Every morning, I start the day with a cup of herbal tea. About a year ago, I completely gave up energy drinks and coffee, as well as green and black tea. My decision to proceed only with herbal teas was very spontaneous. Sorry for giving you too many details here, but I was just tired of sweating terribly! Yes, I had this problem, and tea and coffee were making it worse.

Anyway, after starting drinking only herbal tea, not only has my problem with excess of sweating almost has disappeared; I have also noticed very pleasant changes in my complexion. To be more specific, I drink chamomile in the morning and mint in the evening, as it is very relaxing and makes you drowsy. After drinking these herbal teas for two weeks, I noticed that my face acquired a healthier color and my skin became smoother.

This was a “aha” moment for me. I started to dig deeper to herbal therapy and I couldn’t stop. I found that herbs are an amazing gift from nature, which can be used for just about everything that concerns the health of your skin. There are lots of methods that use herbs. However, today I want to tell you about the simplest herbal beauty tips for face – so called herbal wash. I’ll discuss how to easily use herbs to wash your face from impurities and substitute them for your daily cleanser, or the simple procedure of washing your face with water.

As for me, I always have some different herbal tea bags at home, and every morning I brew them with boiling water. After pampering myself with herbal tea, I just take the tea bag and do my morning herbal facial wash (wipe my face with a herbal bag).

The procedure of washing your face with herbs can be this simple. Or you also can whip up more sophisticated mixtures.

Here are my herbal beauty tips for face:

Magical herbs for your skin type

Herbs for facial should be chosen for your skin type or to deal with any specific problems of your skin. I made a list of the exact recipes you could use for your skin type, so run through the whole list to find the recipe written for you. Some recipes contain several herbs, You can use the entire recipe or just use one of the herbs from the recipe on its own.

Herbal wash recipes for every skin type

Take 2 tablespoons of fresh or dry mint, chamomile, calendula, or sage leaves. Pour 1-cup of boiling water over the herbs. Steep for 1 hour. Strain and wipe your face with a cotton wool soaked in this decoction. You can also add 1 teaspoon of honey. Use of this decoction is recommended for hot weather, as it cleanses, tones, and refreshes the skin. In the cold seasons, mix together a tablespoon of mint, half a glass of hot milk and leave for 30-40 minutes to steam.

Also the same way, you can brew:

For dry skin – linden, birch leaves.
For oily skin – horsetail, nettle.
Combination skin – parsley, bay leaf
For freckles – parsley, calendula, cornflower.
For aging skin – horsetail, calendula, mint, linden

Herbal facial wash recipes from herbal mixtures

For dry skin:

Mix equal proportions of dried flowers of linden, sage, chamomile, mint leaves, dill and fresh rose or rosehip petals. Mix 2 tablespoons of herbs with half a liter of cold water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Allow the toner to cool completely, then strain and use for daily face cleaning.

For dry and sensitive skin:

Take 1 tablespoon of fresh or dried rose petals, chamomile, jasmine and linden, and mix them with 1 cup of boiling water. Tightly cover and leave for about 2 hours, then strain out the petals. Wiping your face with this lotion each day promotes good nutrition and moisturizes skin.

Take 2 tablespoons of marshmallow root and combine with 1 cup of cool boiled water. Steep for a day. After straining, use this mixture as a toner to wipe your beautiful face.

For oily skin:

Mix equal amount of dried petals of daisies, cornflowers, calendula, chamomile and rose. Combine 1 tablespoon of these flowers with half a cup of boiling water. Simmer for 7-10 minutes on low heat. Then strain and use this as a cleanser.

For oily skin with pimples:

Take 2 teaspoons of dried chamomile flowers and 2 teaspoons of calendula and St. John’s wort. Combine all the herbs with 1 cup of boiling water. Cover tightly and leave for 2-3 hours. Cleanse the skin with this infusion daily, or mix with water for washing in a 1:1 ratio.

For aging skin:

Take 1 teaspoon of each dried herb chamomile, horsetail, sage and linden. Combine with 1 cup of boiling water and steep for 30-40 minutes. After wiping your face with this toner, use it to wash your skin in the morning and again in the evening. This cleanser will help prevent wrinkles.

So Ladies, have you ever tried herbal facial wash? Have you used herbs in your skin care routine? Please share your thoughts.

What are soap nuts?

Soap nuts are among the popular herbs and minerals in Ayurveda. They can replace your liquid soaps, shampoos, face cleansers, as well as laundry detergent, dishwashing detergent and other household items. The amazing washing power of soap nuts is due to the fact that they contain saponin – a natural soapy substance that forms a thick foam when in contact with water.

Soap nuts for hair

I want to caution you, soap nuts can irritate your eyes! If they get into your eyes, it feels like red chili pepper was sprinkled into them. So wash your eye area very carefully. Also the smell of these nuts can be little disgusting. To me they smell like vinegar mixed with syrup. But I will tell you how to make them smell good if you keep reading below. By the way, the smell won’t get on your hair, skin or clothes. Don’t let this tiny issue scare you, because it is nothing when you consider the amazing benefits of the nut.

