Skip to main content

Popular posts from this blog

A mythic cream: Galen's Cold cream

The first cosmetic cream in history was created by Galen , a Greek physician who was born in Pergamum (Asia Minor), studied in Greece and became the most famous doctor in the Roman Empire. His theories dominated European medicine for more than 1,500 years. Since Galen was chief physician to the gladiator school in Pergamum, gaining much experience of treating wounds, he invented many therapeutic preparations and among them the famous Galen's cold cream (=ceratum refrigerans) which took this name due to its cooling effect in the skin once the water was evaporated. Today, ceratum refrigerans  may seem as a primitive water-in-oil emulsion, still at that time it was a pioneer preparation that remained unchangeable for 15 centuries. 
1 comment
Read more

Queen of Hungary Water, facial toner & light fragrance

In this renaissance recipe history and facts are conflicting with myths and legends. There is a noteworthy bibliography for this legendary preparation: each author proposes his/her own version! Queen of Hungary Water is considered to be the wold first alcoholic perfume but also an almost magical tonic, a youth elixir.  Its name is connected with Queen Elisabeth of Hungary (1305-1381); the 72 year old queen  needed an elixir to cure her rheumatism and to give her back her lost beauty. There is a legend that the elixir was prepared by an alchemist of the royal court and that it was so effective that the 25 year old king of Poland asked her to marry him!!
1 comment
Read more

Calendula cream recipe: you'll love it!

This post was originally published in Greek in August 2007. The reason for this article was the high price of the calendula creams sold by strong brands of natural cosmetics. Since I consider this cream as an all-time classic preparation, ideal for after-sun usage, suitable for all skin types and especially the sensitive ones, I decided to share my all natural calendula cream recipe. The herbal oils and extracts as well as the active ingredients included in this recipe will make a soothing, nourishing & protective cream. There you go!
1 comment
Read more