The fragrant tooth washes, the scented soaps and face powders, the
sachets thrown here and there among the linen, the cosmetics, often the
toilet waters, these all have their own delicate perfumes, and when are
added to them the lingering scent that clings about a dress or piece of
lace upon which flowers have been worn, and the crisp odor that silks,
satins, laces, velvets and all such things have of themselves when they
are new, fresh and well cared for, the indefinable suggestion of per-
fume, which is the great desideratum, is accounted for and attained,
without the consumption to any great extent of any particular cologne
or extract.
Extracts should be used most sparingly, and atomizers are to be rec-
ommended for this purpose under all circumstances. Perhaps the use
of toilet waters in the bath, many of which never yield their most deli-
cate and pleasant odors until diluted with water, is, besides being very
refreshing, the most satisfactory method of imparting a delicate odor to
the skin.
The Greeks carried sachets in their dresses and filled their rooms
with incense, and until this day we have found no more satisfactory
method of imparting a pleasant and lasting perfume to the clothes than
by their use. The finest sachet powders will retain their strength and
318 THE TOILET.
odors for years. Make large flat sachets, of whatever powder desired,
to fit into the bottoms of drawers, trays of trunks, in boxes, or wherever
a lady's linen is kept, and keep them lined always in this way. Many
ladies prefer adopting one certain perfume, and making it, in a meas-
ure, characteristic of themselves, to using a variety of scents. Thus the
perfume about their laces, handkerchiefs, and writing paper, their
extracts, toilet waters, and soaps will all be of the same kind.
COLOGNE AND SACHET POWDERS.
Cologne is quite expensive if bought at the druggist's, but can be
made at home with but little expense and trouble, and a better article
of cologne than that which is usually bought, can be made by thor-
oughly dissolving a fluid drachm of the oil of bergamot, orange and
rosemary each, with half a drachm of neroli, and a pint of rectified
spirits. Another, equally good, is produced by mixing with one pint of
rectified spirit two fluid drachms each of the oils of bergamot and
lemon, one of the oil of orange and half as much as that of the lemon,
together with three-quarters of a drachm of neroli and four drops of
the essence of ambergris and musk. If this is subsequently distilled, it
makes what may be called a perfect cologne, but it becomes exceedingly
fine by being tightly stoppered for two or three months to ripen and
mellow before use.
Seven drachms oil of bergamot, four drachms of lemon, three drachms
oil of lavender, twelve drops oil of rosemary, twelve drops oil of cloves,
twenty-four drops oil of neroli, twelve drops oil of musk, with one
quart ninety per cent highwine. Let it stand for a few days, when you
may add water to suit. For general use a pint will not be too much,
and subsequently filter it with magnesia, which will leave it entirely
clear. The water will decidedly improve the odor.
Page 308 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1886. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
The fragrant tooth washes, the scented soaps and face powders, the sachets thrown here and there among the linen, the cosmetics, often the toilet waters, these all have their own delicate perfumes, and when are added to them the lingering scent that clings about a dress or piece of lace upon which flowers have been worn, and the crisp odor that silks, satins, laces, velvets and all such things have of themselves when they are new, fresh and well cared for, the indefinable suggestion of perfume, which is the great desideratum, is accounted for and attained, without the consumption to any great extent of any particular cologne or extract.
Extracts should be used most sparingly, and atomizers are to be recommended for this purpose under all circumstances. Perhaps the use of toilet waters in the bath, many of which never yield their most delicate and pleasant odors until diluted with water, is, besides being very refreshing, the most satisfactory method of imparting a delicate odor to the skin.
The Greeks carried sachets in their dresses and filled their rooms with incense, and until this day we have found no more satisfactory method of imparting a pleasant and lasting perfume to the clothes than by their use. The finest sachet powders will retain their strength and
odors for years. Make large flat sachets, of whatever powder desired, to fit into the bottoms of drawers, trays of trunks, in boxes, or wherever a lady's linen is kept, and keep them lined always in this way. Many ladies prefer adopting one certain perfume, and making it, in a measure, characteristic of themselves, to using a variety of scents. Thus the perfume about their laces, handkerchiefs, and writing paper, their extracts, toilet waters, and soaps will all be of the same kind.
COLOGNE AND SACHET POWDERS.
Cologne is quite expensive if bought at the druggist's, but can be made at home with but little expense and trouble, and a better article of cologne than that which is usually bought, can be made by thoroughly dissolving a fluid drachm of the oil of bergamot, orange and rosemary each, with half a drachm of neroli, and a pint of rectified spirits. Another, equally good, is produced by mixing with one pint of rectified spirit two fluid drachms each of the oils of bergamot and lemon, one of the oil of orange and half as much as that of the lemon, together with three-quarters of a drachm of neroli and four drops of the essence of ambergris and musk. If this is subsequently distilled, it makes what may be called a perfect cologne, but it becomes exceedingly fine by being tightly stoppered for two or three months to ripen and mellow before use.
Seven drachms oil of bergamot, four drachms of lemon, three drachms oil of lavender, twelve drops oil of rosemary, twelve drops oil of cloves, twenty-four drops oil of neroli, twelve drops oil of musk, with one quart ninety per cent highwine. Let it stand for a few days, when you may add water to suit. For general use a pint will not be too much, and subsequently filter it with magnesia, which will leave it entirely clear. The water will decidedly improve the odor.
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Sachet Powder