Saturday 6 April 2013

Colonial Hygiene II: Soap & Shampoo?


Interesting enough for early Colonial Americans, bathing often did not involve soap.

On the smaller farm holdings, it was sometimes weeks or months before the men forayed into town for supplies. Because of the isolation, they never saw another human being besides their families. The women were the most isolated, since it was usually the husband who drove into town. It could be years before the wife saw anyone, left with only the children for company. So why would they bother to try and stay clean?

Townsfolk were a little pickier about their personal hygiene, since they did go out and meet with others, socializing and visiting. Even then, the poorer town folk could barely afford soap, so made do with good scrubbings with water before wandering out the door.
Soap making actually made its debut in pre-Roman Empire times, by the Babylonians who actually used soap to prepare animal fibers for weaving, and had nothing to do with cleanliness. It was only when Roman physicians began using soap in the treatment of disease in the early half of the second century that it gained recognition as a cleaning agent. It quickly evolved into a staple of personal hygiene and household cleaning.
Making soap was considered a time consuming, smelly, toxic chore. It was used sparingly only when absolutely necessary. More often, it was used to clean linens more than their bodies, and not just because it was troublesome to make. Because lye soap was extremely harsh on the skin, regular use was not prevalent until 1830 or thereabouts, probably due to “a new fastidiousness about body odor that increased the labor required to achieve decency,” according to one Boston newsman complaining about the increased stink in the town and its residents.

It was at this time that making scented oils to add to the caustic lye soap was also becoming much easier and cheap to produce, though for many years after, scented soap was still mostly the domain of the rich.

As I mentioned, soap was more commonly used to launder their clothing, which was time consuming in itself. It was considered far more efficient to either clean their clothes or clean themselves, but not both. So they washed their bodies with plain water (unless you were exceptionally dirty) and put clean clothing on. Often rose water, which was actually a vinegar and acidic, closed sweat pores and was used as a stop gap between washings, just like modern deodorant does.

Soap makers added salt to the basic recipe and produced hard soap that was formed into sheets and sold by the pound. Store-bought soap became increasingly popular as manufacturers were able to produce consistently high quality soap at a relatively cheap price. Scented oils were added to the caustic lye soap, though scented soap was mostly the domain of the rich. Common essential oils used were lavender, violet and sandalwood, which held the most appeal to people.

It was only in the first half the nineteenth century when people became a bit more fragrant, according to our modern noses, anyway.

Since soap was so caustic, it’s no wonder no one wanted to use it on their hair. It left hands red and rough, so one can only imagine what it would do to hair.

In fact, not much is known about eighteen century hair care. There certainly doesn't seem to be any written records, no recipes, nothing that would seem to help. It provides a distinct problem for novelists and even non-fiction writers when describing personal care. 

One thing is certain. Hair was washed far less than it is today. Imagine all those thick, long locks and how long it would take to dry in front of a fire, or outside in the sun. Hair styles reflected this problem with the elaborate and up-swept fashions that served to conceal oily and scraggly hair. Most styles involved braiding or knots covered by dainty caps or bonnets.
Can you imagine how long it took for this hair to dry and style?

So, what did they use then, if soap was out of the question because of its highly damaging effects, even making the hair fall out after use?

The only conclusion we can make is that they used plain water. In fact, there has been some reference to saving rain water, even though most had safe wells to draw their water from. Why rain water? Records indicate that rain water left hair shiny and silky, possibly because it lacked the mineral interference from ground well water. Oily hair is naturally resistant to water, as we all know when trying to wash a greasy pan, or get grease off your hands. However water, if worked with vigor on scalp and hair strands, can be quite effective on getting dirt from the hair. 

The natural oils, when left behind, actually made the hair softer, shinier and easier to handle. After all, most modern shampoos have detergent of some sort, leaving hair dry and fly-away, and even dulls the shine.


An experiment was conducted with en-actors of historical events. For accuracy sake and to test the theory, they only washed their hair with water as they speculated they did during the era. After a few weeks of never using shampoo or any kind of soap, their systems adjusted and their hair actually became soft and shiny, not in the least oily. So dedicated were they that they continued with this regimen for a whole year or more. It stayed soft, shiny, and far less oily than if they had used shampoo.

But now another problem arises; the smell of wet hair. As our modern noses got used to perfumes and soap smell, the natural smell of wet hair would be unpleasant indeed. For people of that time, however, it was not a huge problem. Rose water or other scents were often used if the lady wanted to be extra fragrant. Some men even regularly used “pomades” to scent hair and clothing. Some popular rinses were rosemary tea, or apple cider vinegar if they didn’t have rose water available.

There was another treatment regularly applied to ensure hair remained lice and pest free, to maintain its healthy appearance and feel. That old adage, “100 strokes a night” before bed, holds true. It not only de-tangled those long locks, but it also distributed the natural oil of the hair to the ends and preventing excessive oiliness at the roots and dryness at the bottom, cutting down on split ends. If a woman had an excessively oily scalp, right after washing they would vigorously rub the scalp to “wipe away” any excessive oil that wasn’t rinsed by the water.

