June/July 1997
By Janice Cox
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Simple, fragrant beauty products such as the cologne, dusting powder, hair gel, and facial toner shown at left start with herbs and flowers from the garden.
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Recipes:
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Under the sultry summer sun, being beautiful takes some pampering. This is the season of natural beauty, when we want smooth, healthy, glowing skin, when we want to be cool and carefree, when we want to be outdoors for hours, tending our gardens or off on adventures, always feeling comfortable and looking our best. The reality is that at this time of year, hair gets messy, skin appears oily, lips chap and dry out, and we perspire. It’s easy to wilt in summer’s heat and humidity, no matter how we wish we looked.
Over the years, I’ve developed many recipes for simple beauty products that are easily made from common ingredients, including the fresh herbs and flowers that are in such abundant supply in summer. Here are several recipes that help me look and feel my best, even as the thermometer climbs beyond the comfortable. They’re fun to make and use, and some are so easy they can be put together in a matter of minutes.
Warm weather stimulates oil glands to become more active and makes people perspire more, and because we spend more time outside, we get dirtier than in cooler seasons. Frequent showers help, as does washing our face more often. I love the feel of a good mask to deep-clean facial skin and help it retain moisture. My Rose Hip Mask is well suited to most skin types; I use it about twice a week in the summer. I also use a mildly astringent Parsley and Mint Toner daily. I carry it with me in a small spritzer bottle that’s easy to pull out for a quick and refreshing pick-me-up—a lifesaver on a hot day.
When the heat and humidity increase, stay cool and comfortable by dressing in loose, natural-fiber clothing, and try a dusting of Cooling Peppermint Body Powder. For an indulgent, energizing feeling, use a big, fluffy powder puff to apply the silky powder after bathing.