Hairdo's

[Lisa Kraner]

Have a question, that I need to ask and I bet Shelley Dziedzic can answer this one as I have surfed this website and know that she is the authority on this type of subject! Being that I have that kind of hair that is totally frizzing I was wondering what kind of things the 1st class women had to alleviate the frizzes in 1912, ecspecially on the titainic and open ocean when your hair is totally going to look bad. Besides wearing your hear in a bun I can't think of any? Shelly what do you think?

 

[diana handley]

Hi
Hope this helps.
Most first class women in 1912 had there hair pined up.
They also had maids who would attend to there hair.
In the morning the maid would thoroughly brushes your hair for about an hour.
brushing both your scalp and hair from the roots to the end for half an hour.
And brushing ones hair for a period of time before going to bed was the done thing.
The yolk of an egg was some times used for cleaning the hair.
Some times they would use brillatine.a ready made product.an oil based cream.
And the local chemist had a range of hair care lotions which they made up them selves.

 

[Shelley Dziedzic]

Sorry to be so late in getting here Lisa! Yes, the frizzies are eternal. Edwardian gals of wealth had their ladies' maids to help them cope, along with an assortment of false hair pads, combs, bandeaux, and such to hold things in check. Ladies would carefully save all fallen hair in a porcelain jar called a hair receiver- a little pot with a hole in the lid for poking in stray hairs. "Rats" were made of this false hair to give height to the pompadours so often seen in the Gibson Girl style. I have a collection of tortoise shell hair combs and hair pins which held up the many braids, coils, chignons, and poufs. There were some pomades, and of course the famous 100 strokes daily kept the oil spread down the length. Hair was not washed daily as today. Sometimes talc was brushed through very oily hair to absorb excess, then brushed out with boar bristle brushes. Hair brushes were superior quality, with silver or hardwood handles and bristle holders. A lady carried a travel set of good brushes, manicure items and a chamois nail buffer. A silken pillow cover was helpful also in keeping the hairshaft lying smooth at night. Here is a favorite hair dressing site of mine
http://www.fashion-era.com/hats-hair/hats_hair_6_hairstyles_fashion_history_1900_1920.htm

 

[Shelley Dziedzic]

Vinolia Otto toilet soap is familiar to us, but the same company produced some popular shampoo as well-

 

[Shelley Dziedzic]

Living in Mystic, Ct. for many years, Packer's Pine Tar soap and shampoos, invented by Dr. Daniel Packer,are well-known. Good for just about everything from dandruff to eczema of the scalp, my granny and mother swore by Packer's (in business since 1869)- we used to wash the dogs in it too! This is a 1904 ad- and if this girl's hair is any testimony.... Today the old Mystic factory is now dentist offices next door to the Mystic Amtrak station.

 

[Shelley Dziedzic]

Rexall drugstores began in Canada- (Rx for all=Rexall), prescriptions for all probably being the origin of the chain name. One very popular hair tonic made from alcohol and borax (both drying agents) glycerin and pilocarpine (moisturizers), and beta napthol (antiseptic) sold for about 50 cents a bottle. Pilocarpine, by the way can also be a poison and was featured in an Agatha Christie murder, called, I believe, the Thumbprint of St. Peter where the substance was in eyedrops.

 

[Shelley Dziedzic]

A particularly pretty Bavarian porcelain hair receiver which probably had a matching complete set including wash bowl and pitcher, toothbrush holder and glass, and soap dish.

 

[Shelley Dziedzic]

A pair of 1906 silverplate hairbrushes with natural russian bristles. Brushes most often came in pairs- men's without the long handle and usually rectangular or oval. Remember that great scene in Hitchcock's Rebecca when Mrs. Danvers described "hair drill" done with those gleaming pair of brushes on Rebecca's vanity table? Great stuff!

 

[Matteo Eyre]

Was wondering, whilst on Titanic what did the barbers do with the hair that they cut off of the passenger
Thanks Guys
Matteo