🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Moisturizing and Beautifying Skin refers to formulas that make the face rosy, radiant, and visually pleasing. This method emphasizes rosy complexion and soft, delicate skin, making the face as smooth and vibrant as peach blossoms, while also preventing dryness, roughness, and dullness. Primary mechanisms include warming circulation, activating blood, dispelling wind and cold, and nourishing with ointments. [Formula I] 500 grams each of ox marrow and refined honey. Mix and store in a porcelain jar. Take 3 spoons of cooked wheat flour and 2 spoons of marrow-honey mixture, swallow with boiling water or wine. This formula moisturizes skin, activates blood, nourishes tendons and vessels, adjusts internal organ functions, thus naturally improving skin luster and vitality, delaying aging and enhancing beauty. [Formula II] 10 grams each of Radix Saposhnikoviae, Rhizoma Chuanxiong, Radix Angelicae Dahuricae, Pheretima, Flos Sichuan, Radix Platycodi, Asarum, Poria, Ligusticum, Polygonatum, Acorus tatarinowii, Fructus Magnoliae, Radix Angelicae Sinensis, Radix Cynanchi, Trichosanthes; 20 grams of Prunus persica seed; 100 grams each of pork fat, goose fat, and sheep kidney. Chop finely, wrap in cloth, add wine (amount unspecified), soak for one day and night, then place all fats into water and boil rapidly, stir up and down three times, then simmer overnight over low heat. Filter out residue, mix with 10 grams of water stone powder into the fat, stir thoroughly with willow wood stick, apply as needed. This formula enhances facial luster and gives a rosy glow like peach blossoms. [Formula III]
120 grams each of Psoralea corylifolia, Walnut meat, 30 grams lotus seed, 120 grams Trigonella foenum-graecum. Grind into fine powder, mix with wine paste to form pills the size of sesame seeds. Take 30 pills each time, on empty stomach with wine. This formula supplements kidney and yang, nourishes complexion. [Formula IV] Equal parts of Almond, Talc, Light Powder. Grind into fine powder, steam over rice, mix evenly with egg white, apply after washing face. This formula makes the face smooth and radiant. [Formula V] 500 grams prepared red lead (not crushed), 24 grams mulberry bark, 15 grams frankincense resin, 30 grams Persian white honey (in a jar). Place the first four ingredients in a copper or iron pot, add 1600 ml water. Boil rapidly until fish-eye bubbles form, add red lead; when boiling again, add mulberry bark, stir well; when boiling once more, add frankincense resin and honey. After more than ten boils, red lead settles at bottom—ready.
Filter through raw silk, gradually soak on folded cotton, each soaking followed by drying on bamboo tongs over charcoal fire, repeat soaking and drying 6–7 times (better if 10 times), then apply to face. This formula removes phlegm, promotes tissue regeneration, dispels wind and toxins, and beautifies facial skin. [Formula VI] 200 grams blanched almonds (soaked, skins removed), 90 grams white aconite powder, 60 grams each of mastic and white lead powder, 250 grams lamb marrow, 1 gram pearl powder, 30 grams white peony root powder, 300 ml wine, 7 egg whites. First grind almonds with a little wine into paste, then add egg whites and grind 100 times, then add lamb marrow and grind 200 times. Finally add all powders gradually, mix in wine, grind thoroughly. Store in a ceramic container. Apply every night after washing face with water, dry, then apply. This formula enhances facial luster and gives a rosy glow like peach blossoms. [Formula VII] 6 grams dry ginger, 2000 grams dried jujubes (remove pits), 60 grams salt (roasted yellow), 30 grams processed licorice, 1.5 grams each of cloves and sandalwood, appropriate amount of tangerine peel (remove pulp). Crush all ingredients into paste, decoct and take orally or apply directly, dosage not restricted. Long-term use strengthens digestive function, promotes blood and qi production, maintains healthy, rosy, soft, and delicate facial skin. [Formula VIII] Equal parts of pig pancreas, Brassica rapa seeds, Trichosanthes seeds, Prunus persica seeds. Mix with wine, mash, apply to face, avoid wind and sun. This ointment activates blood, moisturizes skin, enhances facial glow, and prevents wrinkles and cracking. [Formula IX]
