Milk of Roses

Take 2 ounces of blanched almonds; 12 ounces of rose-water; white soft-soap, or Windsor soap; white wax; and oil of almonds, of each 2 drachms; rectified spirit, 3 ounces; oil of bergamot, 1 drachm; oil of lavender, 15 drops; otto of roses, 8 drops. Beat the almonds well, and then add the rose-water gradually so as to form an emulsion, mix the soap, white wax, and oil together, by placing them in a covered jar upon the edge of the fire-place, then rub this mixture in a mortar with the emulsion. Strain the whole through very fine muslin, and add the essential oils, previously mixed with the spirit.

This is an excellent wash for “sunburns,” freckles, or for cooling the face and neck, or any part of the skin to which it is applied.

Source: The Ladies’ Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness, Florence Hartley

To Remove Sunburn

Squeeze the juice of a lemon into a small teacupful of new milk. Allow it to curdle. Apply it to the face and throat with a piece of cotton wool, after having been out in the sun, or the last thing at night. Allow it to remain on the skin for a short time then wash it off with tepid soft water. This will remove all heat and tan from the skin.

Source: The Dudley Book of Cookery and Household Recipes, Georgiana Dudley

Ointment for Sunburn

Make a stiff paste with white Fuller’s earth, or good French chalk, and elder flower water. Let it remain on the face for a few minutes, then wash it off with hot rain water and apply a little cold cream.

Source: The Dudley Book of Cookery and Household Recipes, Georgiana Dudley

Sunburn

To prevent: Anoint exposed parts with cold cream, vaseline, or use toilet powder before going out.

Treatment: Never wash sunburn. Never open blisters.

Apply—

1 part lime water, 3 parts olive oil, shaken together in a bottle.

Source: The Mary Frances First Aid Book, Jane Eayre Fryer

Complexion Wash

Put in a vial one drachm of benzoin gum in powder, one drachm nutmeg oil, six drops of orange-blossom tea, or apple blossoms put in half pint of rain-water and boiled down to one teaspoonful and strained, one pint of sherry wine. Bathe the face morning and night; will remove all flesh-worms and freckles, and give a beautiful complexion. Or, put one ounce of powdered gum of benzoin in a pint of whisky; to use, put in water in wash-bowl till it is milky, allowing it to dry without wiping. This is perfectly harmless.

Cream cures sun-burn on some complexions, lemon juice is best on others, and cold water suits still others best.

Source: The White House Cookbook, F.L. Gillette

Powder for the Skin

If young ladies will use powder, the most harmless is refined chalk, powder is often a protection and comfort on long journeys, or in the city dust. If the pores of the skin must be filled one would prefer clean dust to begin with. A layer of powder will prevent freckles and sun-burn when properly applied. In all these cases it is worth while to know how to use it well. The skin should be as clean and cool as possible to begin. A pellet of chalk, without any poisonous bismuth in it, should be wrapped in coarse linen, and crushed in water, grinding it well between the fingers. Then wash the face quickly with the linen, and the wet powder oozes in its finest state through the cloth, leaving a pure white deposit when dry. Press the face lightly with a damp handkerchief to remove superfluous powder, wiping the brows and nostrils free. This mode of using chalk is less easily detected than when it is dusted on dry.

Source: The Housekeeper’s Friend: A Practical Cookbook

To Remove Sunburn

Take two drachms of borax, one drachm of Roman alum, one drachm of camphor, half an ounce of sugar-candy, and a pound of ox-gall. Mix and stir well for ten minutes, and stir it in the same way three or four times a day for a fortnight. When clear and transparent strain through blotting-paper, and bottle for use.

Source: Cassell’s Household Guide

Milk Soothes Sunburnt or Rough Skin

There is nothing that will more quickly soothe a sunburnt skin than a frequent bath of milk, and if the skin has become dry or rough with wind, washing in warm milk is excellent.

Source: Audel’s Household Helps, Hints and Receipts

Wash to Prevent Sunburn

Take two drams of borax, one dram of Roman alum, one dram of camphor, half an ounce of sugar candy, one pound of ox-gall. Mix and stir well together, and repeat the stirring three or four times a day until it becomes transparent; then strain it through filtering or blotting paper, and it will be fit for use. Wash the face with the mixture before you go into the sun.

Source: The Ladies’ Book Of Useful Information

Cucumber Juice for Sunburn

Cucumber juice or melon juice squeezed into cream, and always prepared in an earthen dish with a wooden spoon or earthen pestle, is a fatal enemy to sunburn and all its wicked works. A handful of parsley thrown into boiling water is also a good antidote for sunburn, and some famous beauties of old used to swear by the good effects of a raw potato cut in halves and rubbed on the face at night.

Source: Audel’s Household Helps, Hints and Receipts