Historical hair care for the modern woman

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Thought this was interesting:

https://thepragmaticcostumer.wordpress.com/2014/09/17/the-myth-of-a-myth-brushing-your-hair-100-times/

[likelikepenny]

Very interesting read!

[reilly0167]

Very interesting read, oh how I wish I had a vanity set like my grandmother had. The pretty brush and comb like the ones pictured in the article.. Sighs

[EliseMarie]

Thanks for sharing that wonderful article, I have saved it to my favorites! :)

[Cassandre Brave]

It's so amazing! A lot of hairstyles in this article are inspiring me for further experiments. ^//^
And now, I know that the myth with a brush doesn't talk about the brushes we have nowadays. I'm reassured! ^^

[Naliade]

Really great article! Thanks for sharing :flower:

[Aredhel]

I'm definitely gradually veering in the direction of the hair care outlined in this article. Makes so much sense to me.:) Thanks for sharing Sarah!

[Groovy Granny]

I grew up in the 50's and recall a lot of this...especially the 'squeaky clean hair'.
We shampooed once a week, did not use conditioners, and did brush 100 strokes.....though I cannot recall what type of brush was used.
Pin curls were the bane of my existence back then (protests to my Mother went unheard);they were the cause of frequent headaches and a sensitive scalp that persists to this day.

My hair is too fine for CO and loves a moisturizing Shampoo; conditioning is a must now.

I still do the 100 strokes with my BBB in colder temps; in Summer I will do it to stretch a wash....more often = frizz while I am in curl explosion mode (humid weather).

Thanks for sharing...it was informative, affirmative, and nostalgic :)

[Naliade]

May I be a little vain, and share with you my most precious possession? It belonged to my great-grandmother, and I used to love when she brushed my hair with it. Before she died, she gave it to me, and I've been treasuring it since then. :o:o:o


https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/gwZBb787JkQcWfPGoNLgNzBpayg6KvuKopXtlThFt383IvY-MbCQ8cNgBj8SjAzcAOGOVzL7Zc6AHOvBVO1B7E-wyKjqoATVfnSsT3fM1ixzirQ6aX5IWOowbaBAQL-jpZrVLdm6ayglxreq-UestHuLCTBO8M-jystwI4Wq6XDiciKjPBAhlSrlW5kKeAN3JxuxhDTcmkrCLHY50 _2RITtxKZ0YKveVGbE3E5TPIqZFa7CsNnFPNZnXGtbc9wLqsuq xPzx9N84psnw854Uun72EPo0l6LZxdRaecNNFenwBfxftNDqbX jKJ8FQz1RM0hsSVZEgaNoW_54t7HykLcb_bkkqpldWmBYlnDP6 p4vpOZhACxd7Ycsd-LQfD9fjA0mAaaVfrSCwmMIdx7kABxA_6E-mybTERPNFQV28V_xF3rSbCNL_E_Ty-6HNMfI-UDwhGicJNHToEnnR1I4-5PEcY1ip83Gy0iMjJjjg8vxkzKleDBQRGJK7Z-FhwrTi34h2MK_8pB1IWhzjOcPebTFJYQmoYOf6y8OML4vzCO4F UB98OxpQ1y-a2pLXi0vgdSyYgRxviv_29QrlCenQeTf2TiA-x1EI-EXnKA84tuCesiE4O__YizLM02PfyENYlmfAcLiwOydGflxhEyb sU36gG3wriCzab6tZUsskiAQ=w756-h567-no

[vpatt]

Thank you so much for sharing. I am always very curious about hair care before all the "products" became available. I can say that as a child in the 50's we had shampoo, but I don't think we used or had available conditioner or creme rinse, as it was called. I know my grandmother in the Smokies did catch rainwater to use for hair washing. I need to talk to my last aunt while I still can and ask her some questions. I'm very curious about even further back in history...especially hair care during Bible times. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find much...Mr. Google has not been forthcoming with me. TY

Naliade, how beautiful and what a treasure!

GG, I despised Spoolies! And same here once a week washes until puberty struck and I was caught up in daily washes for my super oily hair. I think that may be when I began using cream rinse for my hair.....and also used dish liquid to combat oil at times....never suspected it made the issue worse.

[Groovy Granny]

May I be a little vain, and share with you my most precious possession? It belonged to my great-grandmother, and I used to love when she brushed my hair with it. Before she died, she gave it to me, and I've been treasuring it since then. :o:o:o


That's not vain to treasure such a gift....I am very happy for you; it is beautiful :love:

[esfand]

