The ingredients used for the magickal recipes in this book use many lotion and soap bases to which fresh or dried herbs, or essential or cold-pressed oils, have been added. Essential or aromatic oils are the volatile distilled plant extracts often sold as perfumes. Cold-pressed oils are fatty oils, such as olive or nut oils, that are usually used as a base for essential oil blends.
If you grow or purchase fresh herbs, you can preserve them by drying them. This is best accomplished by hanging them on a drying rack in a warm, dry place for six to eight weeks. You can create the perfect drying rack from the sweater-drying racks found in discount department stores.
Avoid using synthetic ingredients in magickal preparations, especially your essential oils. Perfumed or scented oils are created without natural ingredients. Natural ingredients work best in magick because their energies are in harmony with the magickal goals we seek and they contain the correct energies to act as catalysts to help us make our magick work. They resonate with the power of the Mother Earth in which they were grown and their energy patterns and precise scent¿both of which are needed for your best spellwork¿cannot be duplicated.
The herbs and oils selected for the recipes in this book are a combination of those known to have cosmetic effects on the skin or hair or that act as catalysts to help you achieve specific magickal goals. This chapter will explain some of those ingredients so that you will better be able to see how these recipes were created, and so you can begin to craft your own magickal bath and beauty spells for any need.
Herbs, oils, and other natural substances have a long history of use in magick. Their natural energies have been experimented with for so many centuries that those who practice magickal arts know almost intuitively what plants correspond best to energies of what magickal need. Always remember that the magick is not in the herb, but in you. The herb acts as a catalyst to help you focus your energy and, because it contains sympathetic energy, it helps you channel that energy toward its goal.
In some cases, the scent of the herb alone is all it will take to trigger the magick. This is known in popular culture as aromatherapy. Aromatherapy is gaining acceptance within the most mainstream circles since it has been ¿discovered¿ that lavender is calming, lemon is invigorating, jasmine is seductive, and so on. Magickal people have known these scent tricks for eons. Aroma magick is created each time you use a particular scent or scent blend for a particular spell. Over time, just a whiff of the scent is enough to trigger your magickal mind to action. This is the basis for some very strong magick. I know that just the slightest whiff of sandalwood oil mentally transports me back to one of my earliest and happiest times in magick, and it puts me in the right frame of mind for crafting successful spells.
All the recipes contained in this book are meant strictly for external, cosmetic, and magickal use and should never be ingested or placed in any body cavity. Most of the ingredients used are considered to be safe for general use in limited quantities. Be aware that some herbal concentrations are able to penetrate the skin and be absorbed into the body. Therefore, most of the recipes in the book are not suitable for women who are pregnant or nursing. They should also not be used on young children or on the elderly.
Many people choose herball health and skin care products under the mistaken assumption that ¿natural¿ means ¿100 percent free of side effects.¿ Wise herbalists never forget that plants were our first medicines and that many of today¿s miracle drugs were derived from plants. All living things have a chemical makeup that, when mixed with our own chemistry, may not peacefully coexist. Herbal side effects can be just as severe and just as deadly as those of any prescription drug. Use all herbal preparations with caution, even those not taken internally.
Having a regulating authority declare an herb generally safe, such as is done by the United States Food and Drug Administration, does not mean that substance will not cause an allergic reaction in certain sensitive individuals. You should do an allergy test prior to using any herb as a cosmetic. Do this by crushing some of the herb and placing it under a bandage against the skin on the inside of your arm, just below the elbow fold. The same should be done for oils and other substances. Leave this in place for twenty-four hours, or until an adverse reaction occurs. If twenty-four hours pass with no itching, swelling, or redness, you probably will not have any problems using that substance. Treat any reaction as you normally would, with topical or oral antihistamines or, if the situation merits, seek emergency medical help. Also remember that allergies can develop at any time during your life and can even cause a substance you¿ve used for years to suddenly become potentially dangerous to you.
