Hints, Tips, and Guidelines
ESSENCES TESTING BOX TIP

Do you have one of those nifty new essences testing boxes? Here's how I made mine even better. It turns out that Pentel's milky gel roller pens write — and stay on — the little black droppers. These pens come pastel-colored, and they show up really well on the black rubber. I've used mine for several months, and the ink has not rubbed off. It's bright and visible, and an added benefit is that it's really easy to see what I have after I've tested for an essence and put the bottle into the little space in front of its home spot.

I've color-coordinated and numbered all my essence bottles: numbers are written on the tippy top of the rubber dropper. Some bottles have the essence names written on the side of the dropper (short names can be read easily, longer essence names I can see enough of that I know what they are). You might want to practice writing small with your pens before you number and name your essence bottles. I have the dram-size bottles and box, and it all works quite well. Here's my set-up. The last two rows don't need names written on the side.

Row 1: Rose Essences are numbered 1 through 8 on top in green milky gel ink, names on the side in green milky gel ink.

Row 2: Garden Essences are numbered 9 through 17 on top in green milky gel ink, with names on the side in green milky gel ink.

Row 3: Garden Essences are numbered 18 through 26 on top in green milky gel ink, with names on the side in green milky gel ink.

Row 4: Rose II Essences are lettered A, B, C, D, E, F, G on top in pink milky gel ink, with names on the side in pink milky gel ink.

Row 5: Nature Program Essences are lettered V1, V2, F1, F2, B1, B2, Sob, Moon, Bowl on top in purple milky gel ink.

Row 6: Soul Ray Essences are lettered SR1, SR2, SR3, SR4, SR5, SR6, SR7, SR8 on top in blue milky gel ink.

— S.S., California