The Toilet of Flora

208. Sultana Pomatum

This pomatum is made of Balsam of Mecca, Spermaceti, and Oil of Sweet Almonds cold drawn. It clears and preserves the complexion, and is of use for red pimpled faces.

209. A sweet smelling Perfume

Take a pound of fresh-gathered Orange Flowers, of common Roses, Lavender Seeds, and Musk Roses, each half a pound; of Sweet Marjoram Leaves, and Clove-july-flowers picked, each a quarter of a pound; of Thyme, three ounces; of Myrtle Leaves, and Melilot Stalks stripped of their Leaves, each two ounces; of Rosemary Leaves, and Cloves bruised, each an ounce; of Bay Leaves, half an ounce.

Let these ingredients be mixed in a large pan covered with parchment, and be exposed to the heat of the sun during the whole summer; for the first month stirring them every other day with a stick, and taking them within doors in rainy weather. Towards the end of the season, they will afford an excellent composition for a perfume; which may be rendered yet more fragrant, by adding a little scented Cypress-powder, mixed with coarse Violet-powder.

210. Another for the same Purpose

Take Orange Flowers, a pound; common Roses picked without the Yellow Pedicles, a pound; Clove-july-flowers picked with the White End of their Leaves cut off, half a pound; Marjoram, and Myrtle Leaves picked, of each half a pound; Musk Roses, Thyme, Lavender, Rosemary, Sage, Chamomile, Melilot, Hyssop, Sweet Basil, and Balm, of each two ounces; fifteen or twenty Bay Leaves, two or three handfuls of Jasmine, as many little Green Oranges, and half a pound of Salt. Put them in a proper vessel, and leave them together a whole month, carefully observing to stir the mixture well twice a day with a wooden spatula or spoon.

At the month's end, add twelve ounces of Florentine Orrice-root in fine powder, and the same quantity of powdered Benjamin; of Cloves, and Cinnamon finely powdered, each two ounces; Mace, Storax, Calamus Aromaticus, all in fine powder, and Cypress-powder, of each an ounce; Yellow Sanders and Cyprus or Sweet Flag, of each three quarters of an ounce. Mix the whole thoroughly, by stirring, and you will have a very fragrant perfume.

POWDERS

211. Orange-Flower Powder

Put half a pound of Orange Flowers into a box that contains twelve pounds and a half of powdered Starch; mix them well with the Starch, and stir the mixture at intervals, to prevent the Flowers from heating. At the expiration of twenty-four hours, remove the old flowers, and mix with the Starch the same quantity of fresh Orange Flowers. Continue acting in this manner for three days together, and if you think the perfume not sufficiently strong, add fresh Flowers once or twice more. The box must be kept close shut, as well after as during the operation.

212. Jonquil Powder

Take of Starch Powder and Jonquil Flowers, in the same proportion as in the preceding article; strew the Flowers among the Powder, and at the expiration of twenty hours, sift it through a coarse sieve. Then throw away the Flowers, and add to the Powder the same quantity of fresh Flowers. Continue this method four or five days, observing never to touch the Powder while the Flowers lie mixed with it; and the former will hence acquire a very agreeable perfume.

In the same manner are prepared, Hyacinth, Musk Rose, and Damask Rose Powders, &c.

213. Coarse Violet Powder

Beat separately into coarse Powder the following ingredients, viz. half a pound of dried Orange Flowers; of Lemon-peel dried, Yellow Sanders, Musk Roses, and Gum Benjamin, each a quarter of a pound; Lavender Tops dried, three ounces; of Rose Wood, Calamus Aromaticus, and Storax, each two ounces; an ounce of Sweet Marjoram, half an ounce of Cloves, two pounds of Florentine Orrice-root, and a pound of dried Provence Roses; mix the whole together. When you want to fill bags with this powder, mix a drachm of Musk and half a drachm of Civet, with a little Mucilage of Gum Tragacanth made with Angelic Water, and a little Sweet-scented Water, and rub the inside of the bag over with the composition, before you fill it with the Violet Powder.

214. Another coarse Violet Powder

Mix together a pound of Florentine Orrice-roots, half a pound of dried Orange Flowers, a quarter of a pound of Yellow Sanders; of Coriander Seeds, Sweet Flag, and of the Marc or Residuum left after making Angelic Water, each two ounces; an ounce and a half of Calamus Aromaticus, and an ounce of Cloves; bruise the whole into a coarse Powder, and keep it for use in a jar, close stopped.

215. Jasmine Powder

Powder French Chalk, sift it through a fine sieve, put it in a box, and strew on it a quantity of Jasmine Flowers; shut down the lid close, and add fresh Flowers every four and twenty hours. When the Powder is well impregnated with the scent of Jasmine, rub together a few grains of Civet, Ambergrise, and a little white Sugar Candy, and mix them with the Powder.