It was also around this time that England outlawed slavery, finding the trade in human flesh distasteful. Now, you will have to bear with me on this, because an innovative product came about that would revolutionize cosmetics later on.

To prevent the embargo on slave ships entering English ports, the normal first stop for any slaver, American started to ship slaves directly to Southern areas like Florida, Brazil, Columbia, Guiana, Venezuela, and the Caribbean, most destined to work on sugar and coffee plantations. However, some were bought by slave traders from the Americas and transported by land north, to be enthusiastically purchased by tobacco plantations and large farmers. When some of these slaves came north, they brought with them a new concoction called “coconut oil”.

In South America, not only was coconut oil plentiful, but it was commonly used for cooking and frying. One can only surmise that it was also accidently discovered to be perfect for softening the skin and used as a moisturizer. The black people started to liberally use it not only their bodies, but they also discovered that the oil and milk from this fruit made the hair shiny and healthier, and it was even reported that older slaves delayed greying of the hair by using it regularly. For most women it was slow to catch on, seeing it as a “black beauty” procedure. They believed that this co-co-nut oil would result in their skin becoming darker, and since white skin was a sign of beauty and prosperity, they stayed well clear of it for a long time. Instead, they stuck to their arsenic and mercury laden cosmetics that eventually killed a good many women.

Marie-Antoinette: France had already become the leader in fashion, both in clothing and hair styles, thanks to this very reviled but often imitated trend setter.

However, there were also some forward thinking women that, when they discovered their slaves using it, quickly implemented the same toilette regime, delighting in softer skin and using it in their hair to tame the elaborate hair styles, as well as enjoying vibrantly colored hair that the oil accented. It also helped to cut down and reduce the effects of sea salt for those living on the coast. Sea salt often dried the hair and caused a straw-like consistency.

Coconut oil is still used extensively today in many cosmetic products, because of its natural makeup appealing to those who hate using chemicals, and because of its wonderful moisturizing properties.

And so there you have it. I hope this helps future writers, so they don’t to skirt around the issue of hygiene before the 20th century, for shampoo did not make its appearance until then.

If you find any other information I may have missed, please let me know in comments, preferably with a link to the source. Any comments are a joy to me and make my day, so let's chat!

8 comments:

  1. Very interesting, Lynette.

    I use cider vinegar and water (with a a few drops of tea tree oil per half litre) as a face wash. It's also wonderful if you have an itchy scalp. Sometimes the old ways are best.

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  2. I'm starting to believe it, Alison, especially after doing the research in shampoos. It's unbelievable now much crap is in modern, commercially prepared shampoos. Seriously re-thinking my own hygienic habits. LOL
    Thanks for visiting.

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  3. I love this, Lynette. Little piques my interest like hair and body care. It's the shallow, egotistical side of my personality, and I have no desire to be cured. I have studied products from the natural to the lower end over-the-counter buys to the high end break-the-bank inventions. I am the quintessential product whore. For the sake of sticking to the topic of your blog, I'll stick to the natural.

    Water is the best solvent, bar none. You can use a first rate cleanser, and without the proper amount of water before and after, it won't work it's magic. One must thoroughly saturate every strand of hair prior to applying any shampoo. Rinse, rinse, rinse afterward. When you think you've rinsed enough, rinse again. Lynette, you are spot on about rain water. That said, it's not as pure as it once was, so it's better to forego leaving the bucket outside during a spring storm.

    Powdered wigs led to powdered hair used to absorb natural oils. The up-dos of yesteryear, even today's modern versions, use a)oily hair or b) powder. Once again it's fashionable to use powder. It keeps hair clean longer, it adds body, gives great texture and most stylists use it before an up-do to hold hair in place. I use it as a finishing touch after styling my hair. This can be used in the form of baby powder or a professional spray. If you're going to use baby powder, the type with corn starch is best.

    Apple cider vinegar (I use raw organic) not only softens hair, it stimulates the scalp, and some believe helps growth. It's also a great fabric softener for clothes. The odor of vinegar neutralizes itself, so once whatever surface, fabric, body part you use it on dries, the smell is clean and fresh. White vinegar is tricky. I have cleaned with it. It cleans well and all is fine once it dries, however it can draw small gnats when it's wet :(

    Instead of using a clarifying shampoo, once a week use a tad of baking soda mixed in your shampoo (mix in the palm of your hand) and massage into scalp. When it's drying it will feel almost fuzzy. Once dry it leaves hair soft. More importantly it removes built up gunk.





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  4. For a book I wrote years ago called MADEIRA, I did a little research years ago into hair care of Spanish women in the Californias of the mid 1800s. This was the time of Spanish land grants and migration from Spain to what's now known as the American West. The hair of daughters was never cut, and the length of the hair usually guaranteed a rich husband . . . the longer the hair, the more wealth she attracted in a husband. On marriage, her hair would have been braided then cut and given to her husband, much like giving her virginity to him. Once the hair was gone, men knew she was married and no longer looking for a suitor.

