FIRST EDITION.

NEW YORK:

When the breezes coquet with the flowers and now and then waft us an odor of rare sweetness which is gone ere we fairly realize its presence, we eagerly turn to inhale another of the perfumed waves. When the same flowers that freight the breezes are plucked and brought in to brighten our habitations, often their fragrance becomes sickening, perhaps overpowering. The same conditions occur in the use of artificial perfumes. Sparingly used they please the senses; but prodigality renders them disagreeable to many besides setting the seal of vulgarity on the user, and worse still, creating a possible doubt as to the occasion for so lavish a use of powerful perfume. Possibly this doubt dates its foundation back to the days when perfume was employed, in sacrifices, to counteract the offensive odors of burning flesh, for it embraces an implication that such concealment as perfume affords has been appointed as a substitute for actual cleanliness. And it is the full appreciation and realization of the possibilities of this doubt that has led to a complete revolution in the methods of applying perfumes. The woman of true refinement uses very little bottled scent upon her handkerchief—in fact so little that she may be said to use none, since the edict has gone forth to apply it anywhere except on the handkerchief. For this reason her wardrobe or closet has hung in it small

bags of lavender, or rose leaves; or those filled with cotton sprinkled with her favorite sachet powder, or ottar of rose or a strong extract of jasmine. These odors diffuse themselves among the folds of dresses and wraps, gowns and silken skirts, and when their wearer dons these garments, now and then one inhales from them a transient subtle fragrance, as fleeting as that which comes on the breeze. It may be violet, or rose, or jasmine or heliotrope or a blending of odors, but it is so faint, so sweet and so subtle that you know no drop of liquid perfume has moistened an article she wears or carries. In the glove and handkerchief boxes there rest tiny perfumed sachets, and in the drawers of the dressing case where lie dainty linen garments and pretty hosiery, you will find more sachets of the favorite perfume. In the draperies of dresses and to the linings of basques will be attached still other sachets; while even her boots will exhale the same delicate odor, the cunning shoemaker having put some of the sachet powder between the leather and the lining. In fact everywhere possible will be found a tiny sachet which has been perfumed with powder or some aromatic oil or favorite extract. All this savors of "prodigality" you say. It certainly sounds that way, but there is both a difference and a distinction in the word as applied to the two cases. With all the apparent prodigality of sachets and powders, the result the desideratum is not a tenth part as apparent as it would have been had but even a few drops of some "triple extract" been applied to the handkerchief Besides, the result is ever intangible, bewilderingly pleasant; and who can say as much for the strong whiff of perfume which comes with the production of a scent saturated

BEAUTY 492.

handkerchief and fairly chokes you for the moment?

My lady is still more prodigal, for into her bath she pours a spoonful or two of some fragrant toilet water; or to the water in which she rinses her face she adds the same or some cologne or toilet vinegar; and when she has brought the blood to the surface of her skin by the use of the towel she sifts over her person a dainty deposit of violet toilet powder; and she rinses her mouth with some fragrant wash and in the water in which she rinses her hair after it has been shampooed she also drops cologne or violet water, and possibly dabs a little on her hair after it is dry. Thus she is perfumed from head to foot and yet so faintly you are scarcely conscious of it and utterly unable to tell with what or by what means. This kind of prodigality is refined and no one could call it otherwise, and we earnestly advise all our readers to at least try the plan. In the mean time we will offer a few recipes for the benefit of those who wish to be "prodigal" either way.

The first perfumes were rather crude in preparation, having been obtained by a combustion of aromatic wood and gums; and thus the name, which is of Latin derivation (per fumum) and means "from smoke," arose. Arabian women perfume their bodies by reclining over hot coals on which have been sprinkled n3vrrh and spices, thus retaining one of the original customs in the use of perfumes. Inunctions of odorous pomades composed of many fragrant ingredients formed a part of the toilet process of Mexican women; and the Roman bath mentioned in a previous chapter is the method by which the belle of the day renders her skin satiny and sweet.

A very fine cologne may be made as follows:

Mix these ingredients well and keep in some cool place for three weeks.

Another formula for a cheap cologne which will not smell like a cooking extract is made of

After thoroughly mixing these ingredients keep the mixture in a cool place for two months.

