hair-dyeing-msg - 9/4/01
Period hair bleaching and dyeing.
NOTE: See also the files: hair-msg, cosmetics-msg, p-hygiene-msg, perfumes-msg, headgear-msg, bathing-msg, hair-dyeing-msg, mirrors-msg, shaving-msg.
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Stefan at florilegium.org
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From: v081lu33 at ubvms.cc.buffalo.edu (TRISTAN CLAIR DE LUNE/KEN MONDSCHEIN)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Italian Renn. Hair Styles
Date: 22 Jan 1996 14:34:34 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
I'd like to point out (while we're on the subject of
hats and stuff in the Renaissance) that blonde hair in Italy was
both a rarity and highly praised. (See: Lucrezia Borgia). Accordingly,
many ladies dyed theirs with saffron (Kool-Aid not having been
invented yet). This was, of course, incredibly expensive. Therefore,
much like a slashed doublet shows off the fine undershirt, one would
want to show off one's hair under one's hat.
--Tristan
From: gina at delphi.com
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Italian Renn. Hair Styles
Date: Mon, 22 Jan 96 23:39:59 -0500
TRISTAN CLAIR DE LUNE/KEN MONDSCHEIN <v081lu33 at ubvms.cc.buffalo.edu> writes:
>both a rarity and highly praised. (See: Lucrezia Borgia). Accordingly,
>many ladies dyed theirs with saffron (Kool-Aid not having been
>invented yet). This was, of course, incredibly expensive. Therefore,
Greetings Tristan,
Saffron? For dyeing hair...blonde? How would that work? Saffron
steeped in liquid does produce a very yellow color, but I don't understand
how that would make a brunette into a blond.
To go from dark to light would first require some method of stripping
out at least some of the existing dark color, otherwise the "saffron yellow"
would never show up.
I have read that Italian Renaissance ladies frequently spread their
tresses out over the top of a very wide brimmed hat, which had no crown, so
that the hair could be pulled up through it, and then exposed to the sun,
which is very intense in Italy (I been told). Furthermore, the brim protected
the ladies' faces from darkening or tanning, which was not desireable.
From "Mirror, Mirror, A Social History of Fashion" by Michael and
Arianne Batterberry, Pg. 102 I quote, "Blonds were universally admired by
Italians, and to achieve the desired gilded effect hair was subjecteed to
doses of henna, animal innards, prolonged sunbaths, and other more severe
bleaching agents". Pg 104 has a small engraved picture of an I. R. lady
doing just that...bleaching her hair in the sun.
Although the Batterberrys don't specifically rule out saffron, having
used it myself...in the kitchen...not in the bath, I am somewhat familiar with
its properties, and I seriously doubt that it could be made caustic enough
to really lighten hair. It does, however, so a splendid job of making rice,\
bread, and other edibles a lovely shade of yellow.
I would be interested to know the source of your information. Please
post your reference, as this would be of interest to me.
Just me tuppence worth, luv,
Jocasta Chamberlayne of Charnwood Forest
Residing at the court of our most Glorious Sovereign Lady,
Elizabeth I, 1570
Fabricata est sapientia in ignibus sapientiae
From: v081lu33 at ubvms.cc.buffalo.edu (TRISTAN CLAIR DE LUNE/KEN MONDSCHEIN)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Italian Renn Hair Styles
Date: 24 Jan 1996 05:31:09 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
I'm no expert on hair care. The bit on saffron may have been one of
the authors I've read misinterpreting saffron *color* for saffron *dye*.
I do know saffron can be used as a dye (the famous Scottish shirt), but
as for mechanisms, I'm lost. P'raps they bleached dark hair, and then
dyed it?
--Tristan
From: gina at delphi.com
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Italian Renn Hair Styles
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 96 23:26:55 -0500
TRISTAN CLAIR DE LUNE/KEN MONDSCHEIN <v081lu33 at ubvms.cc.buffalo.edu> writes:
> I'm no expert on hair care. The bit on saffron may have been one of
>the authors I've read misinterpreting saffron *color* for saffron *dye*.
>I do know saffron can be used as a dye (the famous Scottish shirt), but
>as for mechanisms, I'm lost. P'raps they bleached dark hair, and then
>dyed it?
Milord Tristan I commend me to you, and send you greetings,
I trust that this is probably the case. I am myself, not an expert
on hair coloring as regards period practices, but I do know what works in
the mundane world.
True, saffron's main use is as a colorant. It is used in foods, as
I mentioned previously, and also (I believe) was and may still be used to
color fabric, and other things.
Yes, I am sure that it may have been used to dye or tint hair. And,
yes, you are correct in your assumption that the dark hair would have to
be lightened first. No difference then, or now in that part of the equation.