Soap nuts for hair are really amazing. They treat a number of diseases, such as a skin fungus, dandruff, and rashes on the body. It treats them by removing the causes of the disease. I mean it destroys the fungus, so that the problem disappears. The skin takes on a pristine state, free from flaking and irritation.

And these are not just empty words! I already did an experiment. The brave experimenter was my friend’s grandfather. He had washed his hair with conventional shampoo from the supermarket and had severe dandruff as a result. So we added few drops of shampoo (not that one he got dandruff from) to a soap nuts infusion. Actually the infusion can be used just on its own too. The first time you use this technique, you might find the absence of foam and the fact that it’s very liquid a bit odd, but believe me the results will exceed your expectations. And here is the most amazing part, after washing his hair twice, the dandruff disappeared! This is probably one of my successful experiments ever! So if you suffer from dandruff I strongly recommend you to try soap nuts.

Soap nuts can also be used to treat hair loss. I haven’t experimented with this yet, but I think the result will be also stunning, as I saw lots of very positive reviews over the Internet.

Soap nuts shampoo recipes

Soap nuts decoction

Using soap nuts can initially be troublesome. In order to make the decoction, you will have to boil nuts, and this should be done 1 – 2 times a week, because they can’t be stored longer. Also keep in mind that the shell of the nut is used, and not the nut itself.

To prepare the decoction, take 4 shells and pour them into a glass of water. Bring this to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes (boiling promotes the recovery of saponins and mixes them with water). The mixture that you get can be used as shampoo, liquid soap, shampoo for animals, cleaning detergent for dishes and other items. The absence of abundant foam will not affect the performance of the soap.

You can also use this decoction with other ingredients.

Here are some soap nuts recipes:

I boiled nuts in chamomile herbal tea- I just added one chamomile tea bag (you can use other herbs too), this way water will not have a bad smell while you are using it. Keep the liquid on your head for a minute, then massage and rinse off.

Here is another shampoo recipe. Take 2 tablespoons of mustard and mix it with boiling water until you have a thick cream consistency. Let this mixture sit for a couple of minutes, and then add 1 tablespoon of soap nuts decoction. You can use this as a simple shampoo.

You can also make the nut decoction into foam and use the foam to wash your hair. You can see more information about this in the video below.

If you fill that decoction hasn’t washed off thoroughly, use cider vinegar to rinse your hair.

Soap nuts for skin care

All owners of greasy, oily skin with blackheads and comedones, rejoice! These nuts can fix these problems also. Just use the soap nut decoction instead of your cleanser.

I am already using soap nuts on my skin, everyday in the morning and in the evening. I have noticed that my little red pimples have dried a little. I also love the feeling after washing my face; it’s like after using light baby soap. Also I can feel that all the impurities and excess of oil have been washed off and I can apply a moisturizer without worrying.

You can also use soap nuts instead of your shower gel. Just dip a bath sponge into the soap nuts and clean your body.

Soap nuts for laundry

I have just few words about using soap nuts for laundry. You can take 4 nuts and put them into a small cloth bag (which should come with the nuts) and just put this into a dishwasher or washing machine. You can use the same bag 3-4 times. The results are really great!

Benefits:

• Washing clothes, even with your hands, will no longer cause any dryness or irritation. Clothes will smell clean and like you used laundry detergent.
• You will remove another allergen and carcinogen from your daily life, as soap nuts from the laundry and the dishes wash off easily.

Where to buy soap nuts?

I bought mine from the local store; however, I also found some on the Internet. This online shop https://store.naturoli.com/ sells USDA and ECOCERT certified organic soap nuts. What is more amazing that they have beauty products based on soap nuts extract which is formulated with only the finest, pure healthy natural ingredients. Click here for more information.

I’m sure you already know how to make porridge. You are probably also aware of the health benefits from this food. However, do you know that you can use oatmeal for your beauty purposes? You already do? Hmm …

Yet, I bet you don’t know the most basic methods for using oatmeal in your skin care regime. I will provide those for you today. As always, first I will give you a little bit of theory and then later I will reveal the breathtakingly practical part.

Benefits of oatmeal

Oatmeal performs mini-miracles when it is applied to the skin. It whisks away dead cells, and cleans pores. Oats also are filled with natural cleansers that gently remove dirt and oil from the pores and skin surface.

Oats contain polysaccharides, which become gelatinous in water. This leaves a fine protective film on the skin that prevents dull and dryness, irritation, and redness. The end result is a soft, moist glow. Oatmeal is also effective for relieving insect stings, rashes, and eczema. It is an excellent tool for skin damaged sunburn or frostbite.

Oats are full of essential vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids. The proteins in oatmeal help maintain the skin’s natural barrier function. This ensures that potential toxins and pollutants from the world stay outside the skin, and what’s inside the skin stays in.

So now I present…

My magnificent ideas for using oatmeal milk in skin care

Yes, as I said, these ideas are magnificent .