May I be a little vain, and share with you my most precious possession? It belonged to my great-grandmother, and I used to love when she brushed my hair with it. Before she died, she gave it to me, and I've been treasuring it since then. :o:o:o


https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/gwZBb787JkQcWfPGoNLgNzBpayg6KvuKopXtlThFt383IvY-MbCQ8cNgBj8SjAzcAOGOVzL7Zc6AHOvBVO1B7E-wyKjqoATVfnSsT3fM1ixzirQ6aX5IWOowbaBAQL-jpZrVLdm6ayglxreq-UestHuLCTBO8M-jystwI4Wq6XDiciKjPBAhlSrlW5kKeAN3JxuxhDTcmkrCLHY50 _2RITtxKZ0YKveVGbE3E5TPIqZFa7CsNnFPNZnXGtbc9wLqsuq xPzx9N84psnw854Uun72EPo0l6LZxdRaecNNFenwBfxftNDqbX jKJ8FQz1RM0hsSVZEgaNoW_54t7HykLcb_bkkqpldWmBYlnDP6 p4vpOZhACxd7Ycsd-LQfD9fjA0mAaaVfrSCwmMIdx7kABxA_6E-mybTERPNFQV28V_xF3rSbCNL_E_Ty-6HNMfI-UDwhGicJNHToEnnR1I4-5PEcY1ip83Gy0iMjJjjg8vxkzKleDBQRGJK7Z-FhwrTi34h2MK_8pB1IWhzjOcPebTFJYQmoYOf6y8OML4vzCO4F UB98OxpQ1y-a2pLXi0vgdSyYgRxviv_29QrlCenQeTf2TiA-x1EI-EXnKA84tuCesiE4O__YizLM02PfyENYlmfAcLiwOydGflxhEyb sU36gG3wriCzab6tZUsskiAQ=w756-h567-no

Beautiful! And it's a set!

[Groovy Granny]

Thank you so much for sharing. I am always very curious about hair care before all the "products" became available. I can say that as a child in the 50's we had shampoo, but I don't think we used or had available conditioner or creme rinse, as it was called. I know my grandmother in the Smokies did catch rainwater to use for hair washing. I need to talk to my last aunt while I still can and ask her some questions. I'm very curious about even further back in history...especially hair care during Bible times. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find much...Mr. Google has not been forthcoming with me. TY

The women in my family always permed their hair, and wore it short (chin length with short layers).

My Mother had very coarse/wiry salt and pepper hair that she hated,so she also colored it.

She was an 'every hair in it's place' person and became a hairspray addict; daily adding layer upon layer of lacquer until her weekly salon appt, where they also used heat to dry/style it.

Sadly by the time she was my age she developed a HUGE bald spot on the back of her head, requiring the use of a clip in hair piece.
It mortified her so much she wouldn't even show us,and the only person that saw was her stylist(who scheduled her appt apart from the others)and the undertaker.
Eventually she stopped coloring and turned all white, but it was too late for the other damage.

Though time has afforded us wonderful hair care products,I am unsure that we need all the ingredients and would prefer to be more natural in my hair care...but my fine silver won't allow it at this point, and I am just too old to start making changes.

"If it ain't broke...don't fix it" as they say :wink:

[Corvana]

Lovely article! It reminded me of my lifelong dream to eventually own a vanity set. I don't remember what started that dream, but one day I'll have one!

[lithostoic]

Those portraits are so beautiful! You can tell (if you're an LHCer) that the hair is not freshly washed. And it looked lovely.

[Stormynights]

When I was a child my mother used rain water to wash our hair, She would skim out the mosquito larvae that we called wiggle tails and I considered bug water. I was so glad when I got old enough to wash my own hair. She used rubber curlers on my hair. Later we got spoolies but our hair would still be wet the next morning. When they took my first grade picture they gave all of us a comb so I raked my comb through one side of my hair and the other side still had ringlets. My mother was very upset with me and I must admit that I did look a fright. I still can't figure out why they would give first graders a comb.

[AZDesertRose]

I have most of a vanity set that belonged to my late maternal grandmother, but the brush and comb are missing. I never knew what happened to those two pieces.

Pictured are the cuticle tool, the nail scissors (in two separate pieces; they won't stay assembled anymore), the nail file, the regular hand mirror, the nail buffer, and the small magnifying mirror. On the backs of the mirrors are my grandmother's initials (of her maiden name; this set was given to her before she married my grandfather), which were "VHL."

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a43/AZDesertRose/Pics%20I%20Took/Pretties/c7904d50-fefc-45a0-b399-a16862a3a762_zps9llcq4sv.jpg

I had the set for years and never knew it had a nail file until I happened to see the nail file at my uncle's house; he'd been using it as a letter opener, but when I recognized it as part of the set (by the handle, which matches all the other pieces), he gave it to me since my grandmother (his mother) had given me the rest of the set, so he felt she would have wanted me to have the file as well. He said he could easily find another letter opener. :lol:

I need to break out the silver polish and give the set some attention, and I have some silver jewelry that could also stand it while I have the silver polish out...

ETA: I can't really do the historical hair care bit, though I'd love to, but seborrheic dermatitis wouldn't play nicely, unfortunately. :(

[Groovy Granny]

I have most of a vanity set that belonged to my late maternal grandmother, but the brush and comb are missing. I never knew what happened to those two pieces.

Pictured are the cuticle tool, the nail scissors (in two separate pieces; they won't stay assembled anymore), the nail file, the regular hand mirror, the nail buffer, and the small magnifying mirror. On the backs of the mirrors are my grandmother's initials (of her maiden name; this set was given to her before she married my grandfather), which were "VHL."

