Henna: Sanskrit:
Madayantika, Hindi: Mehndi.
Thy henna lies soaking in a fine red bowl.
The love juice of henna is a lovely
tint.
O Lady, who has painted thy hands?
The love juice of henna is a lovely
tint.
O Lady, put thy hand on my heart.
The love juice of henna is a lovely
tint. ~ Folk song of Rajasthan
Henna has found it’s way
throughout many aspects of the way of life in
India, from dyeing hair and beards,
to being a physical and symbolic representation of a major life change. The
night before your wedding, it is called the “night of henna”, where the bride’s
palms and soles of her feet are decorated with popular floral and fertility
designs. The henna, or mendhi?, is made of dried henna leafs made into a thick
paste. This same paste, in certain/specific regions of
India, is also used to stain a
bridegroom’s palms, the deep red color left behind after drying and washing off
the extra stuff, left on the skin, is said to/symbolizes: the deep love between
a husband and wife.
As
previously stated it is also a major cosmetic in India,
and through the ‘Near East’, where it is often
grown as a common shrub. Egyptian mummies were found with hennaed nails, and
Pliny referred to this plant as the “Cypress of India”, whereas to the Hebrews
it was “camphire”, sourced from the Song
of Solomon.
“My beloved is unto me
as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of Engedi”.
Besides in Egypt,
women thousands of years ago also colored their hands and nails with it, men
their bears and moustaches, and both men and women to dye and condition their
hair. Such color, being all red base though in a spectrum of blond to black and
purple, is so treasured, they dye the manes and tails of horses in India.
The flower, as the song excerpt previously suggests, are in small clusters of
rosy white or red flowers, which are very fragrant and also used to make
perfumes, and sleeping pillows, which are considered: an anti-irritant, a
deodorant and antiseptic. It is also used by Ayurvedic physicians for: skin
irritations such as heat rashes and skin allergies, and to cool the body during
the intense heat of summer. Lastly, the leaves and flowers are used to make
lotions and ointments, used externally for: boils, burns, bruises, and skin
inflammations, including sores from leprosy
(Patnaik,
124).
Hibiscus: Hibuscus rosa-sinesis, Sanskrit:
Japakusuma, Hindi: Gurhal (Patnaik, 131).
“The flower is fuller in cooler than that of a pomegranate, and may be
the size of the red rose, but the red rose…opens simply, whereas when this
opens a stem on which other petals grow is seen like a heart among its expanded
petals…This is not a common matter” – Babur, first Moghul emperor, Babur-nameh (1525)
When it
comes to this gorgeous flower, often found throughout tropical areas such as
Hawaii,
India
and
China,
is more of an ornamental aspect of culture compared to having a cosmetic use.
In
India and
China
the flower is worn behind the ear, I did this not understanding it symbolizes a
tropical version of the Claddha (celtic ring) certain ways of wearning either
symbolize your single, or not single, status to society. The leaves and flowers
were traditionally boiled by Chinese and India women, which they mixed with an
herbal oil before applying to their hair as a stimulant to “the growth of
luxurious tresses”
(Patnaik, 131). Currently, the Chinese took this idea
even further and used the hibiscus flower juice in a faous herbal oil and
conditioner, which is now bottled and sold throughout eastern Indian under the
brandk “Jaba Kusam”. It’s main use is due to its effectiveness against
dandruff.
The
Hibiscus flower dates back to reference in ancient Hindu mythology, where it
was offered in the worship of the Goddess and Ayurvedic medicine, also “seems
to lend credence to the particularly female virtues of this plant”, as it was
prescribed often as an emmenagogue historically (promoting a woman’s period) (Patnaik,
131). The root of the Hibiscus flower yields a drug, which Ayurvedic
medicine believes, is useful in treating veneral disease, also an extract from
the flower is used often in preventing unwanted pregnancies, “inhibiting the
flow of semen in men, and bringing on temporary sterility in women”, these
physicians also believe this herb is postcoitally effective in it’s
anti-conception properties (Patnaik, 131). Of course this last claim
can often spark much …negative… especially in India where population control is
of ‘paramout importance’. It has been tested on male animals and found sterility,
but it seemed to be too limited to occasion interest as a male contraception,
though the findings “as regards a possible natural postcoital contraceptive for
women have been more impressive” (Patnaik, 131).
Lastly, one study conducted in
1974, being an uncontrolled clinical trial, where ethanolic extract of the
hibiscus plant was given to women. This extract was “carried out in 21 women in
the reproductive age group by administering…3 divided doses from the 7th
to the 22nd day of the menstrual cycle (a total of 229 cycles).
Fourteen women did
not have pregnancy for 4 years whereas 7 women dropped out of the trial for
various personal reasons” (Medicinal Plants of India, Indian
Council of Medical Research, 1987). (patnaik, 131).
Rosemary: “Let this
Rosemarinus, this flower of men, ensigne of your wisdom, love and loyaltie, be
carried not only in your hands, but in your heads and hearts. Grow for two
ends-it, matters not at all Be’t for my bridal, or my buriall”
-
Robert Hacket 1607 at a Wedding Sermon
(ourherbgarden.com,
Rosemary History).