210 grams lotus flower, 240 grams lotus root, 270 grams lotus seeds. Dry in shade until half-dried, steam in clay pot until cooked, then dry. Grind into fine powder, mix with honey to form pills the size of sesame seeds. Take 9 grams each time with warm water. This formula strengthens spleen and kidneys, uplifts spirits, brightens complexion, and delays aging. [Formula X] 30 grams cinnabar. Grind finely, mix with a little honey, grind into paste, store in a basin. Apply to face before bedtime, wash off next morning with water. This formula moisturizes and brightens complexion—both nourishes skin and serves cosmetic purposes. [Formula XI] 500 grams dried chicken head grain (shell removed), 500 grams honeysuckle stem and leaves (silver flower), 500 grams dried lotus root. Cut into pieces, steam in steamer until cooked, dry in sun. Grind into fine powder. Take 5 grams after meals, soaked in warm water in winter. This formula strengthens spleen, prolongs life, enhances skin, and brightens complexion. [Formula XII] Peach blossoms, chicken blood. Collect peach blossoms on March 3rd, collect chicken blood on July 7th. Dry peach blossoms into powder, mix with chicken blood, apply to face at night, wash off next morning. This formula activates blood and meridians, brightens complexion—“after 2–3 days, skin becomes radiant like a fairy.” [Formula XIII] 240 grams cow’s milk, 120 grams ginger juice, 0.3 grams red pepper powder, 15 grams each of white Poria powder and ginseng powder. First cook ginger juice with milk until cooked, then add the last three powders, simmer into a paste, form into pills the size of melon seeds. Take 20 pills each time, before meals with warm water. This formula tonifies middle energizer, nourishes zang-organs, moisturizes body and brightens complexion. [Formula XIV] 100 grams Portulaca oleracea. Place in a silk bag, immerse in boiling water briefly, remove and dry under sun. Repeat this process three times. Then soak in clear wine for two nights, dry and grind into powder. Take 10–15 grams daily, divided into two doses. This formula promotes facial luster and moisturizes skin—long-term use makes face smooth and jade-like. [Formula XV] 120 grams each of Psoralea corylifolia, Walnut meat, 30 grams lotus seed, 120 grams Trigonella foenum-graecum. Grind into fine powder, mix with wine paste to form pills the size of sesame seeds. Take 30 pills each time, on empty stomach with wine. This formula supplements kidney and yang, brightens complexion. [Formula XVI] 150 grams each of White芷, Chuanxiong, Trichosanthes seed, 90 grams chicken bone incense, 300 grams soap pod, 250 grams soybeans, 250 grams red adzuki beans. All ingredients ground into powder, use daily for face washing. This formula dispels wind, activates blood, moisturizes skin, perfumes body, and brightens complexion. [Formula XVII] 250 grams cow’s milk, 120 grams ginger juice, 0.3 grams red pepper powder, 15 grams each of white Poria powder and ginseng powder. First cook ginger juice with milk until cooked, then add the last three powders, simmer into a paste, form into pills the size of melon seeds. Take 20 pills each time, before meals with warm water. This formula strengthens spleen and stomach, promotes appetite, nourishes blood and qi, and moisturizes body and brightens complexion. [Formula XVIII] 95 grams each of Cinnabar, Sandalwood, Acorus tatarinowii, Gypsum, Pearl, Jade powder, Flos Sichuan, Chaenomeles flower, Peach blossom; 125 grams each of Plum blossom, Pear blossom, Apricot blossom, Red lotus blossom, Cherry blossom, Inula flower, White Flos Sichuan; 1 gram musk; 1400 grams soybean powder. Grind all flowers separately, crush all fragrant herbs separately, grind pearls and jade into fine powder, mix with soybean powder, grind into extremely fine powder, store tightly sealed. Use regularly for hand and face care. This formula nourishes complexion and imparts fragrance. [Formula XIX] 500 grams white chrysanthemum, 500 grams Poria. Harvest white chrysanthemum on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, combine with Poria, grind into fine powder, sieve into a powder. Take 6 grams each time, mix with warm wine, three times daily. This formula makes the face rosy and beautiful after use. [Formula XX] 2000 grams each of Prunus persica seed (blanched, skins removed), Vitex negundo, 180 grams white atractylodes, 210 grams Radix Cynanchi, 4000 grams black mustard seeds. Crush all ingredients, grind into fine powder, mix with vinegar water for hand and face washing. This formula activates blood, moisturizes skin, brightens complexion, removes dark spots, dryness, and wrinkles. [Formula XXI] Small amounts of white chrysanthemum juice, lotus juice, madder root juice, toon tree juice, and appropriate amount of cinnabar. Mix all juices with cinnabar, steam until cooked, then consume. Makes skin rosy and beautiful. [Formula XXII] Appropriate amount of mulberry leaf. Boil mulberry leaves into concentrated decoction, store. Use in winter mornings by mixing with water to wash face. This formula beautifies and refreshes skin in winter, also prevents frostbite and cracking on cheeks.<Moisturizing>