The period difference would have been in the particular types of
concoctions that would have been used for the lightening process.
As I mentioned/quoted previously, the sun was used for this purpose, as indeed
it was for "bleaching" or whitening fabric. I believe I have read that the
juice of lemons...and other less appetizing things were used. And I know
from experience and practice that lemon does work. Ahem, many, many moons
past, as teenagers in California we used lemon juice, or even hydrogen
peroxide in the summer to lighten our locks.
Ital. Ren. ladies would also have had access to things like henna. I
have also experimented with hennas, (from Egypt) and know that they can be
used to give various "highlights" in a few various shades, to the hair. Henna
is herbal in nature and has been used for literally thousands of years...and
not just for hair. Henna is also used as a skin dye in various cultures where
it is painted on the hands and forearms of brides for their wedding celebrations
and was also used to tint fingernails, and to color the bottoms of feet. Veru
(very) versatile stuff this henna!
Perhaps the saffron decoction, which would be very, very yellow indeed,
would also provide blondish highlights. But as with most vegetable dyes it
would probably be very temporary, lasting perhaps until the next washing...and
who knows how long that could have been...weeks?, months? Egad!
I will search through more of my reference material and see if I can
find any mention of it, and its uses, and will report back if I find anything
of note.
-Blessed be,
-Jocasta Chamberlayne of Charnwood Forest
From: resa93 at aol.com (Resa93)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Italian Renn Hair Styles
Date: 29 Jan 1996 09:21:10 -0500
A cosmetic book of mine says that ancient Romans supposedly lightened
their hair with saffron and a derivitive of arsenic. EEK!
Lucrieza Borgia reportedly lightened her hair with an appalling mixture,
of lye, camomile, lemon juice and some other plant substances that I can't
recall offhand.
Even if you activated it only by sitting in the sun, the arsenic or lye
would strip the color out of your hair. The saffron or chamomile is to
give your now bleached hair a more pleasant color.
Please do not try this at home! Arsenic and lye are not good for continued
health or beauty.
If you really would like saffron colored hair, I would suggest using a
commercial hair coloring kit to lighten your hair to a pale blonde, then
making a rinse with the saffron, and applying it after the blonding
process.
Ludmilla Volkova Bjornsborg, Ansteorra
Date: Wed, 29 Oct 1997 02:40:03 -0800
From: Kathi <britearrow at geocities.com>
To: markh at risc.sps.mot.com
Subject: hair
>Lucrieza Borgia reportedly lightened her hair with an appalling
>mixture, of lye, camomile, lemon juice and some other plant substances
>that I can't recall offhand. Even if you activated it only by sitting
>in the sun, the arsenic or lye would strip the color out of your hair.
>The saffron or chamomile is to give your now bleached hair a more
>pleasant color.
I agree, using lye and arsenic(or any other harsh, or potentially
poisonous substance) to bleach hair doesn't make much sense with the
safer commercial products now available. Chammomile was, and still is,
used to keep light(whether artificial or natural) hair from going
yellowish or brassy. I used to use it myself when I bleached my hair
instead of chemical toners that could further damage the hair. It kept
it bright, shiny, and soft-and minimized breaking from chemicals.
Unless you really WANT bright yellow hair(and I do mean yellow, I've
seen the results-think canary), I wouldn't recommend saffron. One
substance that will lighten hair if exposed to the sun while it's in is
calomine lotion. My niece had a bug bite on her scalp one summer, and
ended up with a pale blonde stripe down the center of her head!
Caitlinn Ingen Brigt/Kat
From: Robin Carroll-Mann <harper at guppy.idt.net>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Period Hair Dyes (was Re: Cinnabar)
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2000 10:03:16 -0500
Dave Page wrote:
> The general gist from this and other texts with similar content, is to wash
> ones hair in a lye made of burnt vines (from the ME: 'maad of vyne wel
> y-burnd') and then to wash it with well beaten fresh vines (presumably using
> the sap).
> The lye is made by burning the vine to ashes and then passing water through
> it.
Verrrrry interesting. There's a recipe in a late-15th-century Spanish
ladies' manual for a lye-based shampoo which will turn the hair
blonde. The lye is made, in part, from the ashes of burnt vines.
--
Lady Brighid ni Chiarain *** Robin Carroll-Mann
Settmour Swamp, East
To email me, remove the fish from my address
From: hasoferet at aol.comfool (Hasoferet)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Period Hair Dyes (was Re: Cinnabar)
Date: 29 Jan 2000 22:30:51 GMT
I'm much minded of the Will Cuppy essay where he gives Lucrezia Borgia's
hair-bleach formula, and finishes up with "If your hair remained on your head,
you were a blonde."
<the end>