216. Ambrette Powder

Take six ounces of Bean Flour, and the same quantity of worm-eaten Wood, four ounces of Cyprus Wood, two ounces of Yellow Sanders, two ounces of Gum Benjamin, an ounce and a half of Storax, a quarter of an ounce of Calamus.

Aromaticus, and as much Labdanum; beat the whole into a very fine powder, and sift it through a lawn sieve. Add four grains of Ambergrise, and half an ounce of Mahaleb or Musk Seeds; mix them with the rest of the powder, and keep the whole in a bottle close stopped for use. You may put any quantity you please of this Perfume into common powder, to give it an agreeable flavour.

217. Cyprus Powder

Fill a linen bag with Oak Moss, steep it in water, which change frequently, and afterwards dry the Moss in the sun. Beat it to powder, and sprinkle it with Rose-water; then dry it again, sift it through a fine sieve, and mix with it a small quantity of any of the preceding powders.

218. Another Cyprus Powder more fragrant

Wash Oak Moss several times in pure water and dry it thoroughly; then sprinkle over it Orange Flower and Rose-water, and spread it thin upon a hurdle to dry. Afterwards place under it a chafing-dish, in which burn some Storax and Benjamin. Repeat this operation till the Moss becomes well perfumed; then beat it to fine powder, and to every pound add a quarter of an ounce of Musk, and as much Civet.

219. Perfumed Powder

Take a pound of Florentine Orrice-root, two ounces of Gum Benjamin, a pound of dried Roses, an ounce of Storax, an ounce and a half of Yellow Sanders, a quarter of an ounce of Cloves, and a small quantity of Lemon-peel; beat the whole together into fine powder, and then add twenty pounds of Starch-powder. Sift through a lawn sieve; and colour the powder according to your fancy.

220. The White Powder that enters into the Composition of the Delightful Perfume

Take a pound of Florentine Orrice-root, twelve Cuttle-fish Bones, eight pounds of Starch, and a handful of Sheep or Bullock's Bones calcined to whiteness; beat the whole into a powder, and sift it through a fine hair sieve.

221. Prepared Powder

Pour a quart of Brandy, or an ounce of highly rectified Spirit of Wine, on a pound or a pound and a half of Starch, mix them together; then dry the Starch, beat it to powder, and sift it through a fine lawn sieve. If you please you may add a little powder of Florentine Orrice-root.

222. A Powder to nourish the Hair

Take Roots of the Sweet Flag, Calamus Aromaticus, and Red Roses dried, of each an ounce and a half; Gum Benjamin, an ounce; Aloes Wood, three quarters of an ounce; Red Coral prepared, and Amber prepared, of each half an ounce; Bean Flour, a quarter of a pound, Florentine Orrice-roots, half a pound; mix the whole together, then beat into a fine powder, and add to it five grains of Musk, and the same quantity of Civet. This powder greatly promotes the regeneration of the hair, and strengthens and nourishes its roots. The property of enlivening the imagination, and helping the memory is also attributed to it.

223. Common Powder

The best Starch dried is generally the basis of all Hair-powders: as are, sometimes, worm-eaten or rotten Wood, dried Bones, or Bones calcined to whiteness, which are sifted through a fine hair sieve after they have been beaten to powder. This kind of Powder readily takes any scent, particularly that of Florentine Orrice, a root which naturally possesses a violet smell. Of these Roots, the whitest and soundest are made choice of; they are to be powdered as fine as possible, and this can only be done during the summer.

224. White Powder

Take four pounds of Starch, half a pound of Florentine Orrice-root, six Cuttle-fish Bones; Ox Bones and Sheeps Bones calcined to whiteness, of each half a handful; beat the whole together, and sift the Powder through a very fine sieve.

225. Grey Powder

To the Residuum of the preceding add a little Starch and Wood-ashes in fine powder; rub them together in a mortar some time, and then sift through a fine hair sieve.

226. Another

Take the Marc or Residuum of the White Powder, mix with it a little Starch, Yellow Ochre, and Wood-ashes or Baker's Coals to colour it. Beat the whole well in a mortar, then sift it through a hair sieve. Beat the coarser parts over again, and sift a second time; repeating these operations till all the composition has passed through the sieve.

227. Flaxen coloured Powder

Add to the White Powder a very little Yellow Ochre. The White Powder may be tinged of any colour, by adding ingredients of the colour you fancy.

228. Bean Flour

Grind any quantity of Beans, and sift the Meal through a very fine lawn sieve. It will take no other scent than that of Florentine Orrice.

229. To sweeten the Breath

Roll up a little ball of Gum Tragacanth, scent it with some odoriferous Essence or Oil, and hold it in the mouth. A little Musk may be added to the ball while rolling up, where that perfume is not disagreeable.

230. Or,