572. To make Milk of Roses.—To one pint of rose-water, add one ounce of oil of almonds and ten drops of the oil of tartar.
N. B.—Let the oil of tartar be poured in last.
573. Almond Paste.—Blanch half a pound of sweet almonds and a quarter of a pound of bitter almonds, and beat them to powder in a mortar with half a pound of loaf sugar; then beat them into a paste with orange-flower water.
574. Almond Powder.—Blanch six pounds of bitter almonds, dry and beat them, and press from them one pint of oil; then beat them in an iron mortar, and pass the powder through a sieve. Keep it from air and moisture in a glass jar. Used instead of soap for washing the hands, it imparts a singular delicacy to their appearance.
575. Violet Powder.—This preparation is universally applied for drying the skin after washing, especially at the joints, which, if left even damp, produces chaps and chafing, often followed, if neglected, by inflammation. Violet powder is best prepared by mixing three parts of the best wheat starch with one of finely-ground orris-root; the latter adds to the drying power of the starch, and imparts, at the same time, an agreeable odor like that of violet—hence the name of the mixture. It is also prepared by perfuming starch with essential oils, without the addition of orris-root: but, though the scent of the powder is stronger, and to some more tempting to use, it is far less beneficial in its application. The scent, acting as a stimulant to the skin, increases rather than abates any tendency to redness. Unperfumed powder is, therefore, the best to use, dusted over the part with a little brush made of swan's-down, called a puff.