Anti-Aging and Beautifying Skin
Anti-aging and beautifying formulas refer to a category of prescriptions that prevent or reduce facial wrinkles, delay aging, preserve youthful appearance, and maintain freshness. Their mechanism involves tonifying qi and blood, nourishing the kidneys and essence, regulating the spleen and stomach, dispelling wind and activating blood, and nourishing the skin. [Formula One] 9 grams each of cinnabar and starch, 6 grams of lead powder. Grind the three ingredients into fine powder. Use the white pulp from soapberry seeds soaked in warm water to make a paste, then mix with the powdered medicine to form a paste of appropriate consistency. Store the prepared paste tightly in a ceramic or dark glass bottle, avoiding sunlight exposure. This formula smooths wrinkles and refines skin texture. [Formula Two] 30 grams each of lotus seeds and coix seed, 50 grams of coix, 8 grams of longan flesh, and appropriate amount of honey. Boil all herbs with water for one hour, then consume. This formula eliminates wrinkles and enhances skin whiteness and beauty. [Formula Three] 30 grams each of white芷 (Bai Zhi), white蔹 (Bai Lian), and white术 (Bai Zhu), 15 grams of white及 (Bai Ji), 9 grams each of white附子 (Bai Fu Zi), white茯苓 (Bai Fu Ling, peeled), and fine辛 (Xi Xin). Sieve and grind all herbs into extremely fine powder. Mix with egg white to form pills as large as a small ball or finger-sized. Dry in shade, store in a bottle for later use. Each night after washing face, grind the pill with warm gruel in a porcelain bowl to extract juice, then apply to face. This formula prevents wrinkles, removes all spots, and makes the face smooth and radiant. [Formula Four] Three eggs. Soak eggs in wine, seal for 4–5 days until ready. When used, take egg white and apply to face. This formula moisturizes skin, whitens complexion, and reduces wrinkles. [Formula Five] Chestnut outer skin. Grind into fine powder, mix with honey, and apply to face. This formula activates blood circulation, moisturizes skin, and reduces wrinkles. [Formula Six] Peach blossoms, lotus flowers, and hibiscus flowers. Collect peach blossoms in spring, lotus flowers in summer, hibiscus flowers in autumn, and snow water in winter. Boil the three flowers into a decoction, frequently wash the face with it. This formula activates blood circulation, moisturizes skin, and removes wrinkles. [Formula Seven] 7.5 grams each of fine辛 (Xi Xin), Wangzhu (Wang Zhu), Huangqi (Huang Qi), Bai Fu Zi (White Attached Seed), Shuyu (Shu Yu), Xinyi (Xin Yi), Chuanxiong (Chuan Xiong), and Bai Zhi (White芷); 15 grams each of Gualou (Gua Lou) and Mulan Pi (Mulan Bark); 4000 grams of pork fat. This formula nourishes the skin, removes dark spots, and prevents wrinkles. [Formula Eight] An unlimited amount of peach kernels (soaked in hot water, peeled, ground into paste). Mix thoroughly with a small amount of honey, dissolve in warm water, apply to face by rubbing, then apply Wangxiao ointment. This formula activates blood circulation, moisturizes skin, removes wrinkles, and improves complexion. [Formula Nine] 6000 milliliters of vitex oil, 30 grams each of gan song xiang (Gansong fragrance) and lingling xiang (Lingling fragrance), 37.5 grams of xinyi ren (Xinyi seeds), 4000 grams of white zhu (Bai Zhu), 37.5 grams of xi xin (fine cinnamon), 1500 grams of bamboo shavings, 1000 grams of chopped bamboo leaves, 22.5 grams of white fu ling (white poria), 22.5 grams of miwu flower (Miwu blossom), and 1000 grams of sheep marrow (soaked in water to remove red veins). This formula activates blood circulation, dispels wind, moisturizes the face, and removes wrinkles. Particularly suitable for those with ruddy complexion, numerous wrinkles, and brown pigment deposition. [Formula Ten] 45 grams each of white zhu (Bai Zhu), fu ling (Fuling), and duheng (Du Heng); 37.5 grams each of weirui (Wei Rui), gao ben (Gao Ben), chuan xiong (Chuan Xiong), tu gua gen (Tu Gua Root), gua lou (Gua Lou), mulan pi (Mulan bark), bai