| Astringents are very valuable in the fight against acne | | | | Here is a simple recipe for making an astringent and |
| and its associated oily skin, with sebum blocking the | | | | can be made at home quite easily. Take 5 parts |
| pores and this leading to infection and eventual spots | | | | lemon, 3 parts chamomile, 1 part rosemary, 1 part |
| and blemishes. Herbal astringents can be used to | | | | lemon rind, 1 parts sage and vinegar to cover and |
| clean excess sebum from the skin. Astringent | | | | essential oil of lavender. Put all herbs in a wide-necked |
| treatments bring about a shrinking of mucous tissues | | | | jar. Add vinegar to come about an inch over the |
| or exposed membranes and are sometimes used | | | | herbal mixture. Cover tightly and let it rest in a fairly |
| internally to check the flow of blood serum or | | | | warm place for three to four weeks. Strain the liquid |
| mucous secretions. This happens with sore throats, | | | | and add 1 cup of rose water. Add some drops of |
| bleeds or with stomach ulcers. When used topically | | | | your favourite essential oil. This herbal astringent |
| on the body, astringents, which cause mild clumping | | | | does not need to be cooled in the fridge and will stay |
| of skin proteins, dry out, harden, and protect the skin | | | | preserved indefinitely. |
| surface. Acne patients are advised by their doctor to | | | | When applied to the skin, the effect is like a |
| apply astringents, if they have and oily or greasy skin. | | | | tightening up of the tissues. This feels really quite |
| Astringents also help heal and fade scar tissue. Mild | | | | good, if you, like me have a very oily skin, that |
| astringent solutions are used to help minor skin | | | | drying effect feels very satisfying. When the |
| superficial cuts, skin allergies, bug bites, or fungal skin | | | | astringent is applied to the skin with cotton wool, the |
| infections such as athlete's foot. | | | | amount of dirt it removes is quite amazing, especially |
| Examples of astringent agents include alum, oatmeal, | | | | around the nose and chin areas, where there are high |
| acacia, sage, witch hazel, bayberry, vinegar, very cold | | | | levels of oil and grease output from the pores of the |
| water, and rubbing alcohol. Astringents include silver | | | | skin. All in all, astringents are good for any skin type, |
| nitrate, potassium permanganate, zinc oxide, zinc | | | | but especially for acne and oily skins. I would ask you |
| sulphate, tincture of benzoin, and vegetable sources | | | | to try these natural herbal astringents on your skin |
| such as tannic and gallic acids. | | | | and feel the dramatic effects. |