Skin Lightening To Whiten the Skin, unknown date
Hands, freckled, tanned and generally rough from out-of-door sports in summer will sooner come back into condition if they receive regular treatment immediately on coming back to town. Almond meal will hasten the softening process; a gentle bleach put on at once will shortly act upon the discoloration, while a final application of tincture of benzoin is excellent.
Almond meal is to take the place of soap, and a good preparation of it is made from four ounces of best almond meal made from ground Jordan almonds, one ounce of powdered orris root, two ounces of castile soap reduced to a powder, one thirty-second of an ounce of on of bergamot, one-sixteenth of a dram of bitter almond oil and a few drops of musk. All the ingredients are well mixed by sifting frequently, and the preparation is kept in a tightly covered glass jar. It is used as soap would be, the hands being wet; and a small quantity of powder, being scattered into the paims, which then are rubbed together. A nail brush which is not stiff may be used, if desired. Wiping afterward should be done with extreme care so that all dampness shall be removed. Immediately afterward they may be wiped over with fresh lemon juice. The best way of using this is to have a new piece of fruit on the washstand every day, cutting off a slice as needed, to rub over the skin. The juice dries on. After a few moments a mixture of benzoin and water, an ounce of the former, in tincture, to half a pint of the latter may be put on, patting the backs of the hands gently with a soft cloth wet in the bath. Benzoin, be it understood, is refining and softening to the skin, and the application just given may be used freely on the face.