jiang can (Bai Jiang Can), shui hua (Shui Hua), xinyi ren (Xinyi seeds), lingling xiang (Lingling fragrance), and huo xiang (Huo Xiang); 125 grams each of dou si zi (Dou Si Zi), zhi zi hua (Zhi Zi Flower), she xiang (She Xiang, soaked in wine and wrapped in cloth), ying shi bai (Ying Shi Bai); 37.5 grams of donggua ren (Donggua seed); 1000 grams of tao ren (Peach kernel); 90 grams of white wax; 2000 grams of sheep fat; 6000 grams of pork fat (soaked in water for 7 days, changing water daily); 1 pig pancreas; 30 grams of bai fu zi (White Attached Seed). Combine all 25 ingredients, cut finely, soak in 4000 milliliters of wine. Place pig pancreas, peach kernel, and donggua seed in a cloth bag inside the wine, knead until dissolved, then squeeze out the juice. Soak the herbs overnight. Simultaneously, melt the pork fat, filter out residue, then add goose fat, sheep fat, and white wax into a pot. Wrap with cloth and gently heat over low fire, stirring up and down three times. When the medicine turns yellow, filter out residue. After cooling and solidifying, mix in the ying shi bai powder, stir well, and apply to face. This is a comprehensive facial ointment formula, effective in promoting blood circulation, resolving stagnation, moisturizing skin, reducing wrinkles, enhancing complexion, increasing vitality, eliminating odors, and perfuming the body. It is especially effective for coarse, dark, wrinkled skin. [Formula Eleven] A quantity of purple root (Zi Cao Gen), a quantity of vegetable oil. Wash and dry the purple root, grind into fine powder, mix 5 parts of powder into 60 parts of vegetable oil, stir at 35°C for 6 hours, then filter to obtain liquid. Use this liquid as cosmetic oil, applying once daily to the face. This formula prevents wrinkles and moisturizes skin. [Formula Twelve] 30 grams each of duheng (Du Heng), oyster shell (calcined), fangfeng (Fang Feng), gao ben (Gao Ben), xi xin (fine cinnamon), bai fu zi (white attached seed), bai zhi (white芷), dang gui (dang gui), mulan pi (Mulan bark), bai zhu (white zhu), du huo (Du Huo), yuzhu (Yu Zhu), tian xiong (Tian Xiong), fu ling (Fuling), and yuxie (Jade Powder); 90 grams each of tusizi (Tusizi), fangji (Fang Ji), shanglu (Shang Lu), zhi zi hua (Zhi Zi Flower), ju pi (Ju Pi), bai lian (Bai Lian), and ren shen (Ren Shen); 60 grams each of gan song xiang (Gansong fragrance), qing mu xiang (Qing Mu Xiang), huo xiang (Huo Xiang), lingling xiang (Lingling fragrance), ding xiang (Ding Xiang); 15 grams of she xiang (She Xiang); 100 grams each of bai mu zhi (White Wood Resin), bai e zhi (White Goose Fat—substitute with sheep marrow if no goose fat available), and niu sui (Niu Sui); 3 pig pancreases. Soak all 32 ingredients in water for 5 days, change water twice daily. Then soak another 5 days, changing water once daily. Then soak for 10 more days, changing water every other day. Total soaking time: 20 days. Add 100 milliliters of wine, remove veins from pig pancreas, cut into small pieces, place in a porcelain vessel, soak, seal overnight. The next morning, combine all fats and marrow, simmer three times up and down until wine and water vapor have completely evaporated. Filter through cotton cloth, grind for a thousand times, let cool and solidify until white as snow. Apply nightly before bed, wash off the next morning, then reapply fresh. This formula brightens complexion and removes wrinkles. After 10 days, skin will appear as rosy as peach blossoms. [Formula Thirteen] 60 grams of deer antler frost, 75 grams of cow milk, 30 grams each of bai lian (Bai Lian) and chuan xiong (Chuan Xiong), 45 grams of tian men dong (Tian Men Dong, remove heart, roasted), 90 grams of su (Ssu), 30 grams each of bai zhi (Bai Zhi), bai fu zi (raw), bai zhu (Bai Zhu), and xing ren (Almond), each 30 grams (soaked in hot water, peel removed, double kernels, crushed into paste). Grind the herbs into fine powder, mix with almond paste, then stir evenly. Cook with cow milk and su in a silver pot over low heat until