I had the set for years and never knew it had a nail file until I happened to see the nail file at my uncle's house; he'd been using it as a letter opener, but when I recognized it as part of the set (by the handle, which matches all the other pieces), he gave it to me since my grandmother (his mother) had given me the rest of the set, so he felt she would have wanted me to have the file as well. He said he could easily find another letter opener. :lol:

I need to break out the silver polish and give the set some attention, and I have some silver jewelry that could also stand it while I have the silver polish out...

ETA: I can't really do the historical hair care bit, though I'd love to, but seborrheic dermatitis wouldn't play nicely, unfortunately. :(


What a beautiful treasure!

[AZDesertRose]

Thank you, Groovy Granny! I use the regular (not magnifying) mirror semi-regularly; the rest of the set I mostly keep out of sentiment, but the nail buffer does actually still work after all these years; it will make clean bare nails shiny and pretty! (My grandparents got married somewhere around 1946 or so, so this set was given to my grandmother probably in the late 1930's or early 1940's; I'm not actually sure precisely when, and she will have been gone twenty years late next month, so I can't exactly ask her, and I'm not sure my mom knows when she got the set.)

[reilly0167]

May I be a little vain, and share with you my most precious possession? It belonged to my great-grandmother, and I used to love when she brushed my hair with it. Before she died, she gave it to me, and I've been treasuring it since then. :o:o:o


https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/gwZBb787JkQcWfPGoNLgNzBpayg6KvuKopXtlThFt383IvY-MbCQ8cNgBj8SjAzcAOGOVzL7Zc6AHOvBVO1B7E-wyKjqoATVfnSsT3fM1ixzirQ6aX5IWOowbaBAQL-jpZrVLdm6ayglxreq-UestHuLCTBO8M-jystwI4Wq6XDiciKjPBAhlSrlW5kKeAN3JxuxhDTcmkrCLHY50 _2RITtxKZ0YKveVGbE3E5TPIqZFa7CsNnFPNZnXGtbc9wLqsuq xPzx9N84psnw854Uun72EPo0l6LZxdRaecNNFenwBfxftNDqbX jKJ8FQz1RM0hsSVZEgaNoW_54t7HykLcb_bkkqpldWmBYlnDP6 p4vpOZhACxd7Ycsd-LQfD9fjA0mAaaVfrSCwmMIdx7kABxA_6E-mybTERPNFQV28V_xF3rSbCNL_E_Ty-6HNMfI-UDwhGicJNHToEnnR1I4-5PEcY1ip83Gy0iMjJjjg8vxkzKleDBQRGJK7Z-FhwrTi34h2MK_8pB1IWhzjOcPebTFJYQmoYOf6y8OML4vzCO4F UB98OxpQ1y-a2pLXi0vgdSyYgRxviv_29QrlCenQeTf2TiA-x1EI-EXnKA84tuCesiE4O__YizLM02PfyENYlmfAcLiwOydGflxhEyb sU36gG3wriCzab6tZUsskiAQ=w756-h567-no

Yes!!!!! That's it!!! My grandmother had the same set. Don't know where she got it from I was just a kid. Oh how I love it so... You are blessed indeed.

[Kat-Rinnè Naido]

Thank you Sarahlabyrinth for sharing the article. It was interesting reading.

Naliade that is a treasure.

Groovy Granny thank you for a little bit of share. I am glad to read that you do brush your hair and it works for you.

[Serimel]

Loved the article, thank you for sharing! Oh Naliade that vanity set is so precious, you are lucky to have it!

[Siri]

Really interesting article, THANKS so much for sharing it! :blossom:

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Thank you all for reading and enjoying it, I liked it very much. :)

[yamsha23]

I've been dwelling into historical hair care articles for hours now :) Thank you Saralabyrinth for awakening my obsession.
http://i64.tinypic.com/2r41xlu.jpg

Here are some interesting articles, there are tones of them and I'm not finished reading them!

* A victorian lady's guide to haircare:
http://englishhistoryauthors.blogspot.co.il/2015/12/a-victorian-ladys-guide-to-hair-care.html

* 5 easy tips for better hair (don't follow number 4! :bigeyes: as for number 5 I don't know...)
http://mentalfloss.com/article/52720/5-easy-tips-better-hair-early-1900s

* victorian shampoo alternatives (I must say I already use all of them and my hair is unrecognizably thick and soft!) :inlove:
https://www.ourheritageofhealth.com/victorian-shampoo-alternatives/

* Hairstyling: The truth about big hair of 1770s, how they did it:
http://twonerdyhistorygirls.blogspot.co.il/2014/07/the-truth-about-big-hair-of-1770s-part_24.html


And my researches continue.... :eye::heartbeat

[ghanima]

Oh how I wish I found a way to include brushing in my routine...
great article, and I especially loved the pictures, so many great hair!

[Sarahlabyrinth]

I've been dwelling into historical hair care articles for hours now :) Thank you Saralabyrinth for awakening my obsession.
http://i64.tinypic.com/2r41xlu.jpg

Here are some interesting articles, there are tones of them and I'm not finished reading them!

