Using a naturally grown bandage for minor skin cuts, scrapes, and burns has advantages over those generic bandages that can be bought in a box at a drugstore. Plants such as lamb’s ear and marsh woundwort have built-in antibacterial properties that can be directly applied to the skin, and an animal product like egg membrane can heal a burn faster than sutures. These natural bandages are a perfect alternative for protecting and healing skin wounds without leaving tape marks or pulling out small body hairs. To speed the healing process, add a drop of aloe juice or Manuka honey to the wound before placing a natural bandage over it. Use a small length of cotton yarn to tie the bandage in place without cutting off the blood flow.

Lamb’s Ear

Lamb’s ear (Stachys byzantina, see image above) is a member of the mint family (Lamiaceae). The plant is a leafy, silvery-gray perennial with small purple or pink flowers that blossom during the summer months. The leaves are very soft and pliable, with a nap of woolly hairs that feel like a silk carpet when touched. Lamb’s ear contains a natural astringent that cleanses skin wounds in lieu of isopropyl alcohol. Blood clots quickly at the touch of a lamb’s ear leaf. The pliable leaves make it perfect for wrapping around a wound on a finger or arm.

Marsh Woundwort

Marsh woundwort(Stachys palustris) sometimes referred to as clown’s woundwort, which is also a member of the mint family, is related to lamb’s ear and possesses many of the same healing properties. The leaves of this plant are antibacterial and will cleanse any minor skin wounds. Use a small, narrow leaf and wrap it around the affected area of the skin.

Egg Membrane

A chicken egg membrane can also be used for healing minor skin cuts, especially cuts which result in tiny flaps of skin. Wash the skin wound under cold water to prevent any further bacteria from entering. Gently set the skin flap over the wound where it was cut. The egg membrane will seal the flap back into place as it heals. Crack open an egg and peel away the membrane from one half of the eggshell. Wrap the membrane around the skin wound. The membrane will stick to itself so there is no need to tie the bandage in place as with the lamb’s ear or marsh woundwort. Once the wound has healed, remove the hardened egg membrane by softening it with a little bit of warm water.

Sources: 

• Medicinal Garden Starter Plant: Wooly Lamb’s Ear – fig & honey
• Marsh Woundwort- Potential Use As Vegetable: History, Uses and Health Benefits of Marsh Woundwort –Herbs Treat and Taste
• Eggs as a Bandage: Prepper First Aid – The Great Northern Prepper

A peaches-and-cream complexion with a picture-perfect, porcelain skin – isn’t that every woman’s dream? Irrespective of the profession you’re in, or the age bracket you fall under, it is important to have flawless skin. It goes a long way in enhancing your beauty and adding to your charisma.

Today, both men and women lead extremely hectic and stressful lives. Lack of sleep, inadequate nutrition, exposure to pollution, alcohol use, and smoking contribute to unhealthy skin. Sure, there are a lot of skin-care products that are readily available, but most of them are loaded with chemicals. They may help you get clear skin now, but may not be good for you in the long-term.

What you need is something natural, something that will give you the desired results without any of the short-term or long-term side-effects.

Here are a few home remedies for naturally gorgeous and clear skin, using ingredients right out of your pantry.

1. Honey and Cinnamon Face Mask

This is a great face mask that can be concocted using just two ingredients. The mask is effective in fighting acne as both honey and cinnamon have anti-microbial properties. Here’s how you make it:

You will need

1. 2 tablespoon honey
2. 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Usage

• Rinse your face and pat dry it.
• Mix the honey and the cinnamon together until they have formed a smooth paste.
• Apply this paste to your face and leave it on for around 10-15 minutes.
• Rinse your face completely and pat dry.

2. Apple Cider Vinegar Toner

Another anti-acne remedy that can kill off the troublemaking bacteria, it is great to be used as an astringent which can dry up all the excess oil on your skin. Further, it is alkaline in nature and balances the pH level of your skin, which makes it harder for bacteria to thrive on it. Here’s how you use it:

You will need

1. Unfiltered apple cider vinegar
2. Fresh water

Usage

• Wash your face and pat dry.
• Take 1 part vinegar and dilute it with 3 parts water to make a solution.
• Using a cotton ball, apply this solution directly to your acne/blemishes.
• Leave it on for around 10 minutes. Wash your face and pat dry.
• Reapply this solution several times during the day, washing your face thoroughly after each application.
• Make it a point to use a good moisturizer afterwards, if you feel your skin becoming drier than usual. You may want to consider using coconut oil for moisturizing due to its antimicrobial, antifungal, and antibacterial properties, which go a long way in preventing breakouts.

3. Honey and Strawberry Face Scrub

Strawberries are well known for being high in salicylic acid, which is an important ingredient in many commercial acne-treatment products. It allows the skin to shed its dead cells more readily, opens up clogged pores, and clears the hidden bacteria. After use, it also shrinks the pores to a certain degree, which prevents them from clogging up further. Strawberries combined with honey, which is antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, make for a sweet way to fight acne!

You will need

1. 3 strawberries
2. 2 teaspoon raw honey

Usage

• Wash your face and pat dry.
• Wash the strawberries and mash them a little. (Mashing them too much will make them runny, and we don’t want that).
• Add the honey to the strawberries and thoroughly mix them together.
• Apply this mixture to your face. Massage it and let it rest for about 15-20 minutes.
• Wash your face with water and pat dry.
• If your skin feels drier than usual, use a good moisturizer. Coconut oil is great for hydrating skin as it deep-conditions and softens your skin.
• Use this scrub twice a week for a month to see the effects.

