TOILET HINTS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1260, 23 April 1896, Page 17

TOILET HINTS.

Cold winds and chilly weather are great foes to tho nice appearance of our hands. However white and solt they may be during the warm mouth-:, they become red and rough-looking direel'y there is any cold weather, and need n great amount of carefulness and attention to keep in any sort of condition. They should not be washed too often, as frequent ablutions render the skin coarse in texture, and more liable to chap. After washing, line oatmeal or good Fuller’s earth is excellent for rubbing on, and the lust thing at night equal parts of glycerine and cau de Cologne will bo found an excellent whitening preparation. Another good wash, which also may bo applied to the face with benefit, is made with one teaspoonful of borax, one ounce of glycerine, and a pint of orungeflower Water, Well blended together. Hands that are inclined to he I clammy should bo rubbed with a lotion made of ninety grains of eau de Cologne, and fifteen grains of belladonna, after which they should bo dusted with powdered alum. A few drops of tincture of benzoin put in the warm water with which the hands are washed add greatly to their softness and fineness of texture. Almond soap is best for washing tho hands, and is easily made at home by melting a piece of curd soap, and adding to it the same quantity of powdered almonds. The addition of a teaspoonful of bismuth is a vast improvement, and makes a cosmetic as well as a soap. Cracked lips are both unsightly and uncomfortable. An excellent lip-salve is made by putting four ounces of oil of sweet almonds in a jar with one ounce of white wax, and the same quantity of spermaceti and alkanet-root. Stand the jar in a saucepan of boiling water, until the materials are melted, then place it on one side of tho fire, in order to keep the oil liquid and extract the colour from the alkanet-root. After letting it stand about four hours, strain the mixture, add fifteen drops of otto of rose, and put the pots ready for use. At tho present time of year, when dances and evening parties call for the display of low-necked dresses, girls are anxious to look their very best, but find it an almost impossible task if their arms and necks are not all to be desired. White, firm flesh is coveted by everybody, and may be had by following certain rules for its attainment. Thin girls should indulge in cocoa, chocolate, milk, diet cf a fattening nature, Ac., all of which help towards the desired result. Any substance of an oily nature is capital for rubbing into the skin, and if persevered with, will render it white and soft, as well as plump. Hounded arms and necks are obtained by a practice with pound-weight dumb-bells every day, also the exercise of moving the shoulderblades up and back several times, with the lists clenched, and doubled-up arms, will help to fill up the ugly cavities of a bony neck. Cocoa-butter is excellent to rub in, but this is rather expensive. Other capital fattening preparations are simple mutton fat and lanoiine. Vaseline has tho undesirable property of encouraging the growth of superfluous hair, and glycerine, pure and undiluted, renders the skin coarse in texture, and yellow in hue. Lemon juice is excellent for whitening the skin ; it should be mixed with an equal quantity of glycerine and rose-water, and well rubbed in. Eau de Cologne also possesses desirable qualities, and helps to improve a coarse texture of skin.