Beauty remedies of the Renaissance were much more time consuming than today's visit to the cosmetic counter. A trip to the apothocary or garden started things off, followed by hours, if not days of work to concoct the right potion. After reading through the following recipes you may no longer begrudge the cost of today's ready to use cosmetic and skin care items.

*Warning: some of the recipies mentioned below are harmful to the skin and health. They are listed here for research purposes only. Experiment at your own risk!

"For the Freckles which one getteth by the heat of the Sun: Take a little Allom beaten small, temper amonst it a well brayed white of an egg, put it on amilde fire, stirring it always about that it wax not hard, and when it casteth up the scum, then it is enough, wherewith anoint the Freckles the space of three dayes: if you will defend your self that you get no Freckles on the face, then anoint your face with the whites of eggs."

"[against spots], the Whites of two eggs mixed well with rose-water, plantain juice, and dock juice. Followed by the application of the following: 8 ounces of vinegar and rose-water, one ounce of brimstone, one quarter of an ounce of alum--boiled softly until one-third has evaporated."

"To make a redde colour for the face. Take red sandall finely stamped, and strong Vinegar twice distilled, then put into it as much sandal as you wil, and let it boile faire and softely, and put to it also a little rock alume stamped, and you shal have a very perfect red."

"Take twelve ounces of Nutmegs, mace, ginger, grains, cloves, of each half an ounce, rubarb one ounce, bevercod, spikenard, of each half an ounce, oyl of Bay two ounces, leave the spices unbeaten, pour to it four quarts of wine, cover it close, and let it stand so the space of four weeks, afterwards pour away the wine, pownd all the spices to pap, and put it again to the forsaid wine, let it stand well stopped three dayes, stir it well about: then distill it in hot water without seething, and preserve it well...this water doth take away all spots of the face and of the body."

"To make the hair yellow as golde. Take the rine or scrapings of Rubarbe, and stiepe it in white wine, or in cleere lie; and after you have washed your head with it, you shall weatte your hairs with a Spoonge or some other cloth, and let them drie by the fire, or in the sunne; after this weatte them and drie them againe."

For chapped hands: "Melt three ounces of fresh butter and three ounces of suet of hart, and, and cut four or five apples into it; add siz ounces of white wine and boil until the apples are soft; add half a dram each of cinnamon, camphor, cloves, and nutmegs, two ounces of rose-water, and boil again until the rose-water is evaporated; finally, strain through a cloth."