Wallace Stevens ("Peter Quince at the Clavier")

What an appealing concept. To be able to take a summer bath in one's garden amidst the flowers and herbs. However, in view of possible neighbourly objections (or inappropriate glee), perhaps it's best to bring one's garden indoors and then have your bath.

Wallace Stevens goes on to write in the same poem, "Beauty is immortal in the mind-/The fitful tracing of a portal;/But in the flesh it is immortal./The body dies; the body's beauty lives." Indeed, the ancient Egyptians adorned and anointed their dead to preserve the body and make it more attractive for the world beyond. This practice evolved into intricate customs of beauty preparations for religious and other ceremonies. The ancient Greeks personalized beauty preparations, with an emphasis on beauty as another aspect of total health and well-being for the individual.

By Elizabethan times, there was an awareness of the vital role a healthy skin played in the pursuit of beauty and recipes for soaps, salves and herbal beauty preparations were passed down through generations. As Shakespeare wrote, "Beauty provoketh thieves sooner than gold."

The modern cosmetic industry was born in 1846 when Theron T. Pond developed his "Pond's Extract." Today's cosmetics are expensive mainly due to their high profit margins and the fancy packaging and marketing costs. The actual ingredients are cheap. But along with these cheap ingredients comes a host of health problems including allergies and chemical sensitivities due to the preservatives and synthetic fragrances and colourings.

With just a little time and knowledge it's possible to return to those healthy, inexpensive bath and beauty preparations of our ancestors. Most of the ingredients are readily available in your local grocery store. When you make your own bath and beauty products you know that you're using only fresh, natural ingredients. You can customize your natural cosmetics to match your skin and hair type and colour and you can scent them with your favourite herbs and essential oils.

For example: · The African Aloe plant can be found in most floral departments. The ability of this attractive house plant to heal burns and wounds and to keep skin fresh and supple has both anecdotal and scientific backing. Aloe is added to many creams and lotions, but studies show that aloe's healing properties atrophy in storage. Fresh aloe gel produces the best results. Simply slice open a leaf and apply the gel directly to the skin. · Apple cider vinegar is a soothing astringent that relieves itchy, dry, scaly skin and restores the natural pH (acid-alkaline balance). Add 1-2 cups to bath water or 2 Tbsp. to 1 cup of water for a hair rinse. Massage into hair and then rinse for smooth, shiny hair. · Arrowroot powder makes a soft, gentle base for herbal body powders. · Bentonite clay, found in many places in Canada, has a tightening effect on the skin and absorbs excess oils. It is also used internally to combat yeast infection or candida albicans. · Borax, also known as sodium borate, can be used as a natural water softener and emulsifier. It is also mildly antiseptic. · Coconut oil is one of the best natural emollients for softening and relaxing the skin. Many people claim that there's nothing better for making the skin silky and supple and as an after-sun treatment and hair conditioner. · Cornmeal makes an effective exfoliant for removing dead skin. · Cucumber (the strained pulp or juice) is soothing, gently astringent and has a mild bleaching action, aiding in the removal of dead skin cells. Cucumber slices placed on eyelids eliminate puffiness. · Grapeseed oil is emollient and non-allergenic. It is recommended for massage and bath oils especially for mature and delicate skin because it is light and non-greasy. · Lemons are a powerful astringent. They will revitalize, sanitize and bleach the hair and skin and help restore the natural pH. Place a scooped out half lemon on your elbows to soften and lighten coarse, dark skin. · Papaya contains a powerful protein-digesting enzyme that removes dead skin. It also helps restore the skin's natural pH level. · Parsley is soothing and healing for acne, eczema and psoriasis. It also makes a good hair conditioner. · Rhubarb roots, crushed and simmered in water make a brightening hair rinse for blonde or light brown hair. It will also emphasize blonde highlights. · Rosemary is a mild astringent that will darken and condition hair, along with stimulating hair growth. Rosemary is fragrant and invigorating, especially for circulation. It will alleviate aching muscles when added to your bath. · Rosewater is a very mild astringent and makes an excellent cleanser for dry skin when mixed half and half with glycerin. Since Roman times, the soothing, healing and beautifying action of herbal baths has been well known and in herbal magic a bath was regarded as the most effective way of diffusing the herb's power over the whole body. Basically there are three ways to prepare an herbal bath: 1. Make an infusion of the herb, just as if you were making a cup of herb tea. Use one teaspoon of the dried herb to one cup of boiling water. Allow to steep for about 10 minutes, strain and add to the bath. 2. Place your herbs (preferably fresh) in a cheesecloth bag and add to the bath while it's running. 3. Use essential oils. This is more expensive - although only a few drops are required - but more fragrant and arguably more therapeutic from an aromatherapy point of view. Essential oils can also be blended with sea salt or Epsom salts to make a salt bath; especially soothing for sore, aching muscles. So, whether for your hair, skin or overall beauty and well-being, it's fun and economical to return to grandmother's beauty regime. A trip to your local store is all that's required.

Papaya Face Pack · 4 medium ripe papayas · 1½ tsp. (7.5ml) aloe juice or gel · 4 Tbsp. of bentonite clay. Possible substitutions include: green clay, French clay or kaolin (China clay)

Peel and seed the papayas and blend the flesh in a food processor until smooth. Add the aloe and clay and blend some more. Spoon the mixture into a lidded glass jar with a rubber seal. Store in the refrigerator and use within five days. Spread the face pack over your face and leave for 20 minutes before rinsing off. As with all skin treatments, it is advisable to test the paste on a small area of your skin (e.g. under your forearm) before applying to test for sensitivities and allergies.

Rosemary Hair Rinse
· ½ cup of dried rosemary
· 1 tsp. of borax
· 4 cups of distilled or filtered water.
Bring the water to the boil and remove from heat. Add the rosemary and borax, stir, cover and steep for about two hours. Then strain and bottle. Use as the final rinse after shampooing and conditioning. Do not rinse out. This rinse will give your hair lustre and body and is especially good for dull, lifeless and flaky hair. Be aware that it may stain lightly-coloured towels. Discard the rinse if you haven't used it within 10 days.