[HiTech RedNeck]

Could it have been a combination of strong tea and vegetable (olive?) oil. The tannin in the tea would soak into the body and turn it into a leather like material. The oil would float on top of the tea and retard its evaporation.

[weegee]

I don't know what it was but would bet that some cosmetic company claims to have improved it's "anti-aging" formula based on this "ancient" technique.