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Herbs & Cultures

Natural skin and hair care

Body powder

A soft powder of clay, arrowroot and rice.

Used for

Time
5 minutes
Makes
About 330 g
Lavender

Kaolin, arrowroot and rice flour absorb moisture without talc. Lavender powder and an essential oil of your choice add scent.

Ingredients

  • 120 g kaolin
  • 120 g arrowroot powder
  • 60 g rice flour
  • 30 g lavender powder
  • 10 drops essential oil of your choice, such as angelica, bergamot, bay laurel, cedarwood, dill, frankincense, myrrh or sandalwood

Step by step

  1. Mix the clay, arrowroot, rice flour and lavender powder in a bowl.
  2. Add the essential oil drop by drop while stirring, so that everything is evenly distributed.
  3. Sprinkle on the skin whenever you like.

Registry

Herbs in this recipe

Read more about effects and safety on each herb’s page.

  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 44

    Lavender

    Lavandula angustifolia

    A fragrant plant used in bath products, perfume, and aromatherapy. Evidence for medical effects is preliminary.

    Greco-Roman medicine+4Folklore
  • Caution

    Central America and the Caribbean · Herb · № 391

    Arrowroot

    Maranta arundinacea

    Traditionally attributed effects: absorbs moisture.

  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 60

    Garden angelica

    Angelica archangelica

    An aromatic bitter traditionally used for bloating, poor appetite and colds. Clinical evidence is limited.

    Monastic and folk knowledge+2Folklore
  • Caution

    Europe · Food · № 10

    Bergamot

    Citrus bergamia

    The peel yields bergamot oil, a fragrance in perfume and Earl Grey tea. The oil contains bergapten, which makes the skin sensitive to sunlight. Health claims are not well studied.

    Folk magic and herbal magicFolklore
  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 213

    Bay laurel

    Laurus nobilis

    Bay leaf is a culinary herb containing cineole and eugenol. The oil of the berries was used externally for muscle pain; a medicinal effect has hardly been studied.

    Greco-Roman medicine+1Folklore
  • Caution

    Africa · Herb · № 375

    Atlas cedar

    Cedrus atlantica

    Cedarwood oil is used in hair products against dandruff and as a fragrance. A small study of an oil blend for hair loss (alopecia areata) found improvement, but the effect of the cedar itself has not been established.

    Local African healing traditions+1Folklore
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 215

    Dill

    Anethum graveolens

    Traditionally attributed effects: carminative.

    Ayurveda+4Folklore
  • Caution

    Africa · Herb · № 373

    Frankincense

    Boswellia sacra

    The resin is mainly used as incense and fragrance. Extracts of related Boswellia species have been studied for osteoarthritis, with modest and variable results.

    Ancient Egyptian medicine+4Folklore
  • Caution

    Africa · Other · № 28

    Myrrh

    Commiphora myrrha

    A gum resin with a long history in medicine, ritual, perfume, and incense. Modern treatment claims are not established.

    Ancient Egyptian medicine+6Folklore
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 140

    Sandalwood

    Santalum album

    Used in Ayurveda as a 'cooling' remedy for skin irritation and urinary complaints; the oil is used in aromatherapy. Clinical evidence is limited.

    Ayurveda+6Folklore

Cultures and traditions

Where the herbs come from

These traditions know the herbs in this recipe.