    But it wasn't all about growing her hair. There was a special regimen she followed, which included brushing the hair from root to tip, which was the best way of loosening dirt and distributing natural oils right to the tip, which helped prevent split ends A very small drop of olive oil was rubbed in the palms and then rubbed into the ends of the hair as well to prevent breakage. Baking soda was also used to control frizzy hair and to soak up excess oils.

    Cleaning the hair would have started with brushing. If required, a small amount of baking soda would have been applied right at the scalp and massaged in to soak up excess oil. Then the hair would be brushed again to remove the soda and remaining dirt. We know this today as dry shampoo.

    If the hair required a wet bath, it would have been brushed to loosen dirt. The hair would be immersed in warm to hot water (fats melt in hot water and float to the top). The final rinse could have included a baking soda bath, which is simply dissolving a small amount of baking soda in warm water then pouring through the hair. The hair was then gently squeezed dry, toweled as much as possible and brushed dry. If the ends were particularly dry, even with brushing to distribute natural oils, then a small amount of olive oil rubbed into the ends would have been called for.

    Once the hair was clean and dry, it was often braided very loosely, or two hanks were loosely twined together (much like rope) in order to control it. Loose braiding or roping kept the hair from kinking as it does in tighter braids, which was seen as unattractive and lessened the chances at a rich husband.

    If a woman was saddled with naturally curly or kinky hair, then olive oil would have been more liberally used to control the curls and frizz.

    Olive oil was also a great skin moisturizer in those dry, dusty climates of the American south and southwest. Even today, Italian woman use olive oil as a skin moisturizer, and women with kinky or excessively curly hair often use natural/homemade mayonnaise to control their friz. It's the oil and the egg yolk fat that's healthy for hair. Forget all those commercials for special oil treatments, grab some olive oil or natural mayo ;-)

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  5. I love this topic. What women have put themselves through in the name of beauty is nothing short of amazing.

    I skipped over the mayo treatment in my earlier post. Now that Kemberlee has mentioned it, I must reveal my secret for ridding children of head lice. One tub of mayo, and shower caps. One granddaughter had a case of hearty, stubborn head lice. The number one treatment had been used beyond what the doctor recommend.
    Being the progressive grandmother I am, I googled it. I slathered mayo on her head of very long, dark, thick hair. GOBS of Mayo! Then covered it, as suggested, with a shower cap. Hair tight. I would suggest Sally's Beauty Supply for disposable shower caps. They're tight, even on a child's head, and let's face it, who would keep a shower cap after such a treatment? Effective treatment takes 12 hours. Though many people feel comfortable letting a child sleep in the cap, I was concerned it would slip during the night and suffocate her. I am nothing if not safety-conscious. We did it early in the morning, and I rinsed her hair at night. Some suggest vinegar, but it's not necessary and stings. Dead lice floated from her head. I repeated a few days later. I can't remember the hatching period without looking, but you'll want to re-do the treatment. Bugs be gone! They never returned.

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    Replies
    1. And I bet her hair was gorgeous after the washing, too :-)

      Women have tried improving on their looks for millennia. Sad really. When men are polled, a majority like women natural looking. Women tend to doll up to out doll other women. Women are extremely competitive where looks are concerned. At least the girly girls are. I've never been girly girl. Other than my weight, looks are very subjective. I'd rather be ugly but happy than beautiful and miserable.

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  6. I am going to experiment here and see if this will post, Lynette. I thought your piece on soaps and washing wonderful it is interesting that it has only been in the last 40 odd years that the showering, bathing every day culture has taken over. I can recall my grandmother's home with a tin bath in front of the fire once a week. Only since homes had indoor bathrooms and the luxury of hot running water has bathing habits altered. After WW2 many homes having been bombed in England there were not many homes let alone bathrooms. When new homes were built the outside privy disappeared and the WC moved indoors for a lot of people. Now things have gone to the extreme and over-use of anti-bacterial soaps and cleaning products has caused the immune systems of some people to dysfunction and kids especially are getting all sorts of problems and allergies due to their never having been exposed to even common harmless germs. I read a post somewhere today where a woman was burned to death some decades back in the USA when she had been washing her hair in kerosene (nit prevention) and the candle fell over and she was so badly burned she died. We are so lucky we can wash and shower whenever we want, and we can use umpteen types of products too.

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  7. Thanks everyone for visiting and commenting. I'm gratified that it stimulated such an active discussion.

    Carley, thanks so much for your comments, and I'll be trying what you suggest. With long hair, I need all the help I can get.

    Kemberlee, good points on olive oil. I researched it while doing this article, and while it was already used liberally in the southern areas of the continent, it had still not quite made it north during the 1770's, so unfortunately I couldn't include it. I believe it made it north in the late 1780's. But I use olive oil myself on the very ends of my hair, because I have such fly-away hair, especially right after I wash it.

    Janerisdon, I agree completely. People in general, I believe, have fewer immunities from disease because our bodies do not have the chance to build them up. That being said, I think I'd be miserable if I couldn't have my bath every day. LOL I have, however, cut down drastically on the different cosmetic products I use.

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