Take a piece of the talc white, known by the name of Briançon chalk;
choose it of a pearl grey colour, and rasp it gently with a piece of
dog’s skin; after this, sift it through a sieve of very fine silk,
and put this powder into a pint of good distilled vinegar, in which
leave it for a fortnight, taking care to shake the bottle or pot
several times each day, except the last, on which it must not be
disturbed; pour off the vinegar, so as to leave the chalk behind in
the bottle, into which pour very clean water that has been filtered;
throw the whole into a clean pan, and stir the water well with a
wooden spatula; let the powder settle again to the bottom; pour the
water gently off, and wash the powder six or seven times, taking care
always to make use of filtered water. When the powder is as soft
and as white as you would wish, dry it in a place where it is not
exposed to the dust; sift it through a silken sieve, which will make
it still finer. It may be either left in powder, or wetted and formed
into cakes, like those sold by the perfumers. One pint of vinegar is
sufficient to dissolve a pound of talc.
This white may be used in the same manner as carmine, dipping your
finger, or a piece of paper, or what is preferable to either, a
hare’s foot, prepared for the purpose in ointment, and putting upon
it about a grain of this white, which will not be removed, even by
perspiration. If the ointment with which it is applied is properly
made, this white does no injury to the face. The same ingredients may
be used for making rouge.