Page:Australian enquiry book of household and general information.djvu/146

 it. If neck, arms and face is sponged with this and it is allowed to dry on mosquitoes will never attempt to bite. The decoction is not sticky or unpleasant.

Face Cream. (Very good.)—White wax one ounce, dissolve in four ounces of oil of almonds by a gentle heat. Then separately dissolve half a drachm of borax in some rose water just warmed a little, and add it to the oil of almonds and wax. Lastly stir in four or five drops of oil of roses. Stir well and apply at night.

To Take Off Seaside Sunburn.—Into about half a cup of boiling water put a small pinch of borax and a lump of gum-arabic about the size of a small nut. Then dissolve a little bit of camphor in a teaspoonful of eau-de-cologne, or if you use the spirits about half a teaspoonful, add this to the boiling water and gum arabic with a teaspoonful of glycerine. Put this mixture into a bottle, shake well and after bathing the face with water as hot as can be borne, apply some to the face, and repeat it every night while at the seaside or till the sunburn is gone and the skin smooth and clear. When riding in the hot sun the very best veil to wear is of book muslin. In the bush where one need not have regard to appearances and "what the world says," the most suitable veil covering is made like a bag of white book muslin, put right over the hat and long enough to reach to the shoulders so as to protect the neck and throat. For boating this should be a very good protection too, and it is not any hotter than gossamer.

To Soften the Skin.—Pour some boiling water over a few spoonsful of oatmeal and let it stand some hours. At bed time wash the face and hands in the starch water. Distilled water is used for washing the face by nearly all our most beautiful actresses. For oily or greasy skins a few drops of spirits of camphor to the washing water is beneficial. Only some skins can use glycerine with good results. Never use too much glycerine as in time it darkens the skin. Borax is also a good addition to washing water. It softens and improves the skin. Every toilet table should be furnished with a bottle of ammonia and a few drops put into every bath, hot or cold, particularly in hot weather, and for people who perspire much as it takes off all unpleasantness. To remove sunburn, mutton fat rendered down and rubbed on is excellent.

'''For Freckles. No 1.'''—Slice a green cucumber into skim milk, let it stand an hour and use the milk liberally, rubbing it well in. The water from the cucumber alone is very good. An old-fashioned remedy is a decoction of tansy and buttermilk, but nothing is better than the cucumber water, though melon water is just as good.

'''For Freckles. No. 2.'''—Scrape two tablespoonsful of horse radish into a breakfast cup of sour milk. Let it stand 24 hours then use frequently.

A Good Complexion Wash after Illness.—Into half a pint (one cupful) of distilled water put half an ounce of chlorate of potash, one ounce of glycerine and four ounces of rose water. Rub well into the face night and morning and before going out at all. A few drops of ammonia in tepid water will soften and cleanse the skin.

To Remove Sunburn.—Beat together the whites of two eggs and the juice of two lemons just till it will pour from a spoon. Place the cup or basin in the oven for 15 or 20 minutes or just till it is cooked and stir occassionallyoccasionally [sic]. Apply at bedtime.

Another remedy.—Directly you come in cover the parts burned with a paste of starch and cold water. The effect of this is to ease the soreness and smarting.

Another remedy.—Take one drachm of alum, two drachms of borax, one drachm of camphor, half an ounce of sugar candy, and one pound of ox gall. Mix and stir these ingredients together for ten minutes or so, and repeat the stirrings three or four times a day till the mixture is clear; strain and bottle