The women of the Basque are very beautiful and approach skin care
in a most natural way.  Many of the tips have been handed down and
vary from family to family.  Here are a few from our family in the
Basque Country.
Face & eyes
  
Honey Facial Mask (Honey is antibacterial, This
treatment should be carried out once/twice a week.)
 Rinse Face with warm water to open up pores. Apply
tablespoon of honey and leave to settle for 30 minutes
Rinse with warm water using muslin cloth if desired. Rinse
with cold water to open pores.
Salt Glow Rub ( This acts as a natural exfoliant to be
used in the shower once a week.)
 Juice of 1 Lemon
2 teaspoons of Coarse Sea Salt
1 teaspoon of Olive Oil
Mix ingredients to form paste and use as a scrub in the shower.
Skin Pick me up ( a instant booster or an overnight
treatment,. The lemon acts as natural bleaching agent on
the skin and brightens it's appearance)
 Juice of half a lemon
1 Egg white
Add lemon juice to beaten egg white and massage onto the face
for 15 mins. Rinse with warm water and follow by cold water
to close pores. This treatment can be left on over night to
bring a sparkle to your skin.
Banana Anti Wrinkle Mask (All beauty sites have quoted
this recipe as an excellent formulation)
 Take one banana and mash it until it forms a creamy
consistency. Apply it to the face for 15 - 20 mins. Rinse with
warm water followed by  a cold rinse to close pores.
Under Eye Dark Circles (this is regarded to be a highly
effective treatment)
 2-3 drops of lemon juice
1-2 drops of honey. Mix together. Apply to the darkened area
and leave for 15 -30 mins. Rinse with warm water.
Eye treatment
 Before bed apply unscented castor oil in a thin film around
the eye. Plastic surgeons are known to use this on patients
after surgery.
Hair & Body
  
Hair Conditioner
 Heat half a cup of mayonaise and apply to dry unwashed hair.
Cover your hair with plastic (clingfilm works best). Leave on
the hair for 15 mins. Wash the hair and rinse well.
Hair Rinse (apple vinegar is most commonly used)
 Use a half cup of Vinegar in the final rinse of your hair. It
will restore shine and bounce.
Hair Conditioner
 Gently heat Olive Oil (4 Tablespoons) where it is warm to the
touch. Massage into a dry scalp leaving it for 15 minutes.
Wash the hair and rinse as usual.
Bathtime
 Add half a cup of powdered milk to your bath. It will leave
your skin feeling silky smooth.
Hands and Feet
 4 Drops of Lemon Juice
4 Teaspoons of Olive Oil
2 teaspoons of sugar
Mix together and massage into hands and feet. Wash with
warm water. You will be amazed how soft they feel. This
treatment is recommended twice weekly

Lavendar Bath
 This recipe is taken out of,    Natural Beauty from the Garden
  (Henry Holt 1999) and is an excellent way to relax and enjoy
the fresh lavender in bloom this time of year. The bath recipe
also includes oatmeal and baking soda, which are soothing to
dry, sensitive skin. This is an ideal bath for calming a bad
sunburn or insect bites -- it also makes a wonderful gift from
the garden.
Ingredients:
1 cup lavender flowers fresh or dried
2 cups oatmeal
1/2 cup baking soda

Directions:
Place all the ingredients inside a food processor or blender.
Grind until you have a smooth, fine powder. The powder should
have the consistency of whole grain flower. Pour into a clean,
airtight container. To use: Pour 1/2 cup into your bath as you
fill the tub.

Yield: 28 ounces, enough for seven baths.
Nail Treatment
 Soak Hands & Nails in a bowl of warmed Olive Oil for 20 mins
twice a week and watch how they stop cracking.








Benefits of Black Tea


Most of us know all about the health benefits and pleasures of drinking black tea, but what you may
not know is that tea is also a fabulous beauty aid. When applied to skin, its strong antioxidants along
with vitamins E and C fight the free radicals that can cause premature aging. And tea is also an
astringent that will help with puffy eyes and blemishes, as well as toning lips, perking up the complexion,
highlighting hair, and making our feet smell sweet.

Quick Fix for Puffy Eyes and/or Dark Circles
Make two cups of tea as usual, using two teabags. Place the used bags in the fridge. When needed,
simply lie down and place one teabag over each eye. Allow to remain for 10 to 20 minutes.

Blemish Control
Next time a blemish makes an unwelcome appearance, simply place a warm teabag on it for several
minutes. Remove the bag, but don’t rinse off the tea.

Simplest Astringent Ever
Just splash your face with warm or cool black tea and don’t rinse.

British Witch Astringent
Boil 1/4 cup water and add 2 teabags, steeping until cool. Remove the teabags, then add 1/4 cup
witch hazel. Pour into a clean container and keep in refrigerator for up to 10 days. Soak a cotton pad
with this astringent and apply to clean skin as often as needed.

Lip Toner
Tea will help your lips retain moisture and appear smooth: just apply a warm teabag to clean lips for 5
minutes. Don’t rinse.

Sunburn Relief Compress or Bath
Boil 2 cups of water, add 4 teabags, and steep for one hour. Refrigerate until cool. Soak a clean cloth
or cotton ball with the cool tea and apply to affected area, holding it in place for 15 minutes. Do not
rinse. Repeat up to four times a day. OR allow 5 or 6 teabags to steep in a tub of warm water. Soak in
the tub for 10 to 15 minutes.

Bug Bite Zapper
To reduce the swelling and itching of many insect bites, just apply a cool used teabag to the affected
area for several minutes.

Highlighting Hair Rinse
This will also darken hair while it adds shine and pretty highlights. Simply brew two cups of strong tea and
use to rinse damp shampooed hair.

Sweet Feet
The tannins in tea help to fight odor-causing bacteria. Simply soak feet in strong tea for several minutes,
then pat dry.

Helpful Hints:

Do be aware that very strong black tea can cause tan-like staining of skin. (In fact, if you want a tan
without sun exposure, strong tea can give it to you!)
MY fAMILY jUNGLE