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Natural beauty

Agony Aunt, Wendyl Nissen reveals her green secrets for making your own cosmetics at home.

Dear Wendyl,

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I loved your collection of natural cleaning recipes (WW, 30 June). My question is, do you have any recipes for home-made beauty products? I’ve often thought about making my own but don’t know where to start. Any ideas?

Jane, email

Dear Jane,

of course I have. However, I’m still in the early stages with these. There’s a great night cream coming up on April in the Afternoon but it uses cider vinegar so it takes a husband with no sense of smell not to complain that he’s spending the night with a salad dressing.

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The other day I revisited a book I bought years ago, The Make-Your-own Cosmetic and Fragrance Book for New Zealanders by Elizabeth Francke.

Below is a recipe from the original inventor of cold cream – the Greek doctor and philosopher Galen – who first made it 2000 years ago.

Cold cream gets its name from the cooling sensation you feel as the rosewater evaporates from your skin. It is really lovely, easy to make and incredibly moisturising. For more recipes, see if you can find the book at the library; Auckland City Libraries has a few copies.

Cold Cream 84ml olive oil (I used extra-virgin) 28g beeswax 28ml rosewater

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Put oil and beeswax in a glass jar and stand in a pan of hot water on the stove to warm until the wax has just melted. Warm the rosewater and, while stirring, add it slowly to the oil/wax mixture. Remove jar from the pan of hot water and stir until cream cools.

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