The list of herbs that can be used cosmetically is endless. If you grow herbs, you'll find many uses for them - lots have multiple uses.

Do some googling and you'll find recipes galore for all sorts of cosmetic products - shampoos and hair conditioners (eg: lavender, oregano, chamomile, dandelion, ginger, rosemary, stinging nettle, burdock, lemon balm, lemongrass, to name a few); lip balms (peppermint, aloe vera, lavender, beetroot); eye treatments (eg: tea, tomato, cucumber, violet); hair dyes (eg: henna, sage, mullein, rhubarb, saffron, elderberries, indigo); skin treatments/moisturisers/toners (eg: rose petals, chamomile, aloe vera, comfrey, calendula, yarrow, carrot, lemon verbena, borage. thyme, St. John's Wort, strawberry, banana, avocado, elderflower, to name a few); facial masks; foot baths; hand creams (lavender, rose, lemon, geranium), soaps, talcs; shaving creams - all sorts of things.

Alkanet can be used to make a lipstick, eye-shadow, blusher, brow liner etc.

Many herb books have similar information, so your local library could come in handy. You'll need to do some homework to find out which herbs are suited to which skin type (dry, oily, 'mature', dandruff, acne, whatever).

Here's one recipe to get you started:

LIPSTICK
2 tablespoons alkanet root, crushed
30g beeswax
120ml sesame oil
3 drops tincture of benzoin

Place the alkanet root into a jar, pour the warmed oil over and seal. Leave in a sunny place for 14 days. Strain the oil and discard the alkanet. Melt beeswax over gentle heat, stir in the warmed alkanet oil, remove from heat Add tincture of benzoin and beat until cool and creamy. When the mixture has set hard, pour it into a sterilised glass jar or into empty lipstick containers.

Here is a link that might be useful: home-made herbal cosmetics recipes

Oh my gosh daisyduck,
thank you so much,i have bought a few books, but this is really nice to know, thank you! :0)

Have you made any thing your self?Do you grow these herbs?
My daughter and i are so excited,can i winter sow herbs?
Is there a herb exchange, not that i have any thing**yet***
Carol

What do you mean by "herb exchange?" Plants, seeds, or the raw herbs? There are plant and seed exchange forums in GardenWeb so check that out if you are interested.

If you are looking for raw herb components, I don't expect there to be an exchange any place but I would suggest finding someone who doesn't use chemical pesticides, herbicides, etc. and who needs some weeding help. You will get so many herbs for only the cost of your time and effort in weeding or should I say harvesting! Dandelion, burdock, nettle, mullein, and more are common "weeds" that people want gone.

Enjoy!

FataMorgana

I've made a few things over the years - hand and face creams mainly. I don't do it now - I don't do much at all of anything any more due to illness and disability.

There's quite a lot of work involved with making your own cosmetics, but if you enjoy it, go with it! You might find it much easier to use purchased essential oils, however, rather than have the hassle of using the fresh or dried herbs - or of growing weeds, as FataMorgana pointed out.

You can get essential oils at most chemists, gift stores, health stores, or even a local arty-crafty market. The last is where you could also get other requirements such as beeswax, and assorted bottles and jars for the finished product.

Thank you so much you guys,no, we don't want to try to make our own essential oils,i have a source where i can buy them,but i think it will be very nice to grow as many herbs as we can,and new flowers as well.
Of course,using the herbs in cooking as well.

Fatamorgan,you made me smile with the "weeding-harvesting"
i will never look at "weeds" the same way i am sure.

Daisyduck,gosh, i am sorry you don't get to do what you seem to love, you help us new ones with great advice, and i never would have found the sites you sent me to,for that, i thank you.
Carol