In the Victorian and Edwardian era, hair was sometimes singed instead of cut to trim split ends. A lighted taper (candle) was used to burn off split ends.

While Victorian women grew their hair as long as possible, even if the hair was thin, Edwardian women favored short and thick hair which was easier to put up into a pompadour hairstyle. To keep the hair healthy and beautiful, it was necessary to trim split ends from time to time. But should the hair be cut or singed to trim split ends? Continue reading Cutting Vs. Singeing The Hair – Victorian And Edwardian Hair Care →

Today, it’s often thought that hair was washed less frequently in the past. But this wasn’t always the case. In the Victorian and Edwardian era, it was recommended to wash the hair between thrice a week and once a month. Continue reading How Often To Wash The Hair – Victorian And Edwardian Hair Care →

Hairbrushes in the Victorian and Edwardian era were often made of ivory, ebony, silver, or alpacca (German silver). Usually horsehair bristles were used for softer, and boar bristles for stiffer brushes. White and yellow boar bristles were imported from Russia and Siberia, whereas dark grey and black were imported from India and China (The Brushmaker, And The Secrets Of His Craft And Romance, 1870s). Hairbrushes were handmade: A wooden brush-back was drilled, bristles ‘drawn’ through each hole with thin wire and secured with a knot.

Continue reading How To Clean Your Hair Brush – Victorian And Edwardian Hair Care →