thickened into a paste. Apply nightly to face, then wash with gruel water. This formula dispels wind, activates blood, moisturizes skin, whitens complexion, and prevents aging and wrinkles. [Formula Fourteen] 60 grams each of qing mu xiang (Qing Mu Xiang), bai fu zi (Bai Fu Zi), chuan xiong (Chuan Xiong), bai la (White Wax), lingling xiang (Lingling Fragrance), bai zhi (Bai Zhi), and xing fu zi (Xing Fu Zi); 30 grams each of fu ling (Fuling) and gan fen (Gan Fen); 150 grams of sheep marrow (refined). Soak the ten ingredients in 250 milliliters of wine and 250 milliliters of water overnight. Simmer three times up and down until wine and water vapors are gone. Strain out residue, collect the ointment for storage. Apply to face as makeup. This formula dispels wind-cold, brightens complexion, delays aging, reduces wrinkles, and eliminates dullness. [Formula Fifteen] 30 grams each of bai lian (Bai Lian), bai zhi (Bai Zhi), yu zhu (Yu Zhu), bai ji (Bai Ji), xi xin (Xi Xin), dang gui (Dang Gui), lu jiao jiao (Lu Jiao Jiao), tu gua gen (Tu Gua Root), bai fu ling (Bai Fu Ling), shang lu (Shang Lu), luo ci shi (Luo Ci Shi), mi tuo seng (Mi Tuo Seng), gua lou ren (Gua Lou Ren), sang gen bai pi (Sang Gen Bai Pi), ju ren (Ju Ren), chuan xiong (Chuan Xiong), bai fu zi (Bai Fu Zi), donggua ren (Donggua Ren), tao ren (Tao Ren), and nao sha (Nao Sha). Crush all herbs into coarse powder. First, boil lu jiao jiao and nao sha with water until dissolved. Mix with 500 grams of white flour, form thin cakes, dry in sun, crush into powder, then mix with 200 grams of green bean flour. Stir well. Use daily to wash hands and face. This formula makes the face smooth, fair, and prevents wrinkles. [Formula Sixteen] Equal parts of zhi shi (Zhi Shi), tu gua gen (Tu Gua Root), and shang lu (Shang Lu). Grind the three herbs into fine powder, store in a bottle for later use. Each month, use a small amount in the morning as part of regular facial cleansing. This formula clears heat and toxins, cleanses skin, and reduces wrinkles. [Formula Seventeen] One large pig trotter. Clean thoroughly, place in a pot, add water and clear gruel (made from millet), not too full. Simmer over low heat until skin softens and bones fall apart. Filter out impurities. Use this gelatinous liquid during the day to wash the face, and at night mix with bath powder and apply to face. Wash off the next morning with gruel water. Continuous use helps reduce wrinkles and gives a luminous complexion, also providing protection against cold and cracking. [Formula Eighteen] Loofah. After harvesting loofah, collect its juice in October. Before collection, water the base generously. Cut the loofah stem about 60 cm above ground level, bend downward, insert into a 1.8-liter glass bottle. Cover the bottle opening with thin aluminum foil, insert cotton wool, then bury the lower half of the bottle in soil. By morning, the bottle fills with loofah juice. Filter through gauze, add a little glycerin, boracic acid, and alcohol. Alternatively, dissolve 2 grams of benzoin in 50 milliliters of alcohol, pour into 1000 milliliters of loofah juice, then add 30 grams of glycerin. Wipe the face daily with gauze soaked in loofah juice. This formula has cosmetic and anti-wrinkle benefits. [Formula Nineteen] 250 grams of dried goji berries, 500 milliliters of white wine. Place goji berries in a small-mouthed bottle, add white wine, seal tightly, shake once daily. Begin drinking after 7 days, replenish with white wine as consumed. Drink daily before dinner or before bedtime. Non-drinkers may use wine instead. This formula supplements deficiency, builds muscle, improves complexion, and prevents wrinkles. [Formula Twenty] One fresh asparagus stalk, 100 grams each of carrot, apple, celery, and 20 grams of lemon juice. Wash and chop asparagus, carrot, apple, and celery, extract juice, remove pulp, mix with lemon juice, stir well. This formula nourishes complexion and skin, prevents wrinkles, and enhances natural radiance.<Anti-Aging>