There have been literally hundreds of enquiries this month for herbs to cure skin rashes and irritations, so I thought Id take a moment to share some of my favorite skin treatments.

First, let me remind you that the best overall skin care product you can use is olive oil. Whether you suffer from dry or itchy skin, or just wish to improve the appearance and texture of your skin, you would be hard pressed to do better than pure, extra virgin olive oil. This can be applied straight from the bottle, and can be used on any part of the skin including the face.

The curative properties of Olive Oil, both internal and external are nothing short of miraculous and I would like to share with you a recent experience that serves as a reminder to me how some of the most common elements surrounding us often remain overlooked.

My neighbor and I happen to share the same birthday. She is a widow whose children and grandchildren often come to visit. As our birthdays approached, I made her up a bottle of my favorite after-bath oil (made primarily with olive oil) as a gift. Unfortunately for my neighbor, I ran into her daughter first, who had suffered a severe exposure to Poison Ivy. In all honestly, it was the worst case of poison ivy I had ever seen. Her legs were almost completely covered in angry, purple splotches. In a number of areas, the rash was crusting and developing a greenish tinge. The itching was so intense that even after two weeks she was still on sleep medication as well as prescription strength antihistamines and ointments.

I gave the oil to her and sincerely hoped it would help to alleviate her suffering. Im pleased to report that five days later, my neighbor called, overjoyed. Not only had the oil relieved the itching, but also the crusty, green scabs were gone and the huge purple blotches had begun to fade.

The oil I mentioned is extremely simple to prepare and is an excellent curative for virtually any skin irritation including eczema and psoriasis.

After-Bath Oil: Please remember that while a lesser grade of olive oil can be used for everyday purposes, if you are attempting to treat a serious skin condition, the extra virgin is made from the first press of the olive and retains the most important curative properties that you are searching for.

3 parts extra virgin olive oil
1 part sweet almond oil
1 part apricot kernel oil

Blend the oils together, and if desired, add several drops of your favorite essential oil for fragrance. This can be applied to the skin at any time. For all-over skin conditioning, apply the oil immediately after your bath or shower, then pat dry.

A special note for women who shave their legs: This oil treatment will completely eliminate any itching or dry flaking skin after shaving. It is simply the best after-bath oil you will ever try.

Please check back next week when we will be discussing herbal treatments for many common irritants such as bee stings, nettles, burns and more.