Category Archives: Historical Natural Hair Care

30+ Homemade Shampoo Recipes – Victorian And Edwardian Hair Care

21st August 2015Historical Natural Hair Carearticle, beauty recipe, DIY, edwardian, hair care, roundup, victorianLina

30+ Homemade natural shampoo recipes – wash your hair like a Victorian lady!

30+ Homemade Shampoo Recipes - Victorian And Edwardian Hair Care — Washing the hair, 1908

‘The necessity of cleansing the hair is imperative from every point of view; as much for health as for cleanliness, since the hair and scalp cannot be healthy, any more than the skin, unless they are thoroughly cleansed of impurities.

The oily glands of the scalp become choked and they are irritated to over-secretion, making the hair oily, or dandruff is caused. The hair follicles also become unhealthy, so that the hair grows poorly or falls out.’ (The Fountain Of Youth, 1905)

Shampoo was usually homemade in the Victorian and Edwardian era. So there were many homemade shampoo recipes: Some use castile soap as basis, some use natural cleansers, such as egg, wheat bran or salt, and some use saponin-containing plants, such as quillaia bark.

I’ve tried some of the shampoo recipes (you find a link “-> tried” under the recipes). If you try one of these historical shampoo recipes, I’d love to hear your experiences. 😀 Continue reading 30+ Homemade Shampoo Recipes – Victorian And Edwardian Hair Care →

Night-Time Hair Routine – Victorian And Edwardian Hair Care

27th July 2015Historical Natural Hair Carearticle, edwardian, hair care, hairstyle, victorianLina

To get beautiful and luxuriant hair, Victorian and Edwardian ladies followed a night-time hair routine: After brushing out tangles and massaging the scalp with oil or hair tonic, they braided their long hair to protect it at night.

‘I believe it is impossible for a woman who does not brush and braid her tresses every night to have as luxuriant locks as one who regards this routine’ (Health And Beauty Hints, 1910, p. 14).

Continue reading Night-Time Hair Routine – Victorian And Edwardian Hair Care →

About Brushing The Hair – Victorian And Edwardian Hair Care

27th July 2015Historical Natural Hair Carearticle, edwardian, hair care, roundup, victorianLina

‘The comb and brush are […] agents of the toilet by which the hair is kept clean, vigorous, and healthy.’ (Scientific American Supplement Volumes, 1883) ‘Much washing of the hair with water is bad […] it is possible by much brushing to avoid any excessive use of water.’ (Every Woman’s Encyclopaedia, 1910-2)

Combing and brushing the hair thoroughly once or twice a day was recommended in the Victorian and Edwardian era to keep the hair and scalp healthy and clean. Continue reading About Brushing The Hair – Victorian And Edwardian Hair Care →

Cutting Vs. Singeing The Hair – Victorian And Edwardian Hair Care

27th July 2015Historical Natural Hair Carearticle, edwardian, hair care, victorianLina

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 →

How Often To Wash The Hair – Victorian And Edwardian Hair Care

27th July 2015Historical Natural Hair Carearticle, edwardian, hair care, victorianLina

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 →

How To Clean Your Hair Brush – Victorian And Edwardian Hair Care

27th July 2015Historical Natural Hair Carearticle, edwardian, hair care, victorianLina

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.