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Seções: Índice Geral Seção Atual: Índice Obra: Índice Anterior: 9. Sobre o Cabelo – II Seguinte: 11. Sobre as Mãos e os Braços
(p. 74) 10. SOBRE O CABELO – III
MY DEAR LAURA, – I propose to-day to say a few words about dyes, premising that I strongly disapprove of the use of all dyes under any circumstances. Red hair is not now considered a misfortune, but the reverse; grey or white hair in old age is always beautiful and becoming; and it is far better to pluck out isolated colourless hairs occurring in youthful tresses, or to renovate the system by hygiene and medicine, than to use dyes for the purpose of concealment. As for the few cases in which an entire head of hair becomes white in early life, all I can say is that whatever the cause of the phenomenon, its effect is admirable. Really white hair is most becoming; it throws up the colours of the face amazingly, and makes even an ordinary complexion appear brilliant. It was for this reason that, a century ago, the belles and beaux wore white powdered wigs; and this snowy coiffure is still fashionable in New York.Apropos, Edith amused me immensely with her account of the Lytteltons’ costume-ball last week. “My dear,” she said, “we all went in hoops and brocades with our hair powdered white. You have no idea how well it made us look! We all said exactly the same thing to each other – ‘Why, how lovely you look, dear! I never should have known you.’”
The only kind of artificial alteration in the natural hue of the hair that I consider permissible, is the modification (p. 75) produced by means of a bleaching agent, such as peroxide of hydrogen, also called “oxygenated water.” The forms in which washes of peroxide of hydrogen are sold are numerous, and the best of them is, I think, Robare’s Aureoline. Peroxide of hydrogen can, however, be purchased at pharmacies for about a shilling or eighteenpence the four-ounce bottle. By the use of this liquid, which is colourless and transparent as pure water, the hair may be gradually lightened in shade until its tint becomes of a pale flaxen, well-nigh white. But if its use be persisted in until this result is attained, the hair will suffer considerably, its texture and vitality will be seriously impaired; it will become brittle, decayed, and shrivelled. The legitimate use of the peroxide is limited to its occasional application for the purpose of imparting a bright auburn tint to otherwise sombre tresses, and giving them a gleam and richness of colouring which they would not naturally possess. Employed to this extent only, it is quite harmless, and, indeed, even beneficial to the hair. It must, however, be noted that the action and effect of this bleaching agent depend greatly on the original hue and texture of the hair. Some looks under its influence become pallid and faded-looking; to others it imparts a ruddy-gold shade, and on others again, it appears to exert little effect of any kind. The hair which best receives its action is dark brown, coarse hair, inclined to be crisp and curly.
Peroxide of hydrogen should be applied to the hair, not to the scalp. If persistent attempts are made to bleach the roots of the hair it will rapidly become weak, thin, brittle, and finally, dead. It is natural that hair should be darker at the roots than at the ends, because at the roots the supply of colouring pigment in the hair-cells is more copious, and the cells themselves more (p. 76) numerous. Again, it is a mistake to attempt to render the shade of the hair uniform throughout. The most beautiful and luxuriant hair is never all exactly of the same shade. Artists most admire tresses of variable hue, affording rich shadows and high lights. Hair that is all over of one exact tint, like that of a wax doll, is suspicious – it suggests a dye.
In oxygenated water, the chemical symbol for which is H2O2, while that of water is H2O, the second atom of oxygen is in a very loose state of combination, consequently the liquid readily decomposes under the action of light, or in contact with a metallic oxide, such as that of silver or manganese. It should, therefore, be always kept in a box or dark cupboard, and be put up in a blue glass bottle, well corked. Before applying it to the hair, a wash of hot water containing a solution of soda, borax, or ammonia should be used, so as to free the hair entirely from grease and dirt. If this precaution be not taken, the peroxide will produce little or no effect. After thoroughly cleansing the hair in the manner described, and drying it, the peroxide should be applied with a small sponge, the moisture being subsequently distributed by means of a clean soft brush with long bristles. This operation is best performed in the morning, and, preferably, in sunlight. When completed, the hair should remain unbound until dry. On the following morning the application of peroxide may be repeated, and again the third, and perhaps the fourth day, by which time the required hue will probably be obtained, and the hair should not be further touched with it for a month or even more. Then the washing with soda solution should be repeated, and the whole process as just described.
As for dyes, properly so called, they are always difficult to manage, great skill and experience being needed to (p. 77) prevent staining the skin. Usually, hair begins to show greyness first on the temples: it is there, consequently, that it is most needful to apply the dye, and precisely there, also, that any discoloration of the cuticle will be most conspicuous and ugly. For which reason I revert to the protest against dyes in general with which I began this epistle, and strongly advise, in place of them, the use of a hair “restorer” or “darkener.” Here is a specimen of a good hair-darkening agent: –
Rust of iron ................................................... 1 drachm. Old ale (strong) .................................................... 1 pint. Oil of rosemary .............................................. 12 drops.