Oatmeal Milk as a Cleanser

Oatmeal milk has softening, soothing and protective properties, as well as excellent tolerability. As a result, it offers wide applications, especially in the care of dry, hypersensitive skin. Oatmeal milk enriches the skin with oxygen and prevents redness. It contains proteins, polyphenols, organic acids, stimulators, trace elements, vitamins and substances that prevent the deposition of fat.

The preparation is very simple.

Ingredients:
1 glass oatmeal
1 liter of milk or water

Instructions:
Take a glass of washed oatmeal, pour a liter of milk or water and cook on a very low heat for 30 – 40 minutes, then strain. The result should be a sticky medley. This is oatmeal milk. Store it in a refrigerator for two three days.

The most simple method (and my favorite) is just wash your face with oatmeal milk. As I mentioned, oatmeal has a mild cleansing effect, like a gentle soap, so you can use it instead of cleanser. The result – a smooth skin tone and no irritations. This is a wonderful thing, especially in dealing with frostbitten cheeks in the winter.

Another option is that you can also use oats, which have been soaked for few minutes in a water, to wash you face. Take some wet oatmeal and gently wipe round your face. This will also provide a gentle scrubbing effect. You can even leave oatmeal on your face as a mask for 10-15 minutes.

Check also my oatmeal scrub recipes.

I also love to include oatmeal milk to my skin creams. Stay tuned I’ll publish some recipes soon.

Simple oatmeal bath recipe

Take two handfuls of raw oatmeal and pour them into a gauze. Tie this gauze together with a thread to make a little bag and throw it in the bath. Then wring this bag with your hands in the water so that white milk starts to leak out.

After taking the bath, don’t dare to throw this oatmeal-bag out! Instead, use this bag instead of a shower gel, or wipe your face with it. After these procedures, your skin will be nourished with vitamins, and your face will have improved color. Irritated skin will be calmed.

Every time you are ready to go through this process, make a new oatmeal-bag. Also I want to stress once again that you don’t need to boil the oatmeal. Just use it raw.

Bites, Irritations, Acne – Again Oatmeal is Your Salvation

To help with skin irritations, we will make the oatmeal-bag I mentioned above once again. However, now we will use oatmeal in conjunction with some of my other favorite ingredients, lavender and lovely rose petals.

This bag will relieve and heal abscesses, dryness and inflammation, including insect stings, rashes, and eczema.

Mix together oatmeal, dried rose petals and lavender in equal amounts. Pour this mixture into gauze, and then tie with a thread to make a bag. Drop the bag into hot water and let it soak for 5 minutes. Then take the bag out and squeeze out all the water. Place this bag on the affected area for about 5 minutes.

Important: After this procedure, wash your face with warm water and wipe with a towel. Don’t apply a moisturizer directly after this procedure. If you feel a tightening effect, apply it after at least 10 minutes.

Choose this procedure instead of your regular cleansing method for a few days until you notice that your problematic area has improved.

I also take this bag with me when I spend time in nature. You just need to pour it into water and you will have an amazing treatment to relieve any irritations from insect bites.

And now I would love to find out the answer to this question. How do you use oatmeal or oatmeal milk in your skin care routine?

Ingredients:
* 2 tablespoons of strawberry juice
* 1 glass of water or milk
* 1 teaspoon of glycerin

Instructions:
Mix strawberry with water or milk. Leave for one hour. Then add glycerin. Use to clean your face in the morning and evening.

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Ingredients:
* 2 tablespoons of oatmeal
* 2 glasses of boiled water or milk

Instructions:
Mix ingredients and leave for 1 hour. After clean your face every day in the morning and in the evening.

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Ingredients:
* 1 glass of milk
* 1 tablespoon of orange or banana pulp
* 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
* 1 tablespoon of sugar powder

Instructions:
Mix all the ingredients and put on a stove. Let it boil for 5 minutes, cool. Then apply to face and rinse off after 20 minutes.

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Ingredients:
* 3 plums
* 1 glass of water.

Instructions:
Clear plums from skin and remove pits. Fill them with water and boil for 15 minutes. After use liquid to clean your face every day.

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Ingredients:
* 1 peach fresh juice
* 1 egg yolk
* 1 teaspoon of cream

Instructions:
Mix all the ingredients. Clean your face with the liquid every day.

Ingredients:
* couple of cabbage leaves
* milk half glass of milk

Instructions:
Cut the leaves and fill them with hot milk. Leave for 30 – 40 minutes. Use the milk to clean your face.

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Ingredients:
* 1 egg yolk
* 1 tablespoon of olive oil
* 1 tablespoon of milk

Instructions:
Thoroughly mix all the ingredients. Wet cotton wool in this medley and clean your face. After 20 minutes rinse off.

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To moisturize dry skin clean face with sweet fruit juices: banana, pear, melon etc.

* * *

Ingredients:
* one apple
* 1 glass of milk

Instructions:
Clear apple from weeds and skin, grind apple. Mix with milk and boil for 20 minutes. Then apply this medley to face, after 20 minutes rinse off.

* * *

Ingredients:
* 1/4 glass of fresh melon juice
* 1/4 glass of milk

Instructions:
Mix the ingredients and clean your face.