Rosemary
during wedding ceremonies has traditionally symbolized, along with the above,
“fidelity, love, abiding friendship, and remembrance of the life the woman had led prior to her
marriage” (ourherbgarden.com, Rosemary History). Rosmarinus officinalis is
this Mediterranean herb’s botanical name, though it was commonly referred to as
sea dew, due to the “light, luminous color of the flowers which, at a distance,
can look as blue as the patch of sunlit morning dew” (Seymour, 96).
This herb was a favorite of the
Greeks, having been brought west by Romans,
was commonly grown by Spaniards and Italians to “ward off witches”, (Seymour, 97), and was
“reputed to keep nightmares” (Brown, 139), “venomous
serpents and melancholy” away/at bay (Sumner, 27). Rosemary was
commonly infused in white wine and drunk for treating “poor circulation, low
blood pressure…headaches” (Keville,
71). It
was thought as an effective youth inducing herb, since the Queen of Hungary, 14th
Century, dabbed “her ancient and paralysed limbs
with
rosemary distilled in alcohol, recovered her agility, and grew so youthful that
the kind of Hungary proposed
to her ; supposedly where ‘Queen of Hungary water’ got its name (Seymour, 97). Also,
Shakespeare referred to this shrubby woody herb in Hamlet, where it was said
“There’s Rosemary, that’s for remembrance” (Globe theater),
which
later Elizabethan’s wore “to their brows to help their memories” (Seymour, 97).
Currently, it is used to treat
pain, increase circulation, thus improving headaches, migraines and memory (Brown, 139).
The essential oil, which is commonly used in beauty products has an “invigorating…and
antifungal” (Bremness,
122). I personally love to put strong sage, hibiscus, thyme and rosemary
tea with apple cider vinegar as a hair rinse after I use conditioner. Rosemary
makes an excellent dark hair conditioning rinse, makes hair softer, can help improve
dandruff; treats dry skin by encouraging “oil production…[and also] chamomile,
lavender…and small amounts of peppermint” (Keville, 321).
Thyme: “According to
legend, thyme sprouted from the tears of Helen of Troy” (Brown, 143).
Writers, it seems, myself included,
have always seemed to “have a soft spot for thyme, possibl[y] because…thyme has
no nicknames: a sprig of thyme is a sprig of thyme, sweet and plain” (Seymour 115). Coming
from the Greek thymon (Brown, 143),
or Thumon, being a “symbol of thumos…spirit [or] courage (Seymour, 116), and
was believed to overcome shyness. In mythology helped revealed Duessa’s true
identity, being a ‘filthy foul old woman’, a witch in Edmund Spenser’s Faerie Queen, while she was bathing in
herb magical brew of thyme, ‘oregon’ and rue (Seymour, 115).
Greeks and
Romans considered thyme to be a “strong antiseptic [and disinfectant] and
credited it with a multitude of powers, including anti-aging”, and
appropriately was used by the Egyptians as an embalming herb (Brown, 143).
Medicinally, it was used historically for treating: flatulence, inflamed liver,
bad breath, sore throat, headaches and fevers (levy, 161). And lastly, in
Culpeper’s time as “a digestive, and for hangovers…whooping cough, and as a
purge for catarrh and for any lung-connected illness” (Seymour,
116). Currently, it’s properties include: antiseptic, calming and
nerve tonic, for musclar pain, colds and depression
(Bremness, 132-133) lung and
sinus ailments (congestion), expectorant (Keville, 139).
“Researchers have found that…[herbal stimulants] relax intestinal muscles and
relieve cramping” (Keville, 90), thyme also, “Stimulates production of white
blood corpuscles to resist and fight infections [and] promotes perspiration” (Brown, 143), and overall, Italian researchers
“found...thyme, [and] lavender… stimulate immunity” (Keville, 105).
Chamomile: really
just a blond hair rinse…for hair products. Further information will be coming
soon in my herbal beauty and product recipe blog!
Sage: “a tea of sage tops is one of the most
refreshing and beneficial available to mankin
~ Juliette de Bairacli-Levy
(pg 141)
The name Sage comes from the Latin
salare, meaning “to cure”, or
salvia
meaning “to save”. It went by the name of mashkodewashk aniibiishan by the
Ojibwe. Several primary ways this herb has been used historically is as a
water, to cleanse the body, remove odors, and eyes; smudged, eaten or smoked,
to treat colds, and coughs; as a honey for asthma, and burned to cleanse lodges
during contagious illness and other major rights. William Turnet noted in his
Herbal, in 1568, that
clary sage
“helps the memory [and] quickens the senses” (Keville, 295). Juliet de Baracli Levy, our famous 20th-21st
century herbalist noted that internally, this herb was excellent in treating congestion,
fevers, sore throats, digestion (lack of appetite, flatulence, constipation),
and externally: wounds, sores, excessive bleeding
(Levy, 141), and poison ivy.