Put the mixture into a bottle, cork it very loosely, agitate it daily for ten or twelve days; then, after repose, decant the clear portion for use. Another is as follows: –
Sulphate of iron (crushed) ............................ 1 drachm. Rectified spirit .......................................... 1 fluid ounce. Oil of rosemary .............................................. 10 drops. Pure rain-water ................................................... ½ pint.
Agitate until solution and mixture are complete. Many persons substitute for the rain-water good old ale. It is as well to state that both these washes will iron-mould linen if they come in contact with it.
A very good preparation for staining the hair, but partaking rather more of the nature of a dye than the foregoing, is composed thus: –
Pyrogallic acid ................................................ ¼ ounce. Distilled water (hot) ..................................... 1 ½ ounce.
Dissolve, and when the solution has cooled, add gradually: –
Rectified spirit ......................................... ½ fluid ounce.
The above is full strength. To darken patches of grey hair gradually, the mixture should be diluted with twice or thrice its weight of soft pure water and a little rectified spirit. Pyrogallic acid, the active ingredient in the (p. 78) staining agent last described, is extracted from Aleppo or Chinese nut-galls.
And now, having clearly expressed my news about the use of dyes, here, my dear Laura, are a few recipes for the preparation of liquids designed to impart various colours to the hairs: –
A solution of pure rouge in a weak solution of crystallised carbonate of soda gives a bright red or reddish-yellow hue to hair, according to the strength of the preparation, if followed, when dry, by a “mordant” of lemon-juice or vinegar, diluted with from one-half to an equal part of water. An acidulated solution of tartar emetic (acidulated with a little tartaric, citric, or acetic acid), followed by a weak “mordant” of neutral hydro-sulphuret of ammonia (or the bisulphuret), carefully avoiding excess, gives a reddish orange, which tones well on light-brown hair. A solution of bichloride of tin, diluted considerably, followed by a “mordant” of hydro-sulphuret of ammonia, gives a rich golden hue to very light hair, and a golden brown or auburn to darker hair. But these processes require to be very expertly managed, and can only be properly applied by a hairdresser.
None of these dyes ought to be prepared by other than experienced hands, and the “mordant” must always be put up in a separate bottle. In every case the hair must be well cleansed from grease before the dye is applied.
If a dark dye is required, a choice can be made among the following formulae: –
Green sulphate of iron ................................ 2 drachms. Common salt ................................................ 1 drachm. Bordeaux wine ..................................... 12 fluid ounces.
Simmer these ingredients together for five minutes in a covered glazed pipkin, then add: –
Aleppo nut-galls (powdered) ....................... 2 drachms.
(p. 79) and simmer again, stirring occasionally. When the liquid has cooled, add a tablespoonful of French brandy, cork the liquid up in a bottle, and shake it well. In a day or two decant the clear portion for use.
An old-fashioned dye, giving little trouble, is the following: –
Oxide of silver ............................................... 1 drachm. Liquor of ammonia ..................................... quant. satis.
Dissolve, and dilute the solution with three or four times its bulk of distilled water. If any precipitation occurs, more liquor of ammonia must be added, drop by drop, with agitation, until the precipitate be redissolved.
Hair moistened with this liquid gradually turns brown or black as the ammonia flies off, which it quickly does on exposure to warmth or light. Dr. Pincus and Mr. Piesse recommend a dye thus formulated: –
Nitrate of silver ......................................... 28 grammes. Rose-water ............................................ 225 grammes.
Dissolve. Diluted with an equal bulk of distilled water, it dyes the hair deep brown or chesnut; with twice its bulk of water, light brown; and undiluted, complete black. The natural colour of the hair also affects the shade produced. A dense black is obtained by the following dye: –
Sulphuret of potassium ............................... 3 drachms. Distilled water ......................................... 2 fluid ounces.
Mix. This solution must be freshly made before use, or it will not produce the required effect. Moisten the hair with it, then let it dry, and afterwards apply: –
Nitrate of silver ........................................ 1 ½ drachms. Distilled water ......................................... 2 fluid ounces. (Dissolved.)
(p. 80) The potassium sulphate, if good, ought to smell strongly. The second solution of nitrate of silver must be kept in a blue bottle.
The effect will be visible after a few hours’ exposure of the unbound hair to the light. Any stains left on the skin can be removed by a rag or sponge wetted with the first solution of sulphuret of potassium, diluted slightly.
Endless modifications of the nitrate of silver dye, glorified by attractive titles, furnish the fashionable dyes so largely advertised and sold. It is, however, useless to give more recipes; those I have mentioned are certainly the best.
Before using any of the foregoing liquids, the hair must be freed from grease or dirt by washing it in the soda solution already described, and must be dried thoroughly before applying the dye. A soft tooth-brush is the best and most convenient implement for putting on and distributing the dye. The process must be repeated about once in every six weeks.
In order to prevent staining the skin while using hair-dyes, a good plan is to smear pomatum over it, so as to keep it from getting wetted.
Seções: Índice Geral Seção Atual: Índice Obra: Índice Anterior: 9. Sobre o Cabelo – II Seguinte: 11. Sobre as Mãos e os Braços
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