It Makes a Man Glad
One of the disadvantages of being female is that I am not likely to grow a beard before I’m ninety. I regret this because a hot towel shave sounds incomparably luxurious: white foam, badger brushes, leather-handle blades. steaming towels, a splashing of spicy scent. The aftershave tonic I concocted for Papa’s Christmas gift only aggravated my frustration. Noting, however, that it would make an excellent facial astringent, I saved the dregs for myself. Biggest Brother sampled these and immediately placed an advance order for his own bottle-full, once the faint shadow on his upper lip should see development. Meanwhile, he too used the leftovers as an astringent, and we each took unabashed pleasure in occasionally catching a whiff of ourselves. Papa felt the same way after he first tried it, so I think I may consider it a great success.
The recipe which follows comes from Stephanie Tourles’s book Organic Body Recipes: 175 Homemade Herbal Formulas for Glorious Skin and a Vibrant Self. This is my favorite botanical cosmetics book, to date.
Spicy Aftershave Tonic for Men
1 cup vodka, unflavored, unsweetened
1 cup witch hazel
1 teaspoon vegetable glycerin
10 drops of sweet orange essential oil
1 sprig fresh organic rosemary
1 sprig fresh organic mint
2 strips of fresh organic orange peel, cut in thin spirals
2 strips of fresh organic lemon peel, cut in thin spirals
1 cinnamon stick
8-10 whole cloves
Place all ingredients in a jar; cover tightly; and allow the tonic to steep for two weeks, shaking the jar every day. For a clear tonic, strain carefully and leave behind the last of the liquid with the sediment. Store the tonic in an air-tight bottle, and use before six months. Refrigeration is not required.
There should be a warning, perhaps—Splash responsibly. Incidentally, the bottle I chose from Next Sister’s collection came from a distillery.
I searched the internet for vintage aftershave slogans with which to decorate the bottle, and discovered several choice ones.
It makes a man glad to be alive.
Lead women around by the nose.
The closer you come, the better I smell.
Then, of course, there is the award-winning slogan by N. W. Blott from the book Homer Price.
That distinctive, invigorating smell that keeps you on your toes.
(I love Robert McCloskey.)
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BIG DADDY said...
I do love the gift. It has a wonderful smell and is very refreshing after a quick-get-to-work shave. (I do not always have time for the “incomparably luxurious” hot towel shave. Which, by the way, is great until things begin to grow back again!) I treasure the concoctions you have given to me from your herbal medicine studies. However, I guess that makes me a guinea pig of sorts.
Sunday, January 2, 2011 08:07 PM
Friday, December 31, 2010