A third recipe for cologne is also considered "superior," and is composed of

Mix and shake three times a day for a week, when the cologne will be ready for use.

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A refreshing, fragrant toilet water may be made as follows

Mix the ingredients and filter through a funnel with filtering paper, blotting paper or fine cotton wool. A less quantity may be made by using one-half or one-fourth of the quantities given.

"Rose-water" enters largely into the composition of cosmetics and perfumes, and is also used for flavoring. The recipe here given is said to result in a mixture supenor to the regularly distilled product for a perfume or for culinary purpose: Take twelve drops of ottar of rose and rub it into half an ounce of white sugar and two drachms of carbonate of magnesia. Then add gradually a quart of water and two ounces of proof spirit, and filter through paper.

To make "lavender water," take

Keep the mixture two or three weeks and then strain it through two thicknesses of blotting paper. It will then be ready for use.

SACHET PERFUMES 495

This popular mixture may be easily made and the maker will then be sure of its quality. It is very refreshing for the face after shaving, to shampoo the body with after a bath or to use as a tonic for the hair with other added ingredients.

Mix and color the liquid with caramel; or as the caramel is simply a coloring material with no medicinal qualities it may be omitted, and your "bay rum " will be quite as efficacious without it.

A delightfully fragrant mixture to put into sachets is prepared as follows

As all druggists keep a good assortment of sachet powders which are not expensive, we would not advise our readers to undertake to make them for themselves. Violet sachet powder is largely composed of powdered orris or Florentine iris and this alone put among the linen in the bureau drawers, will impart a faint, very sweet odor of violets.

Many people mix different sachet powders together and thus produce exquisite odors. For instance, helio-.

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-trope and white rose is a popular combination; violet and rose; rose and musk; jockey club and jasmine, and so on through the list, each lady selecting her own combination either from individual tastes or assisted by the suggestions of the druggist who learns many new combinations from his fair customers.

That the use of soap is deleterious to the complexion is a theory long since supplanted by one of an opposite character. From time to time in this volume, the point has been argued and to reiterate the statements made would simply be a waste of time. Specialists who have made a study of the skin have learned that soap is as necessary to the cleanliness of the face as that of the person and that it is no more harmful to this portion of the epidermis than any other. A pertinent and sapient writer upon the subject of cosmetics says: "The first cosmetic is, after all, ordinary soap. The idea that the complexion is improved by not using this mild detergent is a delusion;" and we perfectly agree with him.

The soap used in ancient Rome was a sort of paste— nearly liquid; but in some period of the Middle Ages a citizen of Marseilles invented the hard lathering substance which has now become both a necessity and a luxury. But, in the use of soap for the face none but the very best and finest should be selected. The cheaper kinds are made up of inferior ingredients—rancid or filthy fats and strong alkalies, while the coloring matters employed are poisonous in nature. The green of "lettuce" soap is often produced by oxide of chrome; rose color by cinnabar, and many of the reds by aniline colors.

PURE TOILET SOAPS.497

Pure uncolored soap is either yellow or white and any other color results from the use of dyeing matter more or less harmful. Brown Windsor soap is colored by caramel or cacao, which is burnt sugar, and is therefore perfectly harmless; and this latter is true also of the coloring used to produce the dark lines in Castile soap. Transparent soaps possess no advantage except in appearance over other kinds, and are made by dissolving very dry tallow-soap in alcohol.

Soaps that are perfumed by the natural odorous portions of plants are generally harmless in effect; but the use of perfumed soaps however, is deprecated, for most of them are perfumed by artificial essences derived from petroleum and fusel oil, and not infrequently their effects upon a sensitive skin are acrid and unpleasant.

Pure toilet soaps should be prepared from clean, sweet tallow or oil by a strong solution of soda, and to render them harmless they should be completely free from an excess of alkali. Soap made by the "cold way" instead of the boiling process generally contains this undesirable excess; and it is safe to conclude that when a soap is very cheap it holds within its components and their amalgamation, a certain power to do a world of harm and a very questionable one of cleansing, since it is itself a mass of corrosive impurity. Reliable manufacturers have placed upon the market from time to time pure, fine soaps and mankind has benefited thereby, but the multitude who think it economy to buy that which is cheapest, are lavish in their use of low-priced varieties and suffer in consequence; and it is no doubt owing to the latter class that the prejudice against the use of soap for the face is largely due.

