Adapted from Better Basics for the Home by Annie B. Bond (Three Rivers Press, 1999).

Imagine checking the ingredients on the back of a moisturizer and seeing only "honey and chamomile flowers." Wouldn't you buy it in a heartbeat? We would! But wait, we can make it instead. Find out why honey and herbs are so wonderfully fantastic for your skin, and learn how to make a formula as healing and emollient as it is sweet and simple.

SIMPLE SOLUTION:  Beauties throughout history have relied on honey for its moisturizing properties. Honey is a humectant, which means it attracts and retains moisture, making it a perfect ingredient for moisturizing. It is also an anti-irritant, which makes it a great choice for sensitive skin and baby products.

By mixing honey with steeped chamomile or calendula flowers, you can add to its salubrious nature with the special properties that these herbs provide. Both chamomile and calendula act as an antibacterial, astringent, anti-inflammatory, emollient, moisturizer and skin healer.

And talk about simple!

INGREDIENTS
1 cup strong chamomile or calendula tea
1 tablespoon honey

Make the tea and add the honey. Stir to dissolve and then steep the tea for several hours. Strain. Dab some of the mixture on your fingers and massage into skin.

Store in a sealed glass jar in your refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Makes 1 cup.