Nasrin nodded as Tika listed the skills that would be applicable towards working at the shop. She didn't have all of them, but she did have some, and would be more than willing to learn the rest.
"I have most experience in making perfume, am no longer considered amateur at it. I learn some philtering on long trip from Ahnatep, but not much. Learn some about plants, too; how to use for healing."
A determined look came over her face as she listened to Tika inquire about her work ethic. Obviously this woman wasn't familiar with the Eypharian way of doing things; if you weren't the best, you became the best, and if you were the best, you constantly bettered yourself to remain that way. She waited patiently as the Konti went into the back room of the shop, which Nasrin assumed was the work area. Her painted eyes widened as she returned with a bowl, the very strong scent of rose water wafting from it. That bowl contained at least fifty mizas worth of rose essence, maybe even more. She could clearly see the oily film sitting atop the hydrosol; one of the most valuable substances in perfumery.
She reached for the bowl with all four hands, holding it steadily and taking a moment to simply breathe in the aroma. It was incredibly intense, threatening to overpower all the other greenery in the room, but also sweet and undeniably floral. She set the bowl down onto the counter, taking to browsing the shelves for what she might use to complete Tika's assigned task.
Rose was most commonly used in Ahnatep in the production of hand and face creams, mostly for women. When it sank into the skin, it was known to aid in treating a variety of female disorders, especially the painful cramps of a woman's monthly. Offhandedly Nasrin wondered if Konti suffered from any form of that cursed time. Somehow she couldn't imagine the pristine, pale women enduring anything so...messy. In any case, she would attempt to pair the rose oil with a substance that both balanced it's overly floral nature, and complemented it's aromatherapeutic uses.
She pored over the plants growing in the shop, running her fingers over each one carefully, considering its scent and uses. In her mind, another flower was already out of the question; it would make the resulting perfume too powerful and one note. She hmphed and began looking over the essential oils on the shelves instead, encapsulated in little clay bottles with labels on the front. At least her Common was good enough to read them.
"Ah, here. This will do." she murmured to herself.
She plucked a bottle of rosemary oil from the shelf, along with the necessary carrier oil, jojoba. It was not safe to place some essential oils directly on the skin, and they required a carrier oil to dilute them; it also made the mixing of two or more fragrances easier. Moving back to the counter, she gathered the mixing bowl and utensils she needed. She added the jojoba oil to the bowl first, as the neutral base. Then, she carefully skimmed a small amount of the oily film sitting on top of the rose water; a tiny amount was enough. It would be the base note of the fragrance, the foundation so to speak. It was important to add the scents in the order that you wanted them to be experienced. The top note would be what the user smelled first, and most strongly, but it would also evaporate the fastest; the middle and base notes would stick to the skin longer and remain as the scent changed over time. She then dripped several drops of the rosemary oil; the scent was rich and tangy, perfect for invigorating a woman that was tired or cranky from her monthly ill. She gave the mixture a thorough stir, wishing she could add more ingredients to blend it better, but the instructions had been clear; one addition only, and she slid the bowl towards Tika, bowing her head to indicate that she had finished. |
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by Nasrin on October 21st, 2012, 4:56 am 
