NaturalMedications

An old French recipe uses fresh cucumber juice.

Cucumbers are said to be excellent bleaching agents for the skin, and can be used on brown spots. To make a lotion, mix 1 tsp of the cucumber juice with 2 tsps of water. Apply once in the morning and once at night, letting it dry on the skin.

Freckles

Mild cases may be helped by using borax dissolved in rose water, applying several times a day. Another method is to dampen the finger tips, dip in powdered saltpeter and apply directly to the freckles. Repeat until they disappear. Another, to cover the face with almond paste and then pat lemon juice into the skin which will remove some of the freckles. Keep out of the sun and hot wind and do not go into the sun when the face, hands and arms are wet.

In France, a freckle lotion is made from 1 oz. of

powdered alum and 1 oz. of lemon juice in a pint of rose water. Shake well and apply.

In Israel, brown spots are treated with a paste made by mashing 1/3 cup of chickpeas in a little water. Smear on the paste and leave it on until dry and crumbly. Wash completely. You can apply this mixture daily.

If there are brown spots on the hands, a saturated solution of hyposulphite of soda may be used. Use it freely, it is not always effective.

The citric acid in lemons provides a safe, but powerful, astringent, drying out excess skin oils. The juice also helps to lighten freckles, especially if treated areas are carefully exposed to sunlight. Short term exposure to the sun has a bleaching effect. Long term exposure just creates more freckles.

Women on the islands of the South Pacific know that

papaya juice helps remove skin blemishes and lighten freckles. Squeeze the juice straigt from the papaya and rub it into the skin. An enzyme in the juice removes dead surface cells. The result is wonderfully smooth, soft skin.