Erin led Charlotte and Amelia through the courtyard filled with amusement equipment and walked into the small courtyard assigned to them.
Ming-style manors had many large courtyards within small courtyards, allowing entire families to live together without disturbing each other.
In the main living room of the small courtyard where Charlotte and Amelia lived, Irene asked them both to sit down and asked her maid to put the portable basket she brought on the table.
Then Eileen gave instructions to the two English maids:
"These are the toiletries commonly used in our palace. Let your Highness test them first to see if they are allergic to them. If so, then replace them."
[In view of the general environment,
Neither Charlotte nor Amelia nor their maid knew what the word allergy meant.
In order not to appear ignorant, Amelia did not ask, but instinctively expressed her gratitude:
"Thank you, Your Highness Eileen. We came out in a very hurry this time and did not bring the toiletries we use on weekdays.
"We are all very honored and very happy to be able to use things from the Ming Dynasty court now."
Charlotte also immediately thanked her, but the child didn't have so many ideas. She asked directly with some surprise and curiosity:
"Your Highness Erin, what does allergies mean?"
Erin gave the simplest explanation possible:
"It's just that when something touches your body, it will itch, turn red, or even cause pimples.
"When you first arrive in a strange place, and when you switch to new cosmetics and toiletries, it's best to try them out first."
People have known about allergic reactions for a long time, but there is no systematic research yet, and there is not even a unified name.
Charlotte immediately understood what was going on, and Amelia immediately said gratefully:
"Thank you, Your Highness Irene. The preparations in the Daming Palace were really careful. We didn't even think of this..."
Irene asked Charlotte's two maids to take a few of the toiletries she brought and apply them on the backs of Charlotte and Amelia's hands for testing:
"This is shampoo, this is body wash, this is soap...
"Well, everything seems fine. These things are generally not allergic.
"Finally, there is this antiperspirant lotion. We rarely use it ourselves, so we have to be a little careful..."
Charlotte and Amelia turned out to be very cooperative, and when they heard about the antiperspirant lotion, they immediately had a stress reaction.
Amelia waved her hands subconsciously and said:
"No need... we don't need this, we usually don't sweat..."
Zhu Jingyuan's chemical laboratory has recently developed a brand new product that is specially designed to attack Xiyi.
Aluminum hydroxychloride.
The name seems unremarkable, even forgettable.
But the material was so useful that it became the most common active ingredient in antiperspirants.
It can astringe apocrine sweat glands, reduce the amount of sweat discharged, and at the same time merge with sweat to form a biological gel.
The bacteria on the body surface cannot obtain the proteins secreted by the apocrine glands, so they cannot produce the bacterial metabolites that produce body odor, and the corresponding odor is suppressed.
With the right dosage, it can last for two to three days.
Even if you have beard odor, as long as you shower every morning, use an antiperspirant with similar active ingredients, and refrain from strenuous activities during the day, you will basically not be found to have beard odor.
If used for a long time and for a lifetime, even couples living together may not be able to detect that the other party has beard odor.
In Zhu Jingyuan's previous life, antiperspirant was a daily chemical product equivalent to toothpaste, shampoo, and shower gel in European and American countries.
Antiperspirants actually appeared very early, because after the Westerners entered civilized society, this product was a "rigorous need".
Early antiperspirants were a mess, with ammonium chloride, potassium dichromate, lime chloride and even yeast all used as antiperspirants.
The side effects are also obvious. They are usually highly corrosive, or they may be colored and contaminate clothing.
It was not until the early 20th century that relatively effective alumina with less side effects appeared.
Aluminum hydroxychloride was subsequently screened out. It works on the same principle as aluminum oxide, but is a less irritating alternative.
Of course, aluminum hydroxychloride is an active ingredient and cannot be sold directly as an antiperspirant product.
To make a solution, add sterilizing materials and relatively light fragrance, and sell it as toiletries.
This kind of product is suitable for opening up sales from women, who care more about taste than men.
Therefore, Charlotte and her little aunt Amelia can be the earliest users and spokespersons of this type of product.
However, living in this era, they are fond of the early antiperspirants of this era.
They would rather be less active and take two or three baths a day rather than use those things.
At the same time, just like the unspeakable secrets, Thai and Western women in this era are also ashamed to talk about sweating and body odor.
Even if I wanted to use antiperspirant, I would use it secretly and would not talk about it in public at all.
So Amelia instinctively said she didn't need antiperspirant.
Eileen was already prepared for this and asked directly with a smile:
"Your Highness, don't hide your illness and avoid medical treatment. Sweating is a natural instinct of the body and is independent of human will.
