
THE TOILET OF FLORA.
ADVERTISEMENT.
WATERS.
ESSENCES.
FLOWERS.
GLOVES.
BREATH.
OILS.
ESSENTIAL OILS, or QUINTESSENCES.
VIRGIN's MILK.
Step into a world where fragrant herbs, sparkling elixirs and meticulous recipes form the backbone of daily elegance. This 18th‑century handbook gathers dozens of simple, yet carefully tested methods for crafting baths, perfumes, powders and skin‑care tonics from ingredients such as cinnamon, rosemary, and precious oils. The prose reads like a conversation with a knowledgeable hostess, guiding readers through each preparation with clear, practical instructions that feel both scholarly and approachable.
Beyond the sparkle of scent, the work embraces a broader purpose: to help women nurture their natural charm while also tending to health and household economy. It blends botanical insight with gentle humor, suggesting that a daily rub of “Celestial Water” can sharpen memory, ease breathing, and even support vitality. Whether you’re curious about historic beauty lore or looking for timeless, nature‑based tips, the book offers a charming glimpse into the art of self‑care long before modern cosmetics.
Full title
The Toilet of Flora or, A collection of the most simple and approved methods of preparing baths, essences, pomatums, powders, perfumes, and sweet-scented waters. 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
Language
en
Duration
~2 hours (156K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Bryan Ness, Sue Fleming and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)
Release date
2013-11-24
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
1731–1807
An 18th-century French physician and botanist, he wrote widely about plants, gardens, and natural history, leaving behind a remarkably varied body of illustrated and practical works.
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by A. (Ambrose) Cooper