CHAPTER XXX.

THE COLORS USED IN PERFUMERY.

In perfumes in which next to the odor, the appearance is of importance, the colors play a prominent part.

In handkerchief perfumes, any accidental color present is an obstacle, as it would cause stains on the material. Hence the aim is to obtain the perfumes colorless or—a highly prized quality in fine articles—they receive a pale green color which disappears on drying. Extract of cassie possesses this color, and in many cases this extract is added to perfumes for the purpose of giving them this favorite color.

Regarding the colors employed for other articles—emulsions, pomades, soaps, etc.—it may be stated as a general rule that a preparation named after a certain flower must possess the color of the latter. Hence all perfumes named after the rose should be rose red; violet perfumes, violet; those bearing the name of the lily or white rose must be colorless, etc.

The best for articles containing alcohol or glycerin are the aniline colors, both on account of their beautiful appearance and their extraordinary staining power. But an insurmountable obstacle is met with in their use for articles containing animal or vegetable fats which rapidly destroy many aniline colors. When a rose pomade is colored with aniline red, the fine delicate tint hardly lasts three or four weeks and changes into dirty gray. The same is true of aniline violet in violet pomade, etc.

Therefore, articles containing fat must receive other dye-stuffs, and in the following pages we briefly enumerate those we have found most appropriate; but it must be observed that all poisonous dyes must be absolutely excluded. Commercial aniline colors formerly often contained arsenic; at the present time other processes are usually employed for their preparation, not involving the employment of arsenious acid.

YELLOW COLORS.

_Saffron._

The stigmata of Crocus sativus contain a bright yellow or orange yellow coloring matter which is easily extracted by alcohol, petroleum ether, or fat. We prefer petroleum ether in which the finely powdered saffron is macerated, the greater portion of the solvent being distilled off, and the rest of the solution is allowed to evaporate, when the pure coloring matter is left and can be easily mixed with fat. The coloring matter may also be obtained by macerating the saffron in melted lard or in olive oil.

_Jonquille Pomade._

Genuine jonquille pomade, from Narcissus Jonquilla, has a handsome yellow color which is derived from the dark yellow flowers; for this reason small quantities of jonquille pomade are sometimes used for coloring pomades for the hair.

_Curcuma or Turmeric._

Curcuma or turmeric root contains a very beautiful yellow coloring matter which is easily extracted by alcohol or petroleum ether. We prepare it in the same manner as stated under the head of saffron. Curcuma color cannot be used for articles containing free alkali, which changes it to brown.

_Palm Oil._

has naturally a fine yellow color, which it imparts also to soaps prepared from it; but the color fades completely when the wet soap is exposed to the air.

RED COLORS.

_Carmine._

This magnificent, though very expensive color is obtained from the cochineal insect, Coccus cacti. If good carmine is not available, a substitute may be made, for the purpose of coloring perfumery articles, by powdering cochineal, treating it with dilute caustic ammonia, and, after adding some alum solution, exposing it to the air and direct sunlight, when the coloring matter separates in handsome red flakes, which are collected and dried.

_Carthamin Red._

Safflower, the blossoms of Carthamus tinctorius, contains two coloring matters, yellow and red. The former is extracted with water from the dried flowers, and the residue is treated with a weak soda solution which dissolves the red coloring matter. When this solution is gradually diluted with acetic acid, the dye is precipitated, and after drying forms a mass with a greenish metallic lustre. This, when reduced to powder, is used for rouge en feuilles or rouge en tasses.

This coloring matter can also be prepared by introducing into the soda solution some clean white cotton on which the color is precipitated and can then be extracted with alcohol.

_Alkanet._

This root, which is readily obtained in the market, contains a beautiful red coloring matter which can be extracted with petroleum ether, but is also easily soluble in fats (melted lard or warm oil). Even small amounts of it produce a handsome rose red and larger quantities a dark purple. For pomades, hair oils, and emulsions alkanet root is the best coloring matter, as it stains them rapidly, is lasting, and cheap.

_Rhatany._

Rhatany root furnishes a reddish-brown coloring matter which is soluble in alcohol and is extracted with it from the comminuted root, especially for tooth tinctures and mouth washes. For the same purpose use may also be made of red santal wood and Pernambuco wood which likewise yield to alcohol, besides astringents, beautiful colors which are very suitable for such preparations.

GREEN COLORS.

_Chlorophyll._

The green coloring matter of leaves is easily extracted from them, when bruised, with alcohol, and is left behind after the evaporation of the solvent. Some powders which are to have a green color are mixed directly with dried and finely divided bright green leaves such as spinach, celery, parsley leaves, etc.

For soap it is customary to use a mixture of yellow and blue which together produce a green color. Take a yellow soap, melt it, and add to it the finest powder of smalt or ultramarine until the desired tint is obtained. Indigo-carmine cannot be used, as it would impart a blue color to the skin.

BLUE COLORS.

For many preparations smalt or ultramarine is employed, but these colors are insoluble. The only soluble blue colors are aniline blue and indigo-carmine; the latter has a beautiful and intense color, but is suitable only for pomades and not for soaps because, as stated above, it would stain the skin.

VIOLET

is produced by a mixture of red and blue in due proportions.

BROWN

is produced by caramel, which is made by heating sugar in an iron pot until it changes into a deep black mass which is brown only in thin threads. This color dissolves easily in water (not in alcohol) and is very suitable for soaps.

BLACK

is produced by finely divided vegetable or bone black. Liquids are colored with India ink which remains suspended for a long time owing to the fine division of the carbon.