* A victorian lady's guide to haircare:
http://englishhistoryauthors.blogspot.co.il/2015/12/a-victorian-ladys-guide-to-hair-care.html

* 5 easy tips for better hair (don't follow number 4! :bigeyes: as for number 5 I don't know...)
http://mentalfloss.com/article/52720/5-easy-tips-better-hair-early-1900s

* victorian shampoo alternatives (I must say I already use all of them and my hair is unrecognizably thick and soft!) :inlove:
https://www.ourheritageofhealth.com/victorian-shampoo-alternatives/

* Hairstyling: The truth about big hair of 1770s, how they did it:
http://twonerdyhistorygirls.blogspot.co.il/2014/07/the-truth-about-big-hair-of-1770s-part_24.html


And my researches continue.... :eye::heartbeat

Wow! These are wonderful reading! Do you only use Victorian shampoos now, rather than modern shampoos? Do you have before and after photos? Which recipe do you prefer?

And do keep sharing whatever else you find here - I love reading through it all.

[LoveAngelBeauty]

I prefer the way hair looks now, to be honest.

[hobbitlocks]

These articles inspire me to take up brushing again... maybe try to buy a soft bristle brush. I have a boar bristle brush I don't remember buying, but I found at my parents house during a visit a couple years ago (everyone else in my family has very short hair so it must be mine!) but it feels a little rough to me. I do like the routine of brushing my hair before bed though. It's very relaxing!

[MotherofJames]

Thoroughly enjoyed this article ! Thank you !

[esfand]

I prefer the way hair looks now, to be honest.

I agree. I think we live in a good time for hair care. With the regular showers (more moisture for hair), gentler shampoos (compared to the alkaline soaps used back in the day), emollient conditioners, silicone serums, variety of oils, very good sealants (petroleum jelly and mineral oil can't be beat), we have so many options.

[Simsy]

May I be a little vain, and share with you my most precious possession? It belonged to my great-grandmother, and I used to love when she brushed my hair with it. Before she died, she gave it to me, and I've been treasuring it since then. :o:o:o


https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/gwZBb787JkQcWfPGoNLgNzBpayg6KvuKopXtlThFt383IvY-MbCQ8cNgBj8SjAzcAOGOVzL7Zc6AHOvBVO1B7E-wyKjqoATVfnSsT3fM1ixzirQ6aX5IWOowbaBAQL-jpZrVLdm6ayglxreq-UestHuLCTBO8M-jystwI4Wq6XDiciKjPBAhlSrlW5kKeAN3JxuxhDTcmkrCLHY50 _2RITtxKZ0YKveVGbE3E5TPIqZFa7CsNnFPNZnXGtbc9wLqsuq xPzx9N84psnw854Uun72EPo0l6LZxdRaecNNFenwBfxftNDqbX jKJ8FQz1RM0hsSVZEgaNoW_54t7HykLcb_bkkqpldWmBYlnDP6 p4vpOZhACxd7Ycsd-LQfD9fjA0mAaaVfrSCwmMIdx7kABxA_6E-mybTERPNFQV28V_xF3rSbCNL_E_Ty-6HNMfI-UDwhGicJNHToEnnR1I4-5PEcY1ip83Gy0iMjJjjg8vxkzKleDBQRGJK7Z-FhwrTi34h2MK_8pB1IWhzjOcPebTFJYQmoYOf6y8OML4vzCO4F UB98OxpQ1y-a2pLXi0vgdSyYgRxviv_29QrlCenQeTf2TiA-x1EI-EXnKA84tuCesiE4O__YizLM02PfyENYlmfAcLiwOydGflxhEyb sU36gG3wriCzab6tZUsskiAQ=w756-h567-no

I have the same set from my grandmother as part of my inheritance. It was still in the original box, a bit moth eaten on the outside but still in really good condition. Love it and fully intend to unpack and use it once I have a dressing table and mirror to display it on.

[Corvana]

I've been dwelling into historical hair care articles for hours now :) Thank you Saralabyrinth for awakening my obsession.

Here are some interesting articles, there are tones of them and I'm not finished reading them!

* A victorian lady's guide to haircare:
http://englishhistoryauthors.blogspot.co.il/2015/12/a-victorian-ladys-guide-to-hair-care.html

* 5 easy tips for better hair (don't follow number 4! :bigeyes: as for number 5 I don't know...)
http://mentalfloss.com/article/52720/5-easy-tips-better-hair-early-1900s

* victorian shampoo alternatives (I must say I already use all of them and my hair is unrecognizably thick and soft!) :inlove:
https://www.ourheritageofhealth.com/victorian-shampoo-alternatives/

* Hairstyling: The truth about big hair of 1770s, how they did it:
http://twonerdyhistorygirls.blogspot.co.il/2014/07/the-truth-about-big-hair-of-1770s-part_24.html


And my researches continue.... :eye::heartbeat

Is it terrible that when I was reading these, I giggled a little at the seemingly awed mentions of "waist length" hair or "two foot long" hair? 2 feet, from the back of the head, is also waist length on me.

Both mentions seemed to imply that that length of hair was "very very very very" long, or the standard hair length of the time, while I've always sort of been under the impression that WL would've been considered a bit short in Victorian times.

