It is impossible for a lady to possess anything that so adds to her
charms as a good head of hair. “It is a crown of beauty.” This accounts
for the enormous amount of advertisements of infallible hair tonics
and restorers. Beware of such advertisements. We will give you some
few simple and most essential rules to preserve the hair. Also some
recipes (easily and cheaply made) of the most excellent pomatums. The
skin of the head is delicate, therefore especial care should be taken
in brushing the hair, and in keeping the scalp as clean as possible.
The brush should be of moderate hardness. The hair should be separated,
in order that the head itself may be well brushed, as by so doing the
scurf or loose skin will be removed; if suffered to remain it becomes
saturated with perspiration, and weakens the roots of the hair, causing
it to fall off. To retain a beautiful head of hair, it ought to be
brushed twenty minutes in the morning, and ten minutes when dressed
in the middle of the day, and a like period at night. In brushing or
combing it, begin at the extreme points; and in combing, hold the
portion of hair just above that through which the comb is passing
firmly, so that if it is entangled, it may drag from that point, and
not from the roots. We have known the finest heads of hair ruined by
careless combing and breaking the hair.
It depends upon the nature of the hair whether pomatum is required.
Those whose hair is naturally oily and glossy need nothing to make it
so; but dry hair requires it. Pure salad oil, scented, is excellent,
and bear’s grease. An excellent pomade is made of beef’s marrow, after
it is clarified; take six tablespoons of the marrow, heated, and six
tablespoons of scented castor oil, to one tablespoonful of brandy or
rum. Stir these ingredients half an hour, until it is beaten to a
cream; then place it in your jars.