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Hand-Lotion-art - 6/21/08

 

"A Lotion Recipe from Late Period England" by Lady Rebecca the Contrary.

 

NOTE: See also the files: Handcream-art, handcream-msg, bruise-cream-msg, cosmetics-lnks, cosmetics-msg, Man-d-Mujeres-art, Mouthwash-art, p-medicine-lnks.

 

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Thank you,

Mark S. Harris...AKA:..Stefan li Rous

stefan at florilegium.org

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A Lotion Recipe from Late Period England

by Lady Rebecca the Contrary

 

There are many recipes available for ointments or salves.  However I've never seen an actual recipe for lotion.  This recipe from Markham Gervase is specifically to make the "hands very smooth".  It is neither a cure nor anything to help a problem.  It is simply a recipe to make the hands very smooth.  This recipe is described as an "oil" however when it's complete it feels more like the modern lotions and cream.

 

Basic Recipe

 

To make an oyle which shall make the skinne of the hands very smooth, take Almonds and beate them to oyle, then take whole cloves and put them both together into a glasse, and set it in the sunne five or sixe days, then strayne it, and with the same annoynt your hands everie night when you goe to bed and otherwise as you have convenient leasure.(1)

 

Translation:

 

To make an oil which shall make the skin of the hands very smooth, take almonds and beat them to a powder and create a paste, then take whole cloves and put them both together in a glass and set it in the sun five or six days, then strain it, and with the same anoint your hands every night when you go to bed and otherwise as you have convenient leisure.

 

Notes:

 

I didn't have several days of sun so for this display I used commercial almond paste and cloves over low heat.  To get the strongest scent possible, I simmered whole cloves in the water first, then cut up the almond paste and added it to the water.  On low heat the almond paste melted very quickly and almost boiled over.  I continued to simmer for almost an hour and let as much of the excess water out as I could.  I then poured it into a jar.  The recipe that I made actually felt a little grainy and powdery.  I suspect that had I added a little more oil I would have had a better feel to the lotion and it might have felt more like a modern cream.

 

End Notes:

 

1.) Markham, Gervase, Countrey Contentments, or The English huswife. Containing the inward and outward virtues which ought to be in a compleate woman. Markham, Gervase 1615 p. 53

 

Works Cited:

 

Markham, Gervase Countrey Contentments, or The English huswife. Containing the inward and outward virtues which ought to be in a compleate woman. London: by John Beale for R Jackson 1615

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Copyright 2007 by Becky McEllistrem, <bmcellis at yahoo.com>. Permission is granted for republication in SCA-related publications, provided the author is credited.  Addresses change, but a reasonable attempt should be made to ensure that the author receives a copy.

 

If this article is reprinted in a publication, I would appreciate a notice in the publication that you found this article in the Florilegium. I would also appreciate an email to myself, so that I can track which articles are being reprinted. Thanks. -Stefan.

 

<the end>



Formatting copyright © Mark S. Harris (THLord Stefan li Rous).
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Comments to the Editor: stefan at florilegium.org