[Andthetalltrees]

Is it terrible that when I was reading these, I giggled a little at the seemingly awed mentions of "waist length" hair or "two foot long" hair? 2 feet, from the back of the head, is also waist length on me.

Both mentions seemed to imply that that length of hair was "very very very very" long, or the standard hair length of the time, while I've always sort of been under the impression that WL would've been considered a bit short in Victorian times.

Two foot from the back of my head is almost tailbone, They must just be short :o (I'm 5'1.5 or 5'2). However I remember hearing somewhere, Don't ask me where. that the most common length of hair in Victorian times was WL. I mean they did have heat damage and general bad practices back then too and it wasn't all a beacon of great hair care.

[Ophidian]

Thanks for sharing saralabyrinth! I always find this stuff fascinating. Also yamsha, the MentalFloss article is hysterical :D

[yamsha23]

Wow! These are wonderful reading! Do you only use Victorian shampoos now, rather than modern shampoos? Do you have before and after photos? Which recipe do you prefer?

Sarah, I've been using "Victorian shampoos" (lol) :o once every three hair washes I would say.... I don't have before pictures but I can tell you that I discovered my hair could have a texture I only thought afro hair could have: thick, bouncy, "velvety", doesn't grease (I can forget to wash it for a week after an egg shampoo when I couldn't stand 3 days after a normal shampoo), and what I like the most: after an egg shampoo, my hair is heavy. I understand now why empress Sissi had head aches from the weight of her hair. I've had my hair past-bcl for years and never felt it was heavy at all, now I feel it heavy at just waist-length. :hmm:

I'm very interested in documenting all of this. Like doing one month regular shampoos and conditioners & one month Victorian shampoos.

[yamsha23]

Thanks for sharing saralabyrinth! I always find this stuff fascinating. Also yamsha, the MentalFloss article is hysterical :D

"Brushes that can penetrate the hair to the scalp will make you bald and pervert your skin's integrity" :bounce:

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Sarah, I've been using "Victorian shampoos" (lol) :o once every three hair washes I would say.... I don't have before pictures but I can tell you that I discovered my hair could have a texture I only thought afro hair could have: thick, bouncy, "velvety", doesn't grease (I can forget to wash it for a week after an egg shampoo when I couldn't stand 3 days after a normal shampoo), and what I like the most: after an egg shampoo, my hair is heavy. I understand now why empress Sissi had head aches from the weight of her hair. I've had my hair past-bcl for years and never felt it was heavy at all, now I feel it heavy at just waist-length. :hmm:

I'm very interested in documenting all of this. Like doing one month regular shampoos and conditioners & one month Victorian shampoos.

So, you just use an egg or two? Do you put it all over the hair, or scalp only? Do you dilute the egg with water? Do you condition afterwards? Do you prefer your hair using eggs, or modern shampoos? Enquiring minds want to know all the details... :p

[FennFire911]

This thread is great!!! Makes me feel so bad I'm a greasy head and can't stretch washes or completely give up sulfates (I'm giving sulfate free in one last ditch effort with a new product I found). These articles are fascinating!


So, you just use an egg or two? Do you put it all over the hair, or scalp only? Do you dilute the egg with water? Do you condition afterwards? Do you prefer your hair using eggs, or modern shampoos? Enquiring minds want to know all the details... :p

I agree, spill the beans! Lol

[Corvana]

Two foot from the back of my head is almost tailbone, They must just be short :o (I'm 5'1.5 or 5'2). However I remember hearing somewhere, Don't ask me where. that the most common length of hair in Victorian times was WL. I mean they did have heat damage and general bad practices back then too and it wasn't all a beacon of great hair care.

Ah yes, I suppose that makes sense! I suppose my impression came from all of those photos of Victorian women with at least TBL hair all down and lovely.

And of course they were shorter then! So that adds to it as well, I'm sure.

[MidnightMoon]

The pictures are so beautiful :crush:
I love both the styled hair as well as when it is shown loose. Sometimes I sit in front of my mirror, brushing and imagining like I'm back in time, just here sitting in my fancy room hehe. I also like how it's voluminous, a bit frizzy and wavy, from both natural was well as braid waved. I like to think it looks a bit like mine, and can't wait for mine to get to knee.
Also, very pretty sets of brushes and mirrors, Naliade. I bet you feel special when using those.

[Kat]

FWIW... the advice in the article *does not work for everyone*. I gave up brushing my hair some time ago; all boar-bristle brushes do is make the top part greasy and flat, and the bottom part static-y (and sometimes floofy and damaged-looking)... no matter how long I brush for. As far as frequency of washing-- when I lived in the U.S., once a week was fine for me (more than that, no. Yes, I had tried. Pretty much gave up the "don't wash for weeks" routine after I went with my mom one time for her haircut and afterward she and the stylist nearly wrestled me down to wash my {greasy, smelly} hair). Now that I live somewhere constantly hot where I sweat daily (and work out outside 3 days a week, so those days I sweat a LOT) and my face (and I assume, my scalp) is much oilier, I need to wash (at least CO-wash) 2-3 times a week or my hair REEKS. I found this out the hard way (it's a wonder my poor SO would still get near me). I have only in the past few weeks or so gotten rid of the constant bad smell my hair got from not being washed enough (my hair seems to like to hold onto scents, so it can take many washes to get a smell out of my hair and for a good while my hair would still smell at least a little dirty right out of the shower).

