Eucalyptus, The Sweet Smelling Medicine Tree

Who hasn’t lingered when passing by a grove of Eucalyptus just to inhale their remarkable scent, which seems to pass through the nostrils into the core of one’s being…(?)

In some locations these wonderful trees reach epic size, unbelievably even higher than the California Giant Sequoia. One or more have been measured at over 480′. They can be used for timber, but are more valued for the oils they produce.

Eucalyptus leaves hang with an oblique sadness from the stem of the plant, which betray their very practical purpose; their glands constantly secrete fragrant, volatile oils…

Ah, to the heart of our story..eucalyptus oil! Once distilled it’s a colorless liquid with a characteristic odor and soluble in it’s own weight of alcohol. It’s the most powerful antiseptic in it’s group and has a strong disinfectant action.

But there are many uses for this special oil. It’s a stimulant and can be employed as an antiseptic gargle or a decongestant. Locally applied eucalyptus oil can diminish sensitivity and increase cardiac action. It has showed response against malaria as well. It has been used to treat asthma, bronchitis, burns, cuts, influenza and even headaches. Many insect repellents contain eucalyptus. Finally, include in this list of uses

Treating muscle aches, rheumatism, sinusitis, skin ulcers, urinary infections and wounds.

Did we mention decongestant in the above list?..to expand then, next time you are in the sauna pour a small amount of eucalyptus oil mixed with water onto the hot rocks and inhale. Then settle back and feel it’s fragrance clear all your sinuses, massage your throat, tickle your sanskaras and make eucalyptus yours forever.

Climbing The Aromatic Ladder

To many of us, the word ‘perfume’ has a special magic. We have smelled a good perfume in the past and the sensual invocations it brought forth then still linger somewhere in our cortex.

The words ‘eau de toilette’ and eau de cologne’ are more subtle and mysterious. We recognize them as lesser gods, able to convey rich scent but not to the degree of their superior cousin. Why not?  What is it about real perfume that so satisfies..and how can we explain it?

When one brings a fragrance genie out of it’s bottle, it will utter two truths: the first truth is that all depends on the density of aromatic oil in the mixture at hand. Perfume has the highest density, eau de toilette next.. followed by the Cinderella of this family, pale-scented cologne.

The second truth is far more complex. Aromatic composites used in perfume mixtures carry multifaceted chemical connections, some with hundreds of components. These are blended to give stages to the olifactory experience. First there is the ‘Chief note’, the opening whiff. Depending on the mix this can last from a few minutes to several hours. Then ‘HEART’ begins to unfold, or the ‘stiff’ of the perfume, which lingers about as a mood of ‘compassion’ for an indefinite time. Finally ‘footnote’ is revealed, that faint bouquet left at the end of the day. The totality of these stages, and their intensity, define a mixture’s place on our aromatic ladder.

Finally, perfume buyer beware. The most luxurious scents in each category are to be found behind labels which proclaim ‘all natural ingredients’. Many new fragrance groups have been formed using synthetic mixtures, but ‘all natural’ still remains on our ladder’s top rung.

Brief History of Soap - The Skinny on Clean

‘Cleanliness is next to Godliness’. Not so to the ancients it seems, who used what we now know as soap more than 3,000 years ago, but then mainly as a hair dressing or to apply as a medicinal aid to a wound. Bathing was popular to our early forbears, but more as a social or religious function rather than for cleansing. When cleansing was the goal, oil was applied to the body directly, then scraped away with abrasive stones - hopefully carrying away the dirt and grime.

It was not until the 13^th century A.D. that soapmaking became a trade. Greece and France led the way, becoming the first soapmaking centers, and this because of olive oil.

‘Castilian’ means ‘soap made from olive oil’ and this oil remained at the heart of soap making for several centuries thereafter.

Colonists in America brought new innovation to the ancient art. Resourceful settlers combined animal fats (tallow) with lye (made with ashes from the fireplace) and soapmaking became a household chore. Only in 1830 was soap commercially manufactured and offered for sale.  In the late 1800’s ‘Castille Soap’ was reintroduced in the U.S.A. made from palm and olive oils. Though still sold under the original name it was not the same product. Additives  were included to decrease body odor, make bars float and even cut grease and cause suds to dissolve. The word ‘Castille’ became the stuff of lawsuits, as olive oil importers tried to stop local manufacturers from using that word for soaps made with lesser oils and fats.

World War II and shortages of soap making materials brought further invention. Chemists used oil substitutes, combining mineral oils  with petroleum chemicals and fatty acids. Enter the word ‘detergent’. These have remained in prominent use where the standard formula  for almost all soap  is 80% tallow and 20% coconut oil.

With all the changes over the centuries, soaps made with an olive oil base remain the most sought after. Soap making, it seems,  has come full circle.. but  now ‘cleanliness’ is the norm and our planet is awash in suds..

View the finest in soaps at Barclay Crocker

The Art of Shaving; Italian Style

An Italian company comes to the U.S. with the perfect product for every shaving preference.

