San Niang’s Secret Beauty Formula – Flying Yang
In Tang Dynasty, the famous performer Pang San Niang remained vibrant and graceful well into middle age, resembling a young maiden. Her beauty secret was a facial cream made by mixing pearl powder, mica powder, green bean powder, musk, borneol, and honey. The ratio of pearl powder to mica powder to green bean powder is 1:3:5, with a small amount of borneol added seasonally.
Pearl is a key ingredient for beauty. Li Shizhen’s Compendium of Materia Medica states: "Applying pearl powder to the face makes the complexion smooth and radiant." For cosmetic use, freshly harvested pearls are best; avoid those used as jewelry or unearthed from tombs. To prepare pearl powder, clean fresh pearls thoroughly, wrap in fine cotton cloth, boil with water and tofu for two hours in a sandpot, remove pearls, crush into fine powder, then grind with water, dry, and use. <Secret Formula>