There are good ideas of things to try in this article, and it's worth a try for everyone, but the writer makes it sound like these are the end-all, be-all of haircare and doing it any other way is wrong... and it's not. Enough people are confused about what is "right" or "healthy" for their hair without reading articles that claim to have the "only" way that should work for everyone. (Also, I suspect this article is very white-centric {understandable, considering the specific group of people the writer is talking about} and these methods won't work so well for hair of other ethnic groups.)

[Andthetalltrees]

FWIW... the advice in the article *does not work for everyone*. I gave up brushing my hair some time ago; all boar-bristle brushes do is make the top part greasy and flat, and the bottom part static-y (and sometimes floofy and damaged-looking)... no matter how long I brush for. As far as frequency of washing-- when I lived in the U.S., once a week was fine for me (more than that, no. Yes, I had tried. Pretty much gave up the "don't wash for weeks" routine after I went with my mom one time for her haircut and afterward she and the stylist nearly wrestled me down to wash my {greasy, smelly} hair). Now that I live somewhere constantly hot where I sweat daily (and work out outside 3 days a week, so those days I sweat a LOT) and my face (and I assume, my scalp) is much oilier, I need to wash (at least CO-wash) 2-3 times a week or my hair REEKS. I found this out the hard way (it's a wonder my poor SO would still get near me). I have only in the past few weeks or so gotten rid of the constant bad smell my hair got from not being washed enough (my hair seems to like to hold onto scents, so it can take many washes to get a smell out of my hair and for a good while my hair would still smell at least a little dirty right out of the shower).

There are good ideas of things to try in this article, and it's worth a try for everyone, but the writer makes it sound like these are the end-all, be-all of haircare and doing it any other way is wrong... and it's not. Enough people are confused about what is "right" or "healthy" for their hair without reading articles that claim to have the "only" way that should work for everyone. (Also, I suspect this article is very white-centric {understandable, considering the specific group of people the writer is talking about} and these methods won't work so well for hair of other ethnic groups.)

That's one thing I really get annoyed at too, I felt like I HAD to wash my hair only once a week to have healthy hair because a lot of people act like it's imperative and I ended up with a very angry scalp and lost a lot of hair because of it. In the end do what works

[Kat-Rinnè Naido]

FWIW... the advice in the article *does not work for everyone*. I gave up brushing my hair some time ago; all boar-bristle brushes do is make the top part greasy and flat, and the bottom part static-y (and sometimes floofy and damaged-looking)... no matter how long I brush for. As far as frequency of washing-- when I lived in the U.S., once a week was fine for me (more than that, no. Yes, I had tried. Pretty much gave up the "don't wash for weeks" routine after I went with my mom one time for her haircut and afterward she and the stylist nearly wrestled me down to wash my {greasy, smelly} hair). Now that I live somewhere constantly hot where I sweat daily (and work out outside 3 days a week, so those days I sweat a LOT) and my face (and I assume, my scalp) is much oilier, I need to wash (at least CO-wash) 2-3 times a week or my hair REEKS. I found this out the hard way (it's a wonder my poor SO would still get near me). I have only in the past few weeks or so gotten rid of the constant bad smell my hair got from not being washed enough (my hair seems to like to hold onto scents, so it can take many washes to get a smell out of my hair and for a good while my hair would still smell at least a little dirty right out of the shower).

There are good ideas of things to try in this article, and it's worth a try for everyone, but the writer makes it sound like these are the end-all, be-all of haircare and doing it any other way is wrong... and it's not. Enough people are confused about what is "right" or "healthy" for their hair without reading articles that claim to have the "only" way that should work for everyone. (Also, I suspect this article is very white-centric {understandable, considering the specific group of people the writer is talking about} and these methods won't work so well for hair of other ethnic groups.)

It is true, what works for one might not work for everyone. There are always exceptions to all rules.

I generally wash my hair once a week. But, some days I may find I need to wash on the 4th day and I accommodate this.

Also there is the rule that curlies should not boar bristle brush their. But I am an exception and I think there are a few members that are also the exception but prefer not to mention that.
Boar bristle brushing is not for detangling. It is (I may be wrong) more for cleansing to extend a wash just a tad longer no more. It is for oil distribution, removal of hair that would be soon shedding. But the secret of the boar bristle brush is to exercise the hair follicle muscle which stimulates growth. Also there is a special method to use the brush which can be adjusted to accommodate different hair types.

This is just my opinion based on results using a boar bristle brush. The rule of your mileage may vary still applies.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Yes, it is rare for one piece of advice to work for everyone. Except - patience. That's an excellent one.