 

History

Proraso, the company that produces the best selling before and after-shave products in Italy, is arriving in the United States for the first time, with a variety of products made using the same standards of quality they have followed since the 1940s, when the company was founded by the Tuscan entrepreneur Ludovico Martelli. Then, the only way to shave was with a brush and shaving cream; only in the 1960s was fast shaving foam invented. [Read more]

Grandpa Knew Best

18th Century Men Shaved With a Brush

Using a shaving brush, that icon of maleness, not only links us to our forefathers but provides the most satisfactory shave short of a visit to your barber, that is if you can find one who still practices the ancient art.

The beginning of each new day is a fragile time. And yet this is when many of us, bleary-eyed, our brain firing on one cylinder, wield a razor to sheer off thousands of hairs. “Clean shaven” has an upbeat sound to it but for many the reality can be uncomfortable, painful and even bloody. [Read more]

Rosacea and Me - A Personal Saga

This is a personal saga about a bit of luck which lead to a cure for my rosacea. Hopefully, it will help you or a friend.

I had rosacea for about five years when I happened on an article which suggested that rosacea is caused by a bacteria or a fungus. Barclay Crocker carries the essential oil of French Lavender which purports to be antibiotic, antifungal, antiviral and antiseptic. Why not give it a try? If it didn’t work, at least I would smell good.

I applied Lavender directly from the bottle (neat - no carrier oil) to the red areas in the morning and before going to bed. It stung slightly and had a very strong lavender fragrance. I’m not sure how long I kept up this regimen as I never really expected it to work but it must have been two or three weeks. After perhaps a week, I think I noticed a slight improvement but it must have a couple of weeks more that a real improvement was obvious. It’s been several years since those first attempts and the redness has long since completely disappeared and I find I no longer need to use Lavender. A number of customers with Rosacea have experienced the same success. We have not had any reports of side effects except that a few didn’t like the lavender fragrance. If you want to begin slowly, just apply the lavender to a small area to make sure you are comfortable with it. [Read more]

A Scent to Unstress and to Heal

Lavender wins the Mother Nature Triple Crown for essential oils: it is one of the most popular floral fragrances, it is a natural “Bacteria Buster” (antibiotic, antiseptic, antiviral and antifungal) and it has the power to sooth and relax.Here are some comments on using Lavender based on our own experiences and feedback from our customers… [Read more]

Dominica Bay Rum

Bay Rum

“I put Dominica Bay Rum everywhere! It’s been great for my skin and my disposition. And it keeps me right regular, too.”
-Grandma Hayes

Dominica. Nature Island of the Caribbean

The most luxuriant Island in the Caribbean is Dominica. Here’s nature’s unique combination of climate and volcanic soil, virtually unchanged for thousands of years, produces the world’s choicest bay leaves. A master blending of the oils pressed from these bay leaves with the purest of alcohol has created Dominica Double Distilled Bay Rum. Since 1907 it has represented the very finest of the traditional West Indian bay rum bath, body, massage, and after shave lotions. [Read more]

Taylor of Old Bond Street

‘Avocado on your face’

The TAYLOR Tradition was founded on September 1st, 1854 by Jeremiah Taylor, the great grandfather of today’s Chairman. He opened his Hairdressing and Hair Treatment Salon in Bond Street (in the heart of London’s fashionable West End) and gained a reputation in British Society for his botanical extract for hair and scalp treatment. His son, Ivan, using his training as a chemist, succeeded his father, developing many fine herbal treatments. The TAYLOR Tradition continues through the generations. They are determined to keep it a family business.

[Read more]

Musgo Shaving Tips

1. HOT WATER
   This is the essential for a perfect shave are water & warmth - bristles become softer and easier to cut and facial muscles are relaxed, the best time to shave is after a bath or shower
2. PREP THE FACE
   For those with sensitive skin or who desire a particularly smooth shave - use a glycerin based product to prep the face - such as Skin Food, or Musgo Glycerine Lime Oil Soap. This will help the razor glide smoothly across the face.
3. LATHER
   When using cream, place a modest amount in the palm of one hand, dip the brush in hot water & build up a rich creamy later on your brush. Wet the face and with a circular motion apply the later to the beard making the hairs stand proud - if using a shave soap dip the brush in hot water and later on soap in bowl.
4. SHAVE
   Using a good blade that has been warmed under hot running water, shave the beard in the direction of growth - rinse the blade frequently. Never shave ‘against the grain’ as this causes razor burn. To find the unique direction of hair growth, use your fingertips on a wet beard.
   Rinse the face with warm water , then cool and pat dry.
5. MOISTURIZE A good wet shave exfoliates and cleanses the skin - but your skin also needs protection from the elements. Products containing alcohol should not be applied directly to newly shave skin as this may inflame or cause dryness - though some Men love that sting ! Use Musgo Aftershave Balsam which can be custom scented to match your shave cream scent or left unscented.
6. FRAGRANCE
   For best results colognes and other fragrances should be applied to ‘hot spots’ behind the earlobes and on the sides and back of neck.

Barclay Crocker
http://www.barclaycrocker.com

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