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With regard to a universal soap—that is one which suits all skins and all people—only this can be said:

The same medicine will not assimilate with all systems, the same food is not suited to all digestive organs, the same odor is not agreeable to all nostrils and the same soap, be it ever so pure, will not agree with all skins; for the skin has idiosyncratic tendencies the same as the system and the stomach. It is only by experin7ment that one can decide which is the best soap—not of all varieties— but the one best suited to an individual use; but in making the experiments choose only the kinds made by reliable manufacturers, and be wary of those that are either highly colored or strongly scented.

Plain white Castile soap, especially that made with oil, is perhaps as reliable and generally satisfactory as can be selected, since it may be used for the ordinary bath, for a shampoo for the hair and as a dentifrice.

Still, if a lady chooses, she may make her own toilet soap and she will then be assured of its purity and harmlessness when used upon the face.

Those who are partial to glycerine as an emollient may make a toilet soap including it after the following method;

Essence of verbena, ..2 ounces.

Put the ingredients into a saucepan, heat them gently,

FINE TOILET SOAP 499

- stirring all the time, and when nearly cool shape the mass into balls.

By the same process may be made a fine

ALMOND SOAP.

The ingredients for this soap are

.

Add a few drops of bergamot, verbena, rose, violet, jasmine or any favorite perfume, either the oils or the essences.

This is a sort of curd soap and is very fine. It is made of

This paste and the soap given below are both made by the process described for glycerine soap.

A toilet soap somewhat more suggestive of professional methods of making is prepared as follows: Take

Put the soda and lime in a large dish and pour the water, boiling hot, over it, stirring the ingredients until they are dissolved. Let the mixture stand until it settles and then pour off the clear liquid and add the grease and salt. Boil four hours and pour into pans to cool. Should the mass seem inclined to curdle, thus indicating that the lime is too strong, pour in a little more water and boil it again. Then perfume it as desired and again pour it into molds or a shallow dish. When cold remove from the molds or cut the large cakes into bars.

Oatmeal, almond meal and even corn meal are all used in place of soap where the latter, no matter how fine, does not seem to agree with the skin, and are excellent substitutes as they not only clean the skin, but nourish it. We have hitherto advised the use of some unguent, cream or emollient after a soapy bath as a matter of nourishment for the skin, since the soap reduces temporarily the natural lubricating supply. In the meals mentioned, there is more or less gluten or oil and in the process of rubbing it on, the skin absorbs these lubricants and becomes stronger and smoother. Many people who also use soap rub these meals over their faces and hands just before rinsing them.

A celebrated paste made by the French perfumer, Bazin, is highly commended as a cosmetic, as it softens and whitens better than any soap known.- It -is made-of

PURE SOAP FOR BABY’S BATH. 501

Powder of bitter almonds, 8 ounces.
Oil of bitter almonds 12 ounces.

Perfumers’ green soap, . 8 ounces.

Spermaceti, - .- 4 ounces.
Soap powder, 4 ounces.
Cinnabar, 2 drachms.
Essence of rose 1 drachm.

Melt the green soap and spermaceti with the oil in a water bath, add the powder and then mix the whole of the ingredients in a marble mortar or an earthen dish. This paste is very highly extolled, and is not troublesome- to make.

Nothing but pure white soap should be used for washing babies as their skins are, very sensitive and tender, and incalculable harm might arise from the use of perfumed and colored soaps.

Castile soap and rain or soft water have preserved in perfect softness and cured many a tender cuticle; while cheap soap and hard water have left heritages of roughness and chaps upon the faces and hands of a far greater number. If our girls and women, and our men as well, would bear these facts and suggestions in mind they, would escape many of the ills of the skin brought about by ill assorted unions of impure soaps and alkaline waters. Good soap costs but a few cents more than poor, and water may be softened and despoiled of its irritating tendencies by being boiled; and there thus seems no excuse left for roughened hands and faces due to the causes mentioned.

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