Disinfect a wound
Pour a dab of honey on a cut before covering it with a bandage. "Studies show that honey has powerful antibacterial properties," says James A. Duke, Ph.D., author of The Green Pharmacy. One New Zealand study found that honey was capable of destroying almost all strains of the most common wound- infecting bacteria.
Repair dry skin
Baste yourself. "Try rubbing a small amount of corn oil over dry skin on your hands or feet, to add moisture and seal it into the area," says Cyndi Thomson, Ph.D., R.D., an assistant professor at the University of Arizona college of public health.
Treat poison ivy
Got itching? Get milk. Soaking a rag in cold milk and then holding it on your skin will dry out the rash of poison ivy and help ease the itch, says John Romano, M.D., a New York City dermatologist.
Soothe a sunburn
To stop the itch and burn, mix together a bit of dry oatmeal and cool water. Make it slightly slushier than if you were going to eat it, and spread the mixture carefully on your sunburned skin. "This will relieve the pain and help reduce swelling," says Patricia Farris, M.D., a professor of dermatology at Tulane University.