Toilet Vinegars

Typing the term "toilet vinegar" into a modern search engine turns up natural housecleaning advice for rinsing out one's toilet. In the belle époque, it meant something else: herbal vinegars, used for aiding one's beauty and health. They could be added to baths, used as astringent or applied as a tonic for the body. These toilet vinegars make excellent hair rinses, and can be mixed 50/50 with witch hazel to make a strong toner for the skin, or mixed 1 part vinegar to 4 parts floral water for a gentler and more refreshing application. Soaking the fingernails in the straight vinegar removes dead skin and makes the nails and cuticles soft, and it can also be mixed with your hand cream. Toilet vinegar can be used in place of shampoo, applied to damp hair. Really, it's amazing we don't use these more often!

VINAIGRE TONIQUE.
Oil of bergamot, 12 grammes
Oil of citron, 10 grammes
Tincture of benzoin, 12 grammes
Extract of lavender, 30 grammes
Pure white vinegar, 1 3/4 pints

Let this infuse for ten days, then filter. Dilute with four to five parts of water when using. Rose or distilled water can be used, or, better still, freshly boiled hot water. Especially upon the face, all toilet-waters have a better effect when applied warm. This is excellent for relaxed tissues and a coarse skin.

ORANGE-FLOWER VINEGAR.
Extract of neroli, 3 1/2 ounces
White-wine vinegar, 1 pint

Mix.

AROMATIC TOILET VINEGAR.
Spirits of wine (rectified) 1 pint
Aromatic vinegar 1/2 pint
Gum benzoin 1 1/2 ounces
Balsam of Peru 1/2 ounce
Oil of neroli 1/2 drachm
Oil of mace 1/2 drachm

Digest for a week, with frequent agitation, then filter through porous paper.