She Blends Seashells in the Blender

My mother was never very fond of perfume; one important exception was her fondness for khumrah. Khumrah is a perfume that Sudanese women make for themselves out of roasted ground seashells and sandalwood, musk (optional) and a liquid base made, among other things, of a mix of French perfumes, some of which are only available in Sudan.

Although I do not have the recipe that my mother used, I found several variations online. Perhaps Sarah can enlighten us with regards to the specific recipe mom used. For now, here is one recipe I found (the theme seems accurate enough):

1. Clean the seashells from all traces of tissue then boil over a low heat in a sodium bicarbonate solution for ten minutes.
2. Soak the shells in henna water for 24 hours.
3. Coarsely grind the shells in a blender.
4. Mix the shells with sandalwood and roast over a low fire.
5. Finely grind the mixture with two cloves.
6. Mix with lemon or orange juice and a few drops of French perfume (Rêve d'Or is a favorite, and is still in production since it was introduced to the market in 1889).
7. Put the resulting paste in a pot.
8. Light charcoal mixed with sandalwood incense in a brazier.
9. Place a sieve on top of the fire.
10. Upend the pot on the flames, but leave the pot in place.
11. Allow the rising smoke to cook the paste for ten minutes. Mix and repeat until the color changes to a deep red.
12. Add the powdered mush if you wish, then place the mixture in a bottle. Add more French perfume.
13. Firmly seal the bottle.
14. Shake the bottle well and allow it to sit for a few days.

The author of another post warns that khumrah is to be used by married women only and even then only when their husbands are around, because it is sure to excite the senses of any males in the vicinity, so be careful. ;)