Currently, sage is seen as a
disinfectant, antiseptic, aromatic and astringent herb, helping to calm and
strengthen the nerves. This helps in relieving “nervous headaches, help[ing] to
ease lung congestion [colds and fus] and stimulates digestion/liver function” (Brown, 139). The hydrocarbon known as salvene in sage is thought to be
why it is astringent, aromatic, bitter, and stimulating, thus enhancing memory.
As far as beauty uses of sages
goes, I never really understood its use, until I looked it up. Guess I just
subconsciously knew it was good for my hair—ha! Some cool recipes I found
include: mix sage leaves with thyme, lavender and
rosemary for 1 week, infused in apple cider vinegar, becomes an aftershave; for
graying hair, boil the leaves for half an hour, strain and massage into hair 4
times a week to produce a “fairly convincing dark collour while helping the
hair grow, and look glossy” (Seymour, 103).
Black Tea Henna
Recipe:
Ingredients-
-1 part
black tea
-1/2 part
hibiscus flowers
-1 part
thyme, rosemary and other herbs
-Mix the above ingredients, and steep 2-3 tsp/cup of water
(make 2-3 cups). Strain and let cool until luke warm.
- Mix the cooled liquid with henna color of choice, I do red
and copper (the hibiscus brings out the red, and rosemary and thyme brings out
the brown shades). Mix till it is the consistency of semi-thick mud. NOTE- you can always ADD more henna,
but you can’t if you are one, out of henna, or two have way too much. So add a
little tea at a time.
-Apply to clean, dry hair and cover with a plastic bag.
Leave in for 3-6 hours depending on how intense you want the color to be.
-Rinse out, let fully dry and enjoy the gorgeous natural
hair color!
Hair Rinses:
-Apple Cider Vinegar & Herbs
Fill a bottle ½ way with Apple
Cider vinegar
Fill the
rest of the bottle with the following concentrated tea recipe
Brunet and Auburn Herbal Hair-Rinse:
Mix the
following in a pyrex glass measuring cup: 2 tsp black tea, 1 tsp hibiscus
flowers, ½-1 tsp sage, 1 tsp thyme, 2 tsp rosemary. Pour boiling water over,
steep for 15-35 minutes, strain. Let fully cool and pour into a bottle you can
keep in the shower area.
Queen of Hungary water: My favorite way of using herbs for beauty, is by making “Queen of Hungary Water”, recipe from Rosemary
Gladstar’s book “Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health”.
“this wonderful astringent lotion
has been hailed as the first herbal product ever produced and marketed. Legend
has it that the early Gypsies formulated it and claimed it to be a cure all…is
an excellent astringent of the face and great rinse for dark hair. The gypsies
used it as a hair rinse, mouthwash, headache remedy, aftershave, footbath…”
 |
Lemon Balm Melissa officinalis
|
Ingredients:
6 parts lemon
balm
4 parts chamomile
4 parts roses
3 parts calendula
3 parts comfrey
leaf
1 part lemon peel
1 part rosemary
1 part sage
½ part thyme
Vinegar to cover
(apple cider or white vinegar-I used apple)
Rose Water or
witch hazel (I did separate batches with each)
Essential oil of
lavender, or rose
Directions:
1) place the herbs in a widemouth jar.
Fill the jar with enough vinegar that it covers the herbs by an inch or two.
Cover tightly and let sit in a warm spot for 2-3 weeks.
2) strain out the herbs. To each cup of herbal vinegar, add 2/3-1 cp rose
water, or witch hzel. Add a drop or two essential oil if desired.
3) put in bottles, with a sprayer, or a
small 1-2 oz jar with a thin top, I used mine as a toner after I shower or wash
my face. Keeps indefinitely.
Resources~
-Natural Beauty at
Home by Janice Cox
-Herbal Recipes for
Vibrant Health by Rosemary Gladstar
-The Garden of Life
by Naveen Patnaik
Works Cited
Baïracli-Levy, Juliette De. Common Herbs for Natural Health.
Woodstock, NY: Ash Tree Pub., 1997. 141-61. Print.
Bremness, Lesley. Herbs.
New York:
Dorling Kindersley, 2002. 122+. Print.
Brown, Kathleen L., and Jeanine Pollak. Herbal Teas: 101 Nourishing Blends
for Daily Health and Vitality. Pownal,
VT: Storey, 1999. 139-43. Print.
Gladstar, Rosemary. Herbal
Recipes for Vibrant Health: 175 teas, tonics, oils, salves, tinctures, and
other natural remedies for the entire family. Adams, MA.
Storey, 2008. 130. Print.
"Historical Uses of Rosemary." Web log post. Rosemary History. N.p., n.d.
Web. 5 Sept. 2010.
Keville, Kathi, and Peter Korn. Herbs for Health and Healing. Emmaus, Penn.:
Rodale, 1996. Print.
Patnaik, Naveen. The
Garden of Life:
An Introduction to the Healing Plants of India. New York: Doubleday, 1993. 124-31. Print.
Seymour, Miranda. A
Brief History of Thyme and Other Herbs. London: John Murray, 2002. 96+. Print.
Sumner, Judith. The
Natural History of Medicinal Plants. Portland,
Or.: Timber, 2008. 27. Print
