Hardcore haircare.

[Old Cremona]

A thread was started on this subject on the mainstream forum; I'd like to hear the opinions of the more enlightened.

Shampoo strips your hair of natural oils and drives your scalp into an oil-producing frenzy, thus necessitating it's regular use. This I learned from Elizabeth Clark. So do we just use hot water and lots of combing? Maybe I need to get one of those oil-stripping combs.

[amity]

Mr. Anderton, I think period hair is "supposed" to be pretty oily! Someone once advised to start the light oiling a week or so in advance of an event to make sure it soaks in good for an authentic look! The queen of period hair care so far as I know is Alaina Zulli, and it might have been her who suggested that. She sent me a secret recipe hair salve to use that I really do like. And it washes out pretty easily to get back to 21st century fluffiness post-event . Maybe she can tell you what all went into it. I am sure you have seen her hair care website.
http://www.gothampatterns.com/

Before I got Alaina's special preparation, I used plain jojoba oil with a few drops of lavender essential oil in it for fragrance. This was not based on historical research, but rather the simple reasoning that it is closest to natural body oils and most recommended for skin and nails. I don't know that jojoba oil was available in the period, but canola and other very light oils certainly were. I think some of the denser pomades had small amounts of wax mixed in with them. Other than that, it seems mid-19th cent used a gentle soap on their hair, and none too often. This is quite different than the synthetic detergents that go into modern shampoo. Maybe one's hair got washed once a week if one was fastidious? And no, use tepid to warm water, not hot.

Even in my 21st century persona I only shampoo once a week, and find that hair will need washing about as often as you wash it. It will adapt to your schedule. If I started washing it every day, it would start needing it every day.

[LindaTrent]

So do we just use hot water and lots of combing?

I don't know why it's inconveivable to go without shampooing; other then shampoo companies make a killing off of telling people that they need their product. As I said over on Szabo's forum I've gone a week, 10 days, sometimes longer without doing anything to my hair other than brushing/combing it. Right now I'm on about day 7 again, though I'll wash it with shampoo before going to the Lafayette Hotel next Friday to drop off our gingerbread house, and have a night out on the town. Since I don't use perfume, my shampoo *is* my scent, otherwise my hair just smells like nothing.

If I wanted the period oily look I'd still have to use my homemade hair oil because it just doesn't get oily enough without it.

Linda.

[Swag]

Instead of using an oil as previously stated I just wash my hair with warm water and no shampoo; make sure the water is not to hot, colder the better, as hotter water will damage the root. My sister is a licensed hair dresser, and asking her, she said that using shampoo does in fact take away essentials from the hair. She also told me that to many oils are a problem but your hair does need some to help with strength. She also stated that it is in fact alright to shampoo but only so many days at a time. So instead of shampooing every time you take a shower or bath, do it every other, other time. This may seem odd to 21st century standards but indeed it is very healthy for ones hair. I my self before an event will shampoo approximately one week prior; to better acquire the look of a period hair style. If you use oils it is safe, just use some sort of perfume with it, such as Miss Trent has stated, for if one does not it will tend to smell a bit fowl. Just my two cents on the subject.

[ElizabethClark]

One thing I've not yet found is instruction in "homekeeping and health" manuals regarding frequent use of soaps or shampoos on hair in the period. They do recommend regular and frequent brushing and combing, and rinsing with cool water and other "conditioners", and using oils and pomades, but not a lot of stripping solutions are mentioned.

Putting that into regular practice, there are a LOT of people in the world who don't use shampoos on any kind of regular basis, and do just fine.

(As I mentioned on the other forum, I have a similar "anti-perspi-rant" on modern preparations for the underarms, too... and yes, people still voluntarily stand near me. )

[lawson]

Cawl, you ougta know netter that to wash that hair!!!! jest let it go. Or, if you prefer, pomade will do a right nice job of making your hair gnarly as all hell.

[Greg Barnett]

I always get my hardcore hair on just before an event, by using my pomade or hair gelly. I do not vary my modern hair care at all. I find this smells nice and gets the desired look. After a night with a sleeping cap on, one gets really hardcore hair. I generally put water on my head and "slick it" with my hands. Has always worked for me and even smells nice. This is the method I used for my Federal hair.

Regards,

[Chessa]

I don't wash my hair very often either (Well... compared to most people). I wash it once a week so that my face does break out and go crazy The rest of the time, I just use conditioner. Sometimes when my hair is really frizzy for some reason (like humidity which happens a lot down here), I put a little pomade in it. My hair rarely looks greasy anymore.

[Clsinclair]

When I was growing up it was common to put oil on your hair to shape and comb it. We would rarely wash our hair. It wasn't until the early to mid 1960's that the "Dry Look" came about. Those damn Beatles, it's all their fault.

Regards,
Claude Sinclair

[gilham]

Hi All

In the real world I am a Greaser AKA Stuck in the 50's although I was born in the 70's. I wash my hair once a week. And always applay a liberal amount of pomade. Dax, Black Orchid, Murrays. So my hair is always greasy.For any of you out there that would like to use a hair oil for that 19th century look I would suggest Lucky Tiger oil. It is a lite oil that is lightly fragranced. That is just my personal prefferance. Also if you want to strip all the oil out of your hair, wash your hair with baking soda. I have been doing this for years and it works great.

Regards