the salve as an ointment.