"Can you guarantee that when you are walking in the sun, when you are playing in the playground, when you are dancing at a banquet, or even when you are preparing to have fun, your bodies will not sweat?
"A polite and well-educated aristocratic man would certainly not tell a woman to her face that she sweats a lot and has a strong body odor.
"I have heard that a certain nobleman was vomited by the smell under the skirt of his female partner when he went to the room to communicate alone after dancing with his female partner.
"At that time, this noble man would definitely not say anything directly to his female companion, but how do you think this kind of story spread?
"You don't really think that those men don't really care if they don't say anything to their faces, do you?
"When Thai and Western women go to the toilet, they should also dislike their own rancid smell like salted fish, right?"
Amelia blushed slightly and stopped talking.
There's no way to argue with this, because it's a fact.
Charlotte's cheeks were also slightly red, and her expression was very complicated.
Body odor usually starts to show up after puberty, before Charlotte's scent is fully released.
But I have begun to enjoy it, and I always have to grow up.
So Charlotte said very worriedly:
"That is to say, when I go to see His Highness Prince Oshki, I'd better use antiperspirant...
"When I am playing in the yard, if I suddenly encounter His Highness the Prince, will I scare him away?
"But I heard from the maids that antiperspirants are very irritating and can stain clothes.
"They all said it would be better to exercise less and take a bath in the morning and afternoon..."
Erin smiled and said:
"It might be irritating, so I have to let you test it first.
"Moreover, this is newly developed by our Prince, and it is not the same thing as before.
"Although we don't have body odor, after trying it on our bodies, we didn't feel any discomfort."
Charlotte and Amelia heard that this was Zhu Jingyuan's invention, and they immediately became interested.
"It is the invention of His Highness the Prince!"
"That should be no problem..."
Now Zhu Jingyuan is very well-known, and the things he invented are very magical.
Promotion in the name of Zhu Jingyuan immediately had a completely different effect.
Charlotte and Amelia finally took Erin's advice and decided to give it a try.
The two maids each picked up a bottle of antiperspirant and applied some on the backs of Charlotte and Amelia's hands.
The two British princesses looked at the backs of their hands with curiosity and anxiety.
"It's cool, there's nothing uncomfortable..."
"The skin seems a little tight..."
Eileen explained next to her:
"Just a little tight is fine. Antiperspirant will tighten the pores and you will sweat less..."
"Things applied to the skin will gradually turn into a state similar to ice foam as the sweat increases.
"But don't worry, it will dissolve and disappear as soon as you rinse it with water, leaving no trace behind.
"As long as you don't have any allergic reactions, you can use it normally and you don't have to worry about damaging your clothes."
Charlotte looked at the back of her hand very curiously, trying to experience the feeling of tightening the skin.
Amelia listened to Irene's explanation and exclaimed in surprise:
"This effect... this is the perfect deodorant...
"This will definitely become popular among the Thai and Western aristocratic circles."
Erin smiled and nodded and said:
"Our Prince's invention is, of course, perfect.
"It's definitely popular, and now you two are the first to experience it."
When Irene said this, Charlotte and Amelia suddenly became happy.
"Yes, I was the first to use it!"
"It's us, my dear aunt."
Charlotte and Amelia both received antiperspirant lotion.
Erin continued chatting with them and waited for twenty minutes to confirm that neither of them had any allergic reactions.
Then he said goodbye and left, returned to Ciqing Palace in the Forbidden City by car, and reported to Zhu Jingyuan in his study:
"Your Highness, the two British princesses have settled in, and they are very interested in your amusement park.
"Antiperspirant was also sent to them. They should use it honestly in the future and won't smell it on you.
"The display effect of the clothes is also very good, and Thai and Western women really like this style more.
"Especially the little queen of America, her eyes lit up when she looked at me."
Zhu Jingyuan took Irene's hand, put his arm around her waist, and asked her to sit on his lap:
"Thank you for your hard work. You've been wearing this for a few hours. How do you feel? Do your feet hurt?"
Irene leaned in Zhu Jingyuan's arms very comfortably:
"My feet don't hurt. After all, the heel is only three centimeters from the front, and the soles of my feet are relaxed when I move.
"My calves are just a little tired, probably because the soles are thick and they feel a bit heavy when walking."
Zhu Jingyuan patted her butt:
"Then hurry up and change your clothes and shoes."
Eileen immediately shook her head:
"I don't want to change, I also like this kind of clothes, I also like these kind of shoes..."
Zhu Jingyuan smiled and rubbed the flesh on her calf:
"Then take a rest and stop running around..."
Irene looked up at Zhu Jingyuan and said with a smile:
"I just want to rest here..."
