Ancient Royal Beauty Recipes

I. Royal Facial Cleanser

Source: Royal Pharmaceutical Formulas

Ingredients: 1 liter of glutinous rice, 30g of yellow gelatin, Baihe (white lily bulb), white tea, Gaoben (angelica dahurica), Chuanxiong (ligusticum wallichii), Xixin (asarum), Gansong (nardostachys chinensis), 240g of soapberry, 60g of Angelica dahurica and white sandalwood, 45g of Atractylodes macrocephala and Poria cocos, 15g of agalwood, 90g of Goutao (peach gum).

Effects: Moisturizes the face, dispels wind, and removes spots.

Preparation: Grind glutinous rice into powder; stir-fry yellow gelatin into beads; peel the soapberry with fire; peel Gaoben and Chuanxiong; remove soil and leaves from Xixin and Gansong. Grind the remaining herbs into fine powder, except glutinous rice, add glutinous rice powder, mix well, and store in a sealed container.

Usage: Use for facial cleansing.

Note: This is a royal secret recipe from the Yuan Dynasty for facial cleansing. The glutinous rice, yellow gelatin, and goutao nourish the spleen and kidneys, moisten the yin, and nourish the essence and blood, making the skin soft and radiant. Baihe, Angelica dahurica, Chuanxiong, Gaoben, Xixin, Atractylodes macrocephala, and Poria cocos dispel wind, relieve itching, strengthen the spleen, eliminate dampness, and remove spots. The fragrances of aloe vera, Gansong, and white sandalwood are refreshing, with Gansong and white sandalwood also removing facial dark spots. Soapberry is fragrant, warm, and lubricating, often used in ancient beauty recipes for external application. All ingredients work together to nourish and protect the skin.

II. Cinnabar Red Pills

Source: Royal Pharmaceutical Formulas

Ingredients: 15g of cinnabar, Atractylodes macrocephala, white dragon, white monkshood, Angelica dahurica, white silkworm, costus root, and donkey-hide gelatin; 45g of Baihe, Poria cocos, and mithridatum; 60g of stalactite powder.

Effects: Enhances complexion, brightens skin, and removes wrinkles.

Preparation: Grind all ingredients except donkey-hide gelatin into fine powder. Cook donkey-hide gelatin into a paste with water and mix with the powder to form pills the size of wutong seeds.

Usage: Dissolve a pill with warm water and honey before bedtime, apply to the face, and rinse off with warm water the next morning.

Note: This is an external beauty cream used for skin nourishment, brightening, and wrinkle removal, primarily treating dull, dark, and wrinkled skin. Cinnabar, also known as cinnabarite, is a natural mineral with sedative and heat-clearing properties. According to Bencao Bielu, it enhances blood circulation and brightens the complexion. However, due to its mercury content, caution should be taken in dosage and avoid long-term use. Poria cocos removes dampness and phlegm; Angelica dahurica, white monkshood, white silkworm, and Baiyin dispel wind and dissolve nodules, removing facial dark spots. Mithridatum is a crude alumina with medicinal uses but is toxic and should be used externally only. Stalactite powder contains minerals and nourishes the body. The white color and smooth texture, along with the nourishing properties of donkey-hide gelatin, make this recipe effective for beauty and skin care.

III. Princess Yonghe's Facial Cleanser

Source: Taiping Shenghui Fang

Ingredients: 90g of Jiguxiang (kadsura heteroclita), 150g