Table 3.

Non-plant resources used as cosmeceuticals in Vhembe district municipality, Limpopo province, South Africa

Local/common name(s)	Type of natural resource	aF	Use-value	bRFC	Method(s) of preparation and administration	cLocation(s)
Cattle fat	Cattle fat	9	0.014	0.12	The milk is fermented and boiled to make oil which is applied as a skin moisturiser.	Tshakuma Luvhimbi Khakhanwa Tshamutilikwa Folovhodwe Shigalo
Cow dung	Manure	3	0.038	0.04	The moist manure is applied on the feet and washed with water to remove cracks. Manure is also mixed with menstruation blood to remove silver stripes.	Tshakuma
Cow milk	Milk	5	0.014	0.07	The milk is cooked to make a cream and applied topically as a skin moisturiser.	Tshakuma Khakhanwa
Goat	Manure	1	0.014	0.01	The manure is burned and applied for the removal of rash	Khakhanwa
Green algae of river (Hololo)	Fungi	3	0.038	0.04	Hololo is burned and mixed with leaves of musuma to treat ringworms. The algae are burned and applied on wounds for healing	Luvhimbi
Khedi	Soil	1	0.014	0.01	Soil particles are ground to a fine powder and applied on the face for enhancing the complexion	Tshakuma
Lizard manure	Manure	1	0.014	0.01	The manure is crushed and applied directly to a wound for healing.	Tshamutilikwa
Luvhundi soil	Soil	17	0.042	0.23	The soil is mixed with oil or water and applied on the feet to remove cracks. It is also applied as a sun protector. Soil is mixed with oil to remove rash.	Tshakuma Luvhimbi Khakhanwa Folovhodwe Shigalo
Mafhura tharu/ntlharo	Python fat	13	0.042	0.18	Python fat is extracted by frying the python and the oil is applied on burned skin and wounds for healing and removal of scars.	Tshakuma Tshamutilikwa Khakhanwa Folovhodwe
Marumbuda White/green substance on stones usually after heavy rain	Fungi	1	0.042	0.01	Applied to the skin for the removal of stretchmarks, ringworms and rash.	Tshakuma Folovhodwe
Mtaba (sand)	Soil	1	0.014	0.01	The soil is rubbed on the teeth for cleansing.	Tshakuma
Munyaka soil	Yellow and brown soil	2	0.014	0.03	The soil is applied directly to the face as a make-up foundation.	Khakhanwa
Munyaka stone	Stone	2	0.014	0.01	The stone is crushed to a fine powder and mixed with water to soften the skin.	Luvhimbi
Ngulube daka	Oil/fat	1	0.014	0.01	Pig fat is applied as skin moisturizer.	Tshakuma
Nguluvhe/Honje	Pig fat	50	0.056	0.70	The oil is extracted by cooking and used as a skin moisturiser and to remove cracks. Also used as soap to soften and protect the skin.	Tshakuma Tshamutilikwa Luvhimbi Khakhanwa Shigalo Folovhodwe
Salt water/sea water	Water	2	0.038	0.03	Salt and seawater are used to remove rash and ringworms.	Shigalo
Sandy Soil	Soil	11	0.014	0.15	The sandy soil is rubbed on the teeth for cleansing. It is mixed with water and rubbed on the skin for the removal of dirt	Tshakuma Luvhimbi Folovhodwe Shigalo
Stone	Stone	18	0.038	0.25	The stone is used to scrub the feet to remove cracks and dirt removal.	Tshakuma Luvhimbi Khakhanwa Folovhodwe Shigalo
Tshinyai	Soot	3	0.038	0.04	Soot is mixed with oil and applied on the skin to remove rash and stretchmark.	Tshakuma Luvhimbi Tshamutilikwa Shigalo
Urine	Urine	3	0.014	0.04	The urine is applied to burned skin for healing.	Tshakuma Shigalo
White mountain stone	Stone	5	0.038	0.07	The stone is ground into powder form and rubbed on the teeth for cleaning and whitening.	Tshakuma Shigalo
Wood ashes/coal	Ashes	11	0.056	0.15	The wood coal is ground and rubbed on the teeth for cleansing. It is also applied around the eyes as make-up. The wood coal is ground and mixed with oil to dye and soften the hair.	Tshakuma Luvhimbi Folovhodwe Shigalo

^aF Frequency, ^bRFC Relative frequency citation, ^cLocation: Luvhimbi = Masikhwa (on the map in Fig. 1)