It’s September and the summer is rapidly coming to an end, though not without a last hurrah. Some of its hottest, steamiest days are still with us, and the mosquitoes are out in full force.
I was reminded of this yesterday when a mosquito made its way into my bathroom while I was replacing an old window screen. I ran frantically for my purple plastic fly swatter, eager to avoid becoming his prey. He won the first round with a disappearing act, nowhere in sight. But the battle raged on, and eventually I caught sight of him, and with a swift motion of my wrist he went right to mosquito heaven.
The incident triggered a distant memory of the days when I was a commercial print model. One night I was awakened by the sound of a mosquito buzzing around my head. I buried my head under the covers and hoped for the best-not to get bitten, and not to suffocate!
The next morning, grateful that I was still breathing, I stumbled into the bathroom, splashed cold water on my face, and looked in the mirror. I was horrified. Overnight my nose had transformed into a bulbous, red, inflamed mass. That son-of-a-bitch mosquito! I was scheduled for a photo shoot the following day. My metamorphosis would have worked splendidly in a cold medicine ad, but I was doing an ad for a hotel. My character was supposed to be happily vacationing with her two young children, and I was mortified by the idea of startling them with my bright-red nose.
Luckily, my natural home remedy solution to mosquito bites came to the rescue, and that’s what I’d like to share with you today. I grabbed a scallion from the fridge and sliced the white part on a vertical angle, allowing me to easily squeeze its juice onto my nose.
Later, I tore off a piece of the scallion and let it stick there. Every once in a while I repeated the process. Two and a half hours later, there was no indication of a bite. I was so relieved! I love scallions, so I always have a fresh supply on hand. I use them as a garnish, toss them into salads, and they’re a key ingredient in my favorite tahini-scallion dressing.
If you’re ever bitten, be sure to try this solution. But ideally, you won’t get bitten in the first place. How? In the past I’ve used commercial mosquito repellents with unsatisfactory results, so I turned once again to the kitchen cupboard. I found that applying vinegar to exposed limbs keeps mosquitoes away.
They are attracted to sweet skin, and not acidic skin. Now you can enjoy the outdoors without fear, and I promise it won’t make you smell like a salad!
Visit nynaturalfaceliftmassage.com to learn more about my unique beauty- and health-enhancing massages, including incredible before-and-after photos of previous clients. To schedule your own facial rejuvenation facelift massage, call (212) 769-4722 or email thenaturalbeautyqueen@gmail.com.
Sincerely,
Lisa Zimmer
NY Natural Facelift Massage
www.nynaturalfaceliftmassage.com
thenaturalbeautyqueen@gmail.com
212.769.4722
New York City