The Toilet of Flora

 

The Toilet of Flora is “a collection of the most simple and approved methods of preparing baths, essences, pomatums, powders, perfumes, and sweet-scented water with receipts for cosmetics of every kind, that can smooth and brighten the skin, give force to beauty, and take off the appearance of old age and decay.” published originally in 1779.

I thought it would be fun to take a look at a few of the receipts provided therein so that we may, god forbid, take off the appearance of old age and decay.

Let’s start with a remedy for Corns on the Feet (as you do). Roast a Clove of Garlic, or an Onion, on a live coal or in hot ashes; apply it to the corn, and fasten it on with a piece of cloth. This softens the corn to such a degree, as to loosen and wholly remove remove it in two or three days.

How about A Coral Stick for the Teeth? Make a stiff paste with Tooth Powder and a sufficient quantity of Mucilage of Gum Tragacanth: form with this Paste little cylindrical Rollers, the thickness of a large goose quill, and about three inches in length. Dry them in the shade. The method of using this stick is to rub it against the teeth, which becomes cleaner in proportion as it wastes.

Maybe you’d like you’re worried about your child having excess hair on his forehead. Try A Simple Depilatory.  All you need is Oil of Walnuts frequently rubbed on a child’s forehead to prevent the hair from growing on that part.

If you have a hankering to Change your Eyebrows black, First wash your eyebrows with a decoction of Gallo Nuts; then wet them with a pencil or a little brush dipped in a solution of Green Vitriol, in which a little Gum Arabic has been dissolved, and when dry, they will appear of a beautiful black colour.

And I leave you with a remedy for that ever-troubling problem, Moist Feet: Take twenty pounds of Lee made of the Ashes of the Bay Tree, three handfuls of Bay Leaves, a handful of Sweet Flag, with the same quantity of Calamus Aromaticus, and Dittany of Crete; boil the whole together for some time, then strain off the liquor, and add two quarts of Wine. Steep your feet in this bath an hour every day, and in a short time they will no longer exhale a disagreeable smell.

You’re on your own to find sources of Calamus Aromaticus and Dittany of Crete.  Let me know how you do.

Do take a look at Toilet of Flora.  It’s all there on Google Books.  Yes, most of these receipts are hilarious from where we sit, but some of them might be useful, if not for moist feet, then for authorial purposes.  Enjoy.