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World history is peppered with facts about how our ancestors concocted ointments and unguents to treat skin problems and to keep them looking fresh and young. Ingredients such as herbs, animal products and esoteric materials were part and parcel of many a person's cosmetics collection in the olden days. Part of this tradition survives today, in the form of natural skin care products and homemade pimple treatments.
Legend has it that the Egyptian queen Cleopatra used to bathe in milk to keep her skin looking young. One of the more popular homemade pimple treatments today still involves the use of milk: eggs, milk and flour are beaten together to form a paste, which is then applied to the face. This is believed to reduce the inflammation caused by pimples.
Honey, on the other hand, was used by the ancient Greeks to maintain clear skin and a radiant complexion. Today, New Zealand's active manuka honey (as opposed to ordinary manuka honey) is gaining popularity as a natural skin care product because of its antibacterial properties. It also figures in many recipes for homemade pimple treatments, one of which is a mixture of onion juice, kaolin and honey that is massaged lightly onto the skin to prevent and reduce acne.
The avocado is another ingredient in natural skin care treatments used by ancient civilizations. The Mayas, Aztecs and Incas believed that avocados nourished the skin and kept it healthy. Today, practitioners of and believers in Chinese medicine swear by the effectiveness of a homemade recipe that combines avocado, wheat germ and almond oils in treating acne. Natural skin care strategies in the form of fruits were also utilized by the ancients in East India, and today many of us still incorporate fruit ingredients in our skin care regimens. Orange peels, cucumber leaves, basil leaves, lemon juice and fresh mint juice all have either antibacterial or anti-inflammatory properties that can alleviate acne problems.
Homemade pimple treatments require the simplest ingredients that are readily available at home or in the nearest grocery. They are easy to make and convenient to use. For the increasing number of acne-suffering individuals who are preferring natural skin care over chemical, synthetic products, homemade pimple treatments are simply the way to go.
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