It's fascinating how many Victorian cosmetics, soaps, and other household products and toiletries are still around, often in the same packaging they have always had. Staying power is a commendable thing. In this age of "everything new all the time" it's good to see that some 100+ year old companies and products haven't gone anywhere. I love finding and using Victorian toiletries - they are effective, and often far more pleasant than modern counterparts.

My current obsession (if perhaps that's too strong a term for it) is Victorian cologne. It was considered in bad taste to smell overly of perfume in those times, no doubt because it smacked of the Continent, and suggested you were trying to mask odours too unpleasant to bear thinking about. The only socially acceptable alternative for men and women was cologne, or, for the less teutonic, Eau de Toilette.

Three, at least, are available today that have been around for 150-200 years: Maurer und Wirtz's 4711, Murray & Lanman's Florida Water, and Hoyt's 1868 Cologne. The first is a unisex German cologne (from Koln, after which the first colognes were named) with Sandalwood, Rose, Palmarosa, Lemon, Bitter Orange notes. The second (sweet orange, lemon, grapefruit, cinnamon, clove) was favoured among Hoodoo practitioners for cleansing, and was the first American alternative to 4711, being cheaper than the German product and widely loved. The third (similar to Florida Water with more rose and woody, masculine scents) became widely popular due to the belief that wearing it would increase one's gambling luck (Raiffe, perhaps you can confirm it's effectiveness?) as well as for its timeless scent.

All three are individually quite good, with individual personality. 4711 is most expensive, but has the most staying power (one ends up smelling of sandalwood, even a day after applying it). Florida Water lingers least, but is a very open, fresh, clean, healthy scent. Hoyt's is masculine and complex - definitely a signature scent.

Perhaps there are others who would like to share info and reviews of Victorian products still available today?

Can't say I know of any Victorian products, but this is good to know. I have a dislike of modern cologns as they are often overpowering and just.....well, for lack of a better way to say it, they smell disgusting. Especially mens cologne and deodorant. I am very selective about how my men smell, it's quite important.

Check out Yardley products, their lavender fragrance is ledgendary. Worth is another perfum house that has a long history.

The other advantage of such products is that they often come in aesthetically pleasing packaging.

Another favourite is Euthymol toothpaste. It's generally available in the UK, though you might need to order it online in Canada. It comes in a lovely art nouveau green and white tube. Anyone "steaming" up their home might look into it!

OH! I am more than certain I have seen that toothepaste before! 

It's bright pink and tastes like cloves (a nice alternative to people who don't care for mint). It's invigorating.

For those of you who live in Toronto (or can make a road trip during the upcoming Steampunk Con)  I would highly recommend a visit to The Outer Layer.  The proprietor, Shane Moxley,  sells a host of toiletries, many of which are packaged in the Victorian style.

There are two stores, one on Queen St (for the Steampunk fashion conscious) and the original on Bloor St. in the Annex (which I prefer for it's intimacy).

http://www.outerlayer.ca/

Ellenoire in Dundas (Hamilton) Ontario is another modern small producer which draws inspiration from the last century. Lovely stuff. I still find seeking out the "real thing" quite satisfying!

Hello, Mdm Mc.Coy. A pleasure, though no surprise.

I am a fan of Borsari's "Violetta di Parma" (1870) which is a lovely violet/orris/musk/green, refined and outdoorsy. They also do a very nice "Acqua Classica" (1890) a traditional chypre/cologne similar to 4711 but to my nose a little brighter and fresher, with lots of citrus and some cardamom. 

I have heard good things about "Jean Marie Farina" (1806) by Roger and Gallet, apparently the closest thing available now to the original formulation of 4711 (there's an interesting history there if you want to look.) For a chypre, it leans towards dry citrus/lime with a carnation/rose base. It's considered quite masculine despite the florals, possibly because the most famous wearer was Napoleon. Also highly praised is Acqua di Parma "Colonia" which goes heavily on the lemon and leather scents. However I have not tested either of these.

A few more thoughts that might be of general steampunk scent interest:

L'Occitane: It's a modern company, and modern formulations, but they have scents based on vetiver, labdanum, lavender, and other victorian staples. Not high-art perfumery by any means, but simplicity is good to my mind if you're just getting to know the basics. They have stores across Canada, which is a major reason I mention them.

