Don’t know your skin type? I’ve mentioned a quick and easy skin test: wash your face and pat dry. Wait five or ten minutes, then apply a thin piece of paper to your cheeks and forehead. Tissue paper is great for this! If the paper stays perfectly clean and dry, chances are you have dry skin. If the paper has dark oily spots, you may have oily or combination skin. Healthy skin will leave faint oil spots on the paper, because your skin is supposed to have some oil — just not a lot.
If you have oily skin, you may want to try astringent and stimulating herbs like calendula, lavender, lemon, lemongrass, rose, sage, yarrow, blackberry leaves, comfrey, mint, pansy, primrose, rosemary, violet, and witch hazel. These can help cut down on excess oil without drying your skin too much.
If you have dry skin, you may want to try soothing, emollient herbs like chamomile, clover, elderberry flowers, orange leaves, orange blossoms, parsley, strawberry, and slippery elm.
If acne is a problem, you may want to try herbs like burdock, clover, iris, lavender, lemon balm, tansy, and white birch bark. These herbs are gentle enough to not irritate your skin but still have astringent and healing powers.
For hard skin — I’m thinking calluses on hands and feet — try an herbal soak with elderberry flowers. The flowers are astringent and stimulating and will help soften things up.
Looking to reduce wrinkles? Stimulating herbs like linden flowers, lemon balm, and fennel can help plump up skin and reduce fine lines. Just be careful — you don’t want to stimulate your skin too much or you could end up red and puffy. Don’t over-do it with these herbs, and be extra careful if you have sensitive skin.
With any of these herbal remedies — please don’t use them if you KNOW you have an allergy to the suggested plant. If you experience an allergic reaction, discontinue use immediately.