[yamsha23]

So, you just use an egg or two? Do you put it all over the hair, or scalp only? Do you dilute the egg with water? Do you condition afterwards? Do you prefer your hair using eggs, or modern shampoos? Enquiring minds want to know all the details... :p

Well, my way to do this is:
Mix an egg and one teaspoon of rhum (optional) in a applicator bottle, shake well for a minute (I think it has to be a little bit foamy, don't remember where I read this), and pour it over my scalp first, and then on the rest of the hair, head down so it doesn't come on my body (don't want to smell like a Flan (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/20979/spanish-flan/) :p ). I try to keep the mixture at least one minute on and massage my head.
Yes I do add in some water after doing the scalp if I see that I don't have enough for the hair. And yes I do condition it (earthy delight conditionner, directly sent from heaven), right after the ACV rinse (ACV: unskippable step here).

Et voilà !

I prefer the egg shampoo over the modern shampoo, for the volume it gives to my hair, and because it's not too silky and not too clarifying (better for the buns :o ).


Note: From waist and on, you will probably need more than one egg. I now feel the need to add another one in my shampoo.
Note 2: I've had better results without the rhum, and I think I'll stop adding it because it's drying (maybe do it very occasionally).


http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=27528&d=1496338359

[yamsha23]

FWIW... the advice in the article *does not work for everyone*. I gave up brushing my hair some time ago; all boar-bristle brushes do is make the top part greasy and flat, and the bottom part static-y (and sometimes floofy and damaged-looking)... no matter how long I brush for.

You know, I had given up on the boar bristle brush too until I gave it a try again last year with a new handmade and very good quality BBB. I don't know why this brush worked for me and the others not (where the bristles of the previous brushes fake (very possible)? Was it because they where too soft -the bristles I use now are "medium" but are the coarser I've ever seen?)
This brush works very well for me, it makes my hair soooft and shiny... And I also understand now, like Kat-Rinnè Naido said, that these brushes where never meant for detangling (I do that with my wooden comb first).
But surely there are many exceptions to the rule and I hope you found your perfect brush Kat :)

[Kat-Rinnè Naido]

Well, my way to do this is:
Mix an egg and one teaspoon of rhum (optional) in a applicator bottle, shake well for a minute (I think it has to be a little bit foamy, don't remember where I read this), and pour it over my scalp first, and then on the rest of the hair, head down so it doesn't come on my body (don't want to smell like a Flan (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/20979/spanish-flan/) :p ). I try to keep the mixture at least one minute on and massage my head.
Yes I do add in some water after doing the scalp if I see that I don't have enough for the hair. And yes I do condition it (earthy delight conditionner, directly sent from heaven), right after the ACV rinse (ACV: unskippable step here).

Et voilà !

I prefer the egg shampoo over the modern shampoo, for the volume it gives to my hair, and because it's not too silky and not too clarifying (better for the buns :o ).


Note: From waist and on, you will probably need more than one egg. I now feel the need to add another one in my shampoo.
Note 2: I've had better results without the rhum, and I think I'll stop adding it because it's drying (maybe do it very occasionally).


http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=27528&d=1496338359

Hi yamsha23!
You could try the egg wash with one egg one or two yolks and 2tsp lemon juice. It would help with the dryness. Just be careful as the egg wash is also very clarifying. Maybe you might need to add a 1tsp oil in it. Good luck.

[yamsha23]

Hi yamsha23!
You could try the egg wash with one egg one or two yolks and 2tsp lemon juice. It would help with the dryness. Just be careful as the egg wash is also very clarifying. Maybe you might need to add a 1tsp oil in it. Good luck.

Oh thanks I'll try that :D

[Kat-Rinnè Naido]

Oh thanks I'll try that :D

You are welcome. For how now long have you been doing egg washes?

[yamsha23]

You are welcome. For how now long have you been doing egg washes?

I think it's been 6 to 9 months... but I haven't been doing it constantly because I also want to use my ayurvedic powders.
I just remembered how I started with the egg shampoo: it was after watching a video on venusinfur (https://www.youtube.com/user/gernert09) channel (gorgeous girl and hair) but I don't know why I can't find it anymore... maybe she deleted it. :cry:

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Well, my way to do this is:
Mix an egg and one teaspoon of rhum (optional) in a applicator bottle, shake well for a minute (I think it has to be a little bit foamy, don't remember where I read this), and pour it over my scalp first, and then on the rest of the hair, head down so it doesn't come on my body (don't want to smell like a Flan (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/20979/spanish-flan/) :p ). I try to keep the mixture at least one minute on and massage my head.
Yes I do add in some water after doing the scalp if I see that I don't have enough for the hair. And yes I do condition it (earthy delight conditionner, directly sent from heaven), right after the ACV rinse (ACV: unskippable step here).

Et voilà !

I prefer the egg shampoo over the modern shampoo, for the volume it gives to my hair, and because it's not too silky and not too clarifying (better for the buns :o ).


Note: From waist and on, you will probably need more than one egg. I now feel the need to add another one in my shampoo.
Note 2: I've had better results without the rhum, and I think I'll stop adding it because it's drying (maybe do it very occasionally).


http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=27528&d=1496338359

Thank you for this. So, do you do a vinegar rinse straight after the egg wash? I usually do my vinegar rinse last thing in the shower after rinsing out the conditioner.

[Babetriz]

I'm gonna try to just brush my hair with a bbb so I don't have to get it wet. I wish I could play around with all of these, sigh.