4. Sodium Bicarbonate Mask/Scrub

This wonderful ingredient works its magic not only in cakes, but also on your skin. It is great for treating acne-prone skin, thanks to its mild antiseptic properties, which make it fight bacteria and fungus. It also helps dry up the excess oil on your skin, and exfoliate it via the process of microdermabrasion.

You will need

1. Baking soda
2. Water

Usage

The great thing about this recipe is that it can be used as a facial mask as well as a scrub. The procedure of preparation differs though.

For a mask:

• Mix equal parts of baking soda and water to form a thick paste.
  Rub it on your skin in slow circular motions for a couple of minutes.
• Leave it on for around 15 minutes.
• Rinse thoroughly and pat dry your face. Moisturize, if needed.

For a scrub:

• Mix half a cup of baking soda with 1/4th cup water.
• Apply the scrub to your face, massaging it in thoroughly.
• Leave it on for around 5 minutes and rinse well.
• Pat your face dry and moisturize, if needed.

Conclusion

The above recipes are not only effective, they are easy to make. The natural and easily-available ingredients will ensure that you do not waste another penny on those chemical-laden, skin-care products ever again. And the best thing is you will never have to worry about suffering the side-effects; you can simply enjoy your beautiful, clear skin. All you need is a little discipline and dedication in preparing and applying these treatments regularly. You should see the desired results in no time.

Recommended Supplements:

• Shillington’s Kidney/ Bladder Formula
• Shillington’s Liver/Gallbladder Formula
• Shillington’s Blood Detox
• Oil of Oregano – Gaia Herbs
• Coconut Oil
• Lymphagogue Compound – Wise Woman Herbals
• Lavender Essential Oil – Wise Woman Herbals

Further Reading:

• Natural Remedies for Acne
• Healthy Skin
• How to Kill Candida and Balance Your Inner Ecosystem
• The Power of Our Hormones and How To Balance Them
• Make Your Immune System Bulletproof with These Natural Remedies
• Inexpensive Easy Detox The One Gallon Challenge

Rumor has it that some people have found their fountain of youth. While one may easily think this is all thanks to modern cosmetic and beauty procedures, you can actually stay young and healthy naturally without the ridiculous cost. How? Let’s take it from the Queen Bee, shall we?

The use of honey bee products for beauty can be traced back as far as Cleopatra’s reign in Nile, Egypt.  Cleopatra was one of the earliest historical figures who used honey (and milk) in their baths to pamper their skin. Thanks to modern research, we now know that the famous Egyptian queen was onto something when she included honey in her beauty regimen.

Honey is known to have natural antibacterial properties, making it a popular chemical free skincare alternative for acne treatment and prevention. It’s also naturally rich in antioxidants, so it’s of little surprise to find honey in many anti-ageing beauty products today.

Honey is also used as a skin moisturizer to keep the skin well-soothed, glowing, and freshly hydrated. Honey is also great for improving complexion and unclogging pores because of its antimicrobial and clarifying properties.

Now that we know the basic skin care benefits of honey, let’s move on to different ways we can take advantage of it to achieve  youthful and better-looking skin. Here are several home treatments you can easily do to incorporate honey into your beauty regimen:

Moisturizing Facial Mask

Tired of having to deal with dry skin? With its natural humectant properties, you can bring honey to the rescue. Clean your face with your usual soap and cleanser, and pat it dry. Get a teaspoon of raw honey and spread it liberally onto your face. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes for long-lasting and more effective hydration. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water. This beauty regimen also unclogs your pores.

Natural Exfoliator

While you can easily get your beauty treatment at your favorite spa or skin clinic, it’s still more relaxing and cost-effective if you do it at home. Exfoliating skin is highly recommended 1-3 times a week (depending on skin type and condition) to remove dead skin cells. You can make a gentle scrub with honey and baking soda (2 parts to 1 part, respectively). Baking soda powder has light exfoliation properties. Honey, as we already know, has moisturizing and clarifying properties, making this combo a simple and natural concoction to effectively soothe and exfoliate skin. And don’t just limit it to your face – it’s great for the whole body, too.

Acne Treatment 

One of the most common causes of acne is a build-up of bacteria and dirt on the skin. Honey’s antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties can help by preventing bacterial build-up and by soothing the skin irritation and redness caused by acne. Raw honey is recommended because of its unfiltered composition. For acne treatment, simply apply a thin layer of raw honey and let it sit on your skin for 10-30 minutes. Remember, do not rub your skin; rubbing will further irritate your acne. Rinse well with lukewarm water and pat your skin dry.

Hair Mask

Let’s have a quick rundown here as to why honey can be great for hair care and hair growth:

• Honey is a natural emollient, meaning it’s a great organic alternative for hair conditioning because of its softening and smoothening properties.
• Its antioxidant properties are great for scalp care and hair growth.
• As a humectant and with its high sugar content, honey can add and help retain moisture to the hair and scalp.
• Honey’s antimicrobial properties help prevent scalp problems and infections, such as common dandruff and itchiness.

To use honey for your hair mask, you’ll also need olive oil (extra virgin preferred) and lemon (alternative: whipped yogurt). Create a concoction out of 2 tablespoons honey and 3 tablespoons olive oil. Heat together with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Apply and leave the lukewarm mixture unto scalp and hair for 30 minutes or longer. Rinse and wash off.

While honey has some amazing benefits, some people are just naturally allergic to it, so it’s still recommended to do a skin test before you use it. The tips mentioned here are basic. You can experiment depending on your needs. Remember that there are a lot of natural products you can actually use; you just have to do some research and careful experimentation to develop the beauty regimen that is perfect for you.

Further Reading:

• Healthy Remedies for Acne
• Healthy Skin

Sources:

• Chemical free skin care alternative
• Manuka Honey Medicinal Uses