On the other end of the spectrum, Christopher Brosius of CB I Hate Perfume makes some fantastic blends (such as "In the Library" - "russian and maroccan leather bindings, worn cloth, and a hint of wood polish.") These are not remotely "authentic" but they are wonderful and creative, and in some cases very steampunk (mmmmmm, "Russian Caravan Tea.") His first company, Demeter Fragrance Library, has scents for everything from dirt to vinyl to tomatoes to sugar cookies. If you're looking for a scent as a kind of joking counterpoint to your costume, you can choose your poison.

I can't say I know too much about particular brands or formulations, but I can give and interesting suggestion on where to find victorian style cosmetics/soaps/etc.

A couple years ago I worked at Fanshawe Pioneer Village in the general store (basically the museum gift shop which was situated in the Denfield General Store), and we sold alot of 'pioneer' themed things, including soaps and scents (and candies).

There were some spray bottles of all natural product with lovely labels, some were purely for the scent and others were a 'refreshing' mist to be sprayed on the face. Both had citrus and rose and various other pleasant a mild scents mixed in.

That refreshing spray sampler was the best thing since potato soup in the middle of that summer.

I don't know if they still sell it but there were plenty of other locally produced, handmade soaps.

You can find some interesting things in museum gift shops, you should think about checking out any nearby pioneer villages... and maybe take the opportunity to dress up and take pictures in front of period appropriate buildings with people in period appropriate attire...

Ooh, you've given me a new quest. I must go research this topic now...!

Tricia,

It's great to see L'Occitane coming to Canada. Can you get Neal's Yard unguents anywhere, yet? If you like L'Occitane, you'd probably get a kick out of Neal's Yard as well.

Oxonian, I wore L'Occitane's Eau de 4 Voleurs for years. These days, I'm more likely to wear my own experiments. I've never met a bergamot I didn't like, though, so I will keep an eye out for Neal's Yard.

Suffering with a Great British headcold, I've decided to take the opportunity to try out some Victorian Era remedies that I haven't used before. Both are completely natural and considered "safe".

MacKenzies Smelling Salts  - traditionally used to relieve faintness in distressed women and athletes. The earliest recorded advertisement for Dr Mackenzie’s Smelling Bottle appeared in 1894 and stated “cures cold in the head, cures nervous headache, instantly relieves hay fever and neuralgia in the head, is the best remedy for faintness. Refuse worthless imitations. Sold by all Chemists and Stores. Price One Shilling.”

I first made the mistake of putting my nose directly over the mouth of the tiny round, brown glass bottle and inhaling deeply. This stuff does the nearest thing to violence as a smell can do. The first impression is the eucalyptus, like the prick of a needle, followed by the white/cold pain of ammonia. But, good heavens, it works!

Red Tiger Balm (1870s) - omnipresent traditional Chinese balm for aches and pains. This paste liminent has a warm, relaxing spicy scent. Many herbal muscle relaxants are essentially made to the same formula, which combines menthol and camphor oils with clove, cinnamon and pepper oils for an icy-hot effect. I am using it to treat tense muscles in my back. While I can definitly feel its presence, it's effect is very mild. Its other use, in the treatment of tension headaches, may see more immediate effect. I'm willing to give it more time.

Two for the Victorian medicine cabinet. Not for the faint-hearted! Unless you've literally fainted, in which case...

I know tiger balm now usually only contains herbal ingredients but since this seams to be a "traditionnal" product, you should make sure it doesn't actually contains tiger bone as tiger balm originally did. Many races of tigers are endangered and anything that encourages their hunting for commercial reasons is not a good thing in my opinion

I must admin I'm curious about the salts.

Vokhev,

Woudn't that be a news story? "Popular muscle oinment Slips Past International Law".

No, this is quite vegetarian friendly. The only tiger is the little picture of one on the gold cap.

I imagined as much. But I thought it didn't cost anything to mention it.

By the way, I'm quite the carnivorus. I juste try to eat my fellow creatures responsively

I wanted to share an excerpt from the blog of Octavian Coifan, a modern perfumer who includes wonderful historical details and quotations every so often.

"There is an appropriate odour, to our minds, to each particular character. The spirituelle should affect jasmine; the brilliant and witty, heliotrope; the robust, the more musky odours; and young girls just blooming into womanhood, the rose. The citron-like perfumes are more fitted for the melancholy temperament, and there is a sad minor note in vanille that the young widow should affect."

Andrew Wynter, London 1865

This isn't much help for the men, but does give one perspective on scent for women.

Slightly related. A friend of mine makes soap, and he is going to teach me how and we are going to look in to making soap the victorian way. This should be fun, and yes, was partially inspired by Fight Club and the Jane Austen spoof that was circulating some months ago.