These multi-tasking products save money and cabinet space. By Bonnie Cleaver.
Aspirin
Main act… Relieving pain and fever
Moonlights for… Calluses
Aspirin is chemically similar to skin-peeling salicylic acid. Crush five or six aspirins and mix with a teaspoon of water. Apply the paste to the callused area, leave for 10 minutes, then rinse and scrub with a pumice stone.
Aloe vera gel
Main act… Soothing sunburn
Moonlights for… Mouth ulcers
Mouth ulcer sufferers who applied aloe vera gel had improved symptoms and reduced pain, reports the British Journal of Dermatology. “Use the purest aloe vera gel you can find, dabbing it on the ulcer with your fingertip,” says herbalist and pharmacist Gerald Quigley.
Vaseline
Main act… Soothing chapped skin
Moonlights for… Hayfever
Hayfever is triggered when an allergen like pollen hits the sensitive lining in your nose and sinuses. A thin smear of Vaseline around and just inside the nostrils traps pollen and stops any particles from infiltrating.
Epsom salts
Main act… Muscular aches and pains
Moonlights for… Bruises
To soothe a tender bruise, apply a poultice of Epsom salts inside a cold face washer. “It helps healing by cooling the skin and slowing blood flow into the area, which reduces the bruising appearance and discolouration,” explains Quigley. Another option is to add a handful of Epsom salts to a tepid bath.
Mouthwash
Main act… Freshening breath
Moonlights for… Tinea
The alcohol in mouthwash is a germicide and fungicide, helping kill or slow the growth of foot fungi. That said, it’s best for mild cases of tinea and should be avoided if skin is broken. To treat your feet, soak a cotton ball in mouthwash and apply to the affected area several times daily.
 | Read more in the November issue of New Zealand Good Health magazine at magshop.co.nz.
|
Home