[Kat-Rinnè Naido]

I think it's been 6 to 9 months... but I haven't been doing it constantly because I also want to use my ayurvedic powders.
I just remembered how I started with the egg shampoo: it was after watching a video on venusinfur (https://www.youtube.com/user/gernert09) channel (gorgeous girl and hair) but I don't know why I can't find it anymore... maybe she deleted it. :cry:

She is so gorgeous, young and sweet. And most of the comments were of her beauty on the 2 hair videos I watched.
She said she does not use conditioner and oils on her hair. I do the no poo but conditioner I have to do.

I could not find the egg wash too. I also alternate my wash sometimes oil washes, water washes and stretched apart the egg wash.
Thank you for the link. It was entertaining.

[yamsha23]

Thank you for this. So, do you do a vinegar rinse straight after the egg wash? I usually do my vinegar rinse last thing in the shower after rinsing out the conditioner.

Isn't the vinegar supposed to close the cuticles of the hair and the conditioner to coat it? I do ACV first and then conditioner, but I've asked myself this question, I don't know if I'm doing it right :confused:

[yamsha23]

She is so gorgeous, young and sweet. And most of the comments were of her beauty on the 2 hair videos I watched.
She said she does not use conditioner and oils on her hair. I do the no poo but conditioner I have to do.

I could not find the egg wash too. I also alternate my wash sometimes oil washes, water washes and stretched apart the egg wash.
Thank you for the link. It was entertaining.

She's an inspiration for natural hair care :blossom: It seems she has deleted the egg video and kept the chagrin valley bar videos (which I've never tried)... I couldn't do without a little bit of conditioner too :) And you're welcome!

[Kat]

You know, I had given up on the boar bristle brush too until I gave it a try again last year with a new handmade and very good quality BBB. I don't know why this brush worked for me and the others not (where the bristles of the previous brushes fake (very possible)? Was it because they where too soft -the bristles I use now are "medium" but are the coarser I've ever seen?)
This brush works very well for me, it makes my hair soooft and shiny... And I also understand now, like Kat-Rinnè Naido said, that these brushes where never meant for detangling (I do that with my wooden comb first).
But surely there are many exceptions to the rule and I hope you found your perfect brush Kat :)

Actually, on the advice of someone here (I think we had a thread quite some time ago with someone wondering why BBBs didn't work for them and a bunch of the rest of us chimed in and said they didn't for us either and that's how a lot of us figured out that they're not necessarily the be-all, end-all of hair-care for some people), I've gone to just combing. A fine-toothed comb does just fine for me, for straightening out tangly/stringy-looking hair, without also making it frizzy (brushing braid waves has the same effects as brushing natural waves, and even when my hair is straight, brushing seems to raise the nap on any splits or damage and makes my hair look dry and damage-y.) It's possible a cushion brush might be okay, too, or a Tangle Teezer or similar, but I'm done with buying things just to try them out and finding they don't work-- and even if they did, the comb is still just fine so why look to replace it?

I did try my BBB the other day when I oiled my hair, in hopes that it would help the oil distribute a bit more evenly. Otherwise I just use them to smooth my hair for updos that go against my natural part, the sides of French braids to make it look less piece-y, etc..



Isn't the vinegar supposed to close the cuticles of the hair and the conditioner to coat it? I do ACV first and then conditioner, but I've asked myself this question, I don't know if I'm doing it right :confused:

I think you can do it either way? I use conditioner for some clarifying, to remove buildup and such. It seems to do something positive to make my hair softer (I use it once a month). So I doubt it really matters the order. I think I've tried using it before conditioner in those instances I've wanted the benefits but not the smell (in case of sweat, getting caught in the rain, some other instance where the smell might come back later).

[ghanima]

Also there is a special method to use the brush which can be adjusted to accommodate different hair types.
This is just my opinion based on results using a boar bristle brush.
Do tell - I am a curlie and would so much like to brush my hair, it's probably the part of historical hair care I am most interested in.
It's very encouraging for me to find out that you, 3b, indeed brush your hair!

[Waveurly]

I just found this thread and have been looking into historical haircare as well but had to share the following video, which is not even that far in the past, and I keep marvelling and wondering what those ladies did to their hair as it seems so much nicer as most of the hair of todays time and age:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEWxszMpdNA

[Tinyponies]

I just found this thread and have been looking into historical haircare as well but had to share the following video, which is not even that far in the past, and I keep marvelling and wondering what those ladies did to their hair as it seems so much nicer as most of the hair of todays time and age:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEWxszMpdNA

Loved this sweet video!

[joylightbeauty]

Thanks for sharing! I loved reading this and seeing their gorgeous hairstyles.

[Luna Starsetta]

Very courious I want to read more my interest has been peaked....

[Kat]

I just found this thread and have been looking into historical haircare as well but had to share the following video, which is not even that far in the past, and I keep marvelling and wondering what those ladies did to their hair as it seems so much nicer as most of the hair of todays time and age:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEWxszMpdNA

Their hair is pretty (and the competition looks fun!), but I don't think it's any nicer than hair you'll find here and in many places. Certainly quite thick looking, but, they also all are sporting braid waves, which helps with that effect.