Beauty Secrets

Gypsy Cures for Freckles

While freckles are fabulous, they haven’t always been considered the trademark of a gorgeous person. For centuries, beauty was sought in “flawless” skin and perfectly porcelain complexions. Freckled girls everywhere were constantly told they weren’t beautiful because of the dots that patterned their faces.

No more! As of late, freckles have become the must-have beauty essential. Having freckles is no longer just something you have to live with; it’s something to be desired.

If, however, you are not enjoying your freckles, here are some old Gypsy cures:

All you need is horseradish and milk. Scrape 2 tablespoons of the horseradish into a basin and pour half a pint of boiling milk over it. Don’t strain. When it is cold, use the mixture to cover the face thickly, especially any areas which may be heavily freckled. Leave to dry for half an hour, and then wash off with tepid water. Repeat at intervals of two or three days until the freckles have vanished.

Another way to discourage freckles is to gather the youngest leaves from an elm tree after rain or when the dew is on. Draw the leaves gently over the face leaving the liquid to dry on. Not only will this discourage freckles, it will also soften the skin and make it more beautiful.

Don’t worry if you are caught unawares on a lovely day and have no patent skin protection handy. All you need is a cucumber. Simply cut a slice and rub it over the face, neck and hands, leaving the juice to dry on. Not only will it give protection from sunburn it will freshen and revitalize the skin and also soften it, if left on overnight, it acts as a gentle astringent.

Queen of Hungary’s Water

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Legend has it that the early Gypsies formulated Queen of Hungary’s Water, and claimed it to be a cure-all. It is an excellent astringent for the face and a great rinse for dark hair. It combines gentle, common herbs in a masterful way, it’s easy and inexpensive to make, and it’s very versatile. The Gypsies claimed it was good as a hair rinse, mouthwash, headache remedy, aftershave, foot bath, and who knows what else!

To make it, combine:

  • 6 parts lemon balm
  • 4 parts chamomile
  • 1 part rosemary
  • 3 parts calendula
  • 4 parts roses
  • 1 part lemon peel
  • 1 part sage
  • 3 parts comfrey leaf

Chop herbs finely. Fresh herbs work best but high-quality dried herbs are next best. Place them in a clean, dry jar. If using dried herbs, fill the jar only half way to allow for expansion.

Heat raw organic apple cider vinegar to a warm (not hot) temperature. Pour in enough to completely cover the herbs with a margin of 2 or 3 inches. Seal the lid. Leave the jar in a warm spot and let the herbs soak for 4 to 6 weeks – the longer, the better. Shake the bottle daily.

Strain the liquid through a stainless steel strainer lined with cheesecloth or muslin. Place in dark cobalt or amber glass bottles, label, and store away from heat and light.

After aging and straining, add 1/2 to 1 cup rose water or witch hazel to each cup of herbal vinegar. Store in dropper or spray bottles. This product does not need refrigeration and will stay fresh indefinitely.

Because it stains, this blend is not recommended for light or white hair.

Source: The Whole Dog Journal

A Romani Facial

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A favorite Romani facial is a mixture of one egg with one tablespoonful each of honey and of milk. Beaten together, this is applied to the face and neck and left on for a period of ten to fifteen minutes before being washed off with warm water followed by cold water.

~Gypsy Love Magick

 

For Beautiful Hair

1a5e8e8ddcc908ce1662f98f1c1c6d60If you have very dry hair, warm some olive oil and apply it to the hair, using cotton balls. Work slowly over the head, working the oil in and being careful to cover the ends of the hair with the oil. Then dip a towel in hot water, wring it out, and wrap it around your hair. When the towel has cooled, reheat it and wrap it around again. Do this for a total of an hour, then thoroughly shampoo the hair.

~Raymond Buckland
~Gypsy Love Magick

Gypsy Beauty Secrets

2f19e10184caf66c36ea6256e8803cb7Gypsy women are some of the most beautiful women in the world. How do they get that way? Are they born beautiful? Many are, yes, but not all. And for those who are not, there are some closely kept beauty secrets.

To wash your face with dew every morning is believed to keep the complexion clear. Rain water also has been used, but these days of acid rain give one pause for thought.

Some Romani women will take a lock of their hair and bury it at the foot of a willow tree. This is said to promote luxuriant growth, making the hair glossy and attractive.

Many a Romani woman will never brush her hair in artificial light. She will either do it in the daylight or will sit outside and do it in the light of the moon.

~Raymond Buckland
~Gypsy Love Magick

The Gypsy Diet

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Diet was a very important part, not only of health, but also of beauty for the Romanies. Much of the malaise and depression around today stems from a sluggish system. Walking and fresh air help to combat this, but the best way to keep your system clear is to stick to a careful, sensible diet. Eat fruit, plenty of vegetables, salads, stewed prunes occasionally, take butter milk or malted milk. Eat sparingly of rice, pastry, pasta and sweets.

It is a fact that the true Romany only begins to grow old at around the eightieth year. What secrets enable them to keep their youth?

One of them – and this will disappoint meat lovers – is that they do not eat a lot of meat which is not, as is often thought, an essential part of the daily diet. On some days Romanies would make do with nuts, herbs and vegetables and avoid meat altogether, it does the stomach good to have a rest from it.

Eat plenty of cheese – it is full of protein to build strong teeth and bones and to keep the muscles firm. And there is a miracle of nourishment in an egg yolk – vitamins A,D,E,B1,B6, riboflavin, iron and calcium. Milk is also a valuable source of protein, fat and carbohydrate and you get essential vitamins from butter and margarine- butter provides calcium as well. There are foods that, even for the determined slimmers, should always be included in the diet. It can be dangerous to cut out starch completely. Wholewheat bread, for instance, contains calcium, iron, vitamins B1, B6 and E, riboflavin and nicotinic acid. Oatmeal is also a valuable source of these.

Potatoes were always part of the Romany staple diet, usually eaten the healthy way, baked in their jackets in the ashes of a fire. If you are boiling potatoes, don’t peel them, but just scrub the skin. Many minerals that we especially need are directly under the potato`s skin and are completely lost when they are peeled and then boiled. Continue reading

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