Don¿t be tempted to pick your own wild herbs unless you are an expert botanist. Many plants are easily confused, even by the pros, and Mother Nature has protected her babies by having the most poisonous plants masquerade as some of the most benign. There are so many reputable dealers who sell inexpensive dried herbs and plants that taking risks is pointless. Look to your local occult bookstore for assistance or check out Appendix A in the back of this book for a list of mail-order resources.
The Major Ingredients
Almond Oil
A low-scent oil often used as a base for essential oil blends, almond oil is very hydrating and often found in high-quality moisturizers. Almonds are used in spells for fertility, grounding, beauty, love, and prosperity. Do not be tempted to substitute peanut oil for almond oil. Peanut oil is a common cooking oil and, like most cooking oils, is a fatty oil derived from a cold-pressed process. It is not an essence and is not hydrating. Peanuts are also common allergens that produce dangerous reactions in many people, especially children.
Aloe Vera
This is a popular ingredient in skin lotions. The gel that comes from a broken aloe leaf can be used to help soothe and heal burns. In magick, aloe vera is used for spells of protection, wealth, and beauty. Keep refrigerated.
Apple
Apples are used in love magick, in rites to honor ancestors and call spirits, and in spells to honor the Goddess. Apples can be puréed in a blender and added to magickal formulas that produce a mild astringent effect. Apple blossom is a sweet scent sometimes used in love or beauty spells.
Anise
Used as a hair rinse for darker hair, anise is also popular in spells to create lust and passion and to enhance psychic energy. Don¿t confuse anise with licorice, though; they are not the same thing.
Castile Soap
This is an olive oil soap first produced in the Castile region of Spain in the thirteenth century. It is easily grated and meelted to make other solid soaps and provides a low-scent base for magickal soap products using essential oils. Castile soap is very mild and nonastringent. It also comes in a liquid form that makes the perfect base for shampoos and gel soaps, though it may be too hydrating for oily hair. A note to vegetarians or those who eschew animal products: Some castiles include animal fat, which originally gave the olive oil soap the fatty acids it needed to give it its cleaning power. Today some of these still contain lard, but most use vegetable oils, so check your ingredients list carefully when purchasing castile soaps at drug stores or by mail order.
Chamomile
This is used in spells for relaxation and is often found in herbal hair preparations, especially for blondes. Avoid using chamomile if you are allergic to ragweed. They come from the same plant family, so people sensitive to ragweed may have an unpleasant reaction to chamomile.
Cinnamon
This spicy herb is used frequently in spells for lust and protection. The oil is very irritating to the skin.
Clay
Our grandmothers tried to tell us about this one. Clay is a great skin softener and makes an excellent facial mask for extracting dirt and oil. Don¿t use clay straight from your backyard, which has too much dirt and trace minerals. Pure clay is cheap and worth the purchase.
Clove
Clove oil is a rich scent, but is toxic and can irritate the skin, so use it with caution. Clove is often added to spells for protection and warding and makes a great catalyst to halt gossip.
Eucalyptus
This oil is reputed to have natural antibiotic and antiviral properties. Not surprisingly, it is used primarily in spells for healing and health.
Glycerin
The hydrating and moisture-retaining substance we know as glycerin is actually a byproduct of soap processing. This complex process is not covered in this book, but the byproduct is recommended in several of the skin lotion recipes. Bottles of glycerin can be purchased inexpensively in most drug stores.
Honey
Honey and the bees who create it are sacred to many of the world¿s Gods and Goddesses. Honey appears in spells ancient and modern as a catalyst for love, beauty, and health. It is also used in medicinal preparations and in skin care products.
Jasmine
Jasmine is actually the general name for over two hundred species of tropical shrubs. The one we use for perfume is from a vine with waxy white foliage that has an exotic and sensual quality. It makes a fine oil or incense, or can be used dried. It is used in magick for prophetic dreams, psychic powers, and love and romance.
Jojoba Oil
Used to add shine and moisture to the hair and scalp, jojoba oil has properties similar to collagen, the elastic in your skin, that can help strengthen the skin and may have some beneficial effect on hair follicles.
Lavender
The soft, feminine scent of lavender releases chemical...