Mrs. Maclurcan's cookery book

Wash the cupboard well with carbolic acid, or paint the shelves with turpentine is also a g'ood thing. THE TOILET. 891— THE TOILET. Much care is necessary in a warm climate to retain a healthy and firm skin, and the chief means to prolong youth is careful attention to the bath. First a toilet bath, which is intended not only as a means to cleanliness, but as an aid to health and vigour, should be warm but not hot, this rids the skin of dust and perspiration, as well as preserving it from cutaneous diseases ; but as a beautifier simple waterbaths are not beneficial. Bran and starch make the skin soft and white, therefore, should be used only for the face, arms and shoulders ; but for a friction bath, ammonia, eau-de-cologne, vinegar and salt are better, they help to make the skin hard and firm. A quart of vinegar in an ordinary sized bath is very refreshing; this can be aromatized by soaking in the vinegar previously a few drams of rosemary, camphor, sage, mint or lavender. Opoponax answers the same purpose but is more expensive, it has, however, the most refreshing effect of any toilet bath. Vinegar mixed with alcohol, say a quart in an ordinary sized bath, makes the skin hard and firm and is beneficial and soothing for prickly heat. An equal quantity of lemon juice and rose water and glycerene, mixed with the white of an egg (which has been previously beaten up), removes sumburn and freckles, and renders the skin soft and delicate. w ' : : . - ■ - . The Toilet. Any lotion liable to soften the skin is not to be advocated in a warm climate, as it makes the skin susceptible to sunburn and roughness by contact with wind or sun It is, therefore, better for Australian or Indian ladies to encourage the use of aromatic vinegars for the toilet, therefore hardening and cleaning the skin at the same time. More care should be taken of the evening toilet than of the day ; all powder and dust should be removed before retiring and a little cream rubbed well into the skin, a little rice powder can also be used (provided the powder is of the finest) ; common yellow vaseline is also good for the night toilet, white vaseline, lanoline or any pure white cream should be used in the day ; on no account should powder be used without this is first applied, it also tends to make the complexion appear white. Soap is not good for the complexion, it renders the skin stiff, chapped aud scaly by exposure, and also inclines it to redness and sunburn, but some soaps made especially for the face and hands can be used with safety if at riight, not in the day, Cuticura or arsenical soap are both good and keep the skin healthy. No lotion (unless containing grease) should be left on the face at night, it is liable to promote wrinkles, the skin should not remain damp, but should be well, though not roughly dried. A complexion inclined to sallowness or paleness should not be powdered with pink powder, cream or white should be used, and for a florid complexion pink powder is better, a chamois leather is the best puff that can be used for applying powder to the face, it is smoother than a puff, therefore covers the skin more evenly ; powder is not The Toilet. injurious to the skin if a little grease is used first Almond oil is excellent for use under powder, it also preserves the flesh from wrinkles.