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Toilet Preparations: Perfumed

Perfumed Toilet Waters. - These preparations are the product of distillation. The perfume-yielding ingredients are placed in a glass retort or a still, with water or spirits, and subjected to heat. The perfume is volatilized and passes with the steam into the receiver, the distilled water thus becoming thoroughly impregnated. Distillation is usually conducted on a large scale, and the proportions recommended are often for manufacturers' use. Most persons prefer to purchase perfumed waters rather than to go to the expense and trouble of obtaining a retort and conducting the operation. Anyone, however, who wishes to make this experiment for amusement or to make money by the sale of these preparations may readily reduce the proportions to suit his apparatus. To distill with water, put the perfume-bearing substances in the retort in the proportion of about 1 part by bulk to 8 parts of water. Continue the distillation as long as the distilled water carried over continues to yield the desired odor. Additional water may be added if necessary.

The less water used, the stronger the perfumes. The quality can be greatly improved by distilling a second or third time.

To distill with spirits, put the ingredients in a flask, and cover with just enough spirits to thoroughly moisten them. The receptacle at the end of the tube should be a corked flask or bottle through which a tube should pass to within an inch of the bottom of the flask. This receptacle should be placed in a basin of iced water. The principal substances from which perfumed waters are distilled are lavender flowers, rosemary tops, orange flowers, rose leaves, myrtle flowers, marjoram, orange peel, lemon peel, laurel leaves, bitter almonds, and elder flowers. These are distilled separately, and the distillate is, of course, named accordingly.

Perfumed Waters. - A substitute for rose water and other distilled waters may be quickly prepared by dropping the essential oil or attar of rose or other substances into distilled boiling water. The water should be taken off the fire at a boil, the oil dropped in, and stirred vigorously while cooling.