SUPERIOR COLD CREAM.
Melt together one drachm of spermacetti, the same quant.i.ty of white wax, and two fluid ounces of oil of almond; while these are still warm, beat up with them as much rose water as they will absorb. This is a very healing kind of cold cream. The usual cold cream sold by perfumers is nothing more than lard, beat up with rose-water, which is heating and irritating to the skin.
PASTE FOR RENDERING THE SKIN SUPPLE AND SMOOTH (AN ENGLISH RECEIPT).
Mix half a pound of mutton or goose fat well boiled down and beaten up well with two eggs, previously whisked with a gla.s.s of rose-water; add a table-spoonful of honey, and as much oatmeal as will make it into a paste. Constant use of this paste will keep the skin delicately soft and smooth.
TO REMOVE TAN.
Cut a cuc.u.mber into pieces after having peeled it, and let the juice drain from it for twelve hours, pour it off, and add to it an equal quant.i.ty of orange flower-water, with a small piece of camphor dissolved in a wine-gla.s.s of soft water, bottle the mixture, and wash the parts that have been exposed to the sun two or three times in the twenty-four hours.
EAU DE COLOGNE.
Mix together one ounce of essence of bergamot, the same quant.i.ty of essence of lemon, lavender, and orange flower-water, two ounces of rosemary and honey-water, with one pint of spirits of wine; let the mixture stand a fortnight, after which put it into a gla.s.s retort, the body of which immerse in boiling water contained in a vessel placed over a lamp (a coffee lamp will answer the purpose), while the beak of the retort is introduced into a large decanter; keep the water boiling while the mixture distils into the decanter, which should be covered with cold wet cloths, in this manner excellent Eau de Cologne may be obtained at a very small expense.
TRANSPARENT SOAP.
Put into a bottle, windsor soap in shavings, half fill it with spirits of wine, set it near the fire till the soap is dissolved, when, pour it into moulds to cool.
MILK OF ROSES.
Put into a bottle one pint of rose-water, one ounce of oil of almonds; shake well together, then add fifty drops of oil of tartar.
HUNGARY WATER.
Put into a bottle one pint of spirits of wine, one gill of water, and half an ounce of oil of rosemary; shake well together.
LAVENDER WATER.
Take three drachms of English oil of lavender, spirits of wine one pint; shake in a quart bottle, then add one ounce of orange flower-water, one ounce of rose-water, and four ounces of distilled water; those who approve of the musky odour which lavender water sometimes has, may add three drachms of essence of ambergris or musk.
ESSENCE OF ROSES.
Put into a bottle the petals of the common rose, and pour upon them spirits of wine, cork the bottle closely, and let it stand for three months, it will then be little inferior to otto of roses.
ESSENCE OF LAVENDER.
Is prepared according to the above recipe, the lavender being subst.i.tuted for the roses.
SCENT BAGS.
Small bags filled with iris root diffuses a delicate perfume over drawers, &c. A good receipt for a scent-bag is as follows: two pounds of roses, half a pound of cyprus powder, and half a drachm of essence of roses; the roses must be pounded, and with the powder put into silk bags, the essence may be dropped on the outside.
ESSENCE OF MUSK.
Mix one dram of musk with the same quant.i.ty of pounded loaf sugar; add six ounces of spirits of wine; shake together and pour off for use.
OIL OF ROSES.
A few drops of otto of roses dissolved in spirits of wine forms the _esprit de rose_ of the perfumers--the same quant.i.ty dropped in sweet oil forms their _huile antique a la rose_.
CHAPTER II.
The Hair.
All stimulating lotions are injurious to the hair; it should be cut every two months: to clean it, there is nothing better than an egg beaten up to a froth, to be rubbed in the hair, and afterwards washed off with elder flower-water; but clear soft water answers every purpose of cleanliness, and is far better for the hair than is usually imagined.
One tea-spoonful of honey, one of spirits of wine, one of rosemary, mixed in half a pint of rose-water, or elder flower-water, and the same quant.i.ty of soft water, forms an excellent lotion for keeping the hair clean and glossy.
A fine pomatum is made by melting down equal quant.i.ties of mutton suet and marrow, uncooked, and adding a little sweet oil to make it of a proper consistency, to which any perfume may be added. If essence of rosemary is the perfume used, it will be found to promote the growth of the hair. Rum and oil of almonds will be of use for the same purpose. A warm cloth to rub the hair after brushing imparts a fine shiny smoothness.
As a bandoline to make the hair set close, the following will be found useful and cheap: take a cupful of linseed, pour over it sufficient boiling water to over, let it stand some hours, and then pour over three table spoonsful of rose-water; stir the seeds well about, and strain it off into a bottle and it will be ready for use; or take a tea-spoonful of gum arabic with a little Irish moss, boil them in half a pint of water till half is boiled away; strain and perfume.
To remove superfluous hairs, the following receipt will be found effectual, although requiring time and perseverance: mix one ounce of finely powdered pumice-stone with one ounce of powdered quick-lime, and rub the mixture on the part from which the hair is to be removed, twice in twenty-four hours; this will destroy the hair, and is an innocent application. In the East, a depilatory is in use, which we subjoin, but which requires great care in employing, as the ingredients are likely to injure the skin if applied too frequently, or suffered to remain on too long: mix with one ounce of quick-lime, one ounce of orpiment; put the powder in a bottle with a gla.s.s stopper; when required for use, mix it into a paste with barley-water; apply this over the part, and let it remain some minutes, then gently take it off with a silver knife, and the hairs will be found perfectly removed; the part should then be fomented to prevent any of the powder being absorbed by the skin, and a little sweet oil or cold cream should be wiped over the surface with a feather.
CHAPTER III.