Flower Power: Royal Oil  Traditional skin treatment from the
Pacific  By Michael J. Balick  Photography by Mitch Mandel   how
to make royal oilHow to Make Royal Oil  Making royal oil in the
traditional way is fairly simple and inexpensive, and it can be
done at home with a few easy-to-obtain ingredients.  1. Start
with a few cups of pure coconut oil (which can be bought at a
drugstore) and heat this gently in a pot or double boiler—low
heat is essential. Too much heat will burn the oil and give it
an unpleasant smell. If that happens, discard the oil and start
the process again.  2. Pick fresh flowers or leaves with which
to perfume the oil. Tropical ylang-ylang may be hard to come by,
so try other aromatic flowers, such as rose petals, particularly
a fragrant variety like the Damask roses that are traditionally
used in perfume making. Mint or lavender leaves and stems can be
used to make uplifting body oil. It is fun to experiment with
different plants until you identify one—or a mixture—that has an
aroma yo