Hair History
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Hair History INTRODUCTION From since the dawn of civilization, mankind has always had trouble with hair. Hair just constantly grows, and regular trimming and styling often wasn't only a way of making yourself look more attractive, it was also done to reflect personalities, religion or even social status, as even as far back as Neanderthal Man, there were occasions where the males put bones, feathers and other items in their hair to impress females and also to strike fear in rival groups. Some of the first references to hair care appear as early as 4000 B.C., when Egyptians crafted combs out of dried fish bones. In 2000 B.C., Egyptians mixed water and citrus juice to make shampoo, and they applied animal fats and plant oils to their hair for conditioning. In 1800 B.C., Babylonian men powdered their hair with gold dust, and in 1500 B.C., Assyrian slaves curled the hair of kings and other nobles with heated iron bars. In 500 B.C., hair styling was born in western Africa, where sticks and clay were used as early versions of curlers and setting gel. Accessories and color were introduced in 35 B.C., when Cleopatra wore jewel-studded ivory pins in her hair and Roman prostitutes were forced to dye their hair blond. In the first century A.D. hair color became more prominent. Women attended Roman feasts showing off their dark, shiny tresses, thanks to dyes, which were created from boiled walnuts and leeks. Saxon men charged on the battlefield toward their enemies with their hair blazing in threatening hues of blue, green, and orange, in the year 100. In Rome, circa 200, sculptors began to attach marble wigs to their artwork to update them in accordance with the hairstyles of the times. And in the fourth century, there was an emphatic show of hairnets and scarves. Fast forward a millennium: If you think that permanent solution now smells awful, empathize with European women in the 1300's who conditioned their hair with dead lizards boiled in olive oil. And that's not all they had to endure; they also shaved their hairlines to show off high foreheads and piled hair high on their heads to make their necks look longer. Other examples of hair being used for social status is in the Gallic/Roman period, whereby noble Gallic men were required to grow their hair long to show their nobility. Upon being conquered by the Roman's, Julius Caesar ordered that any noble Gaul would have their head shaved bald, a humiliation for the Gauls. In terms of religion, hair can show a lot. Monks for example shave their head in a number of religions, whereas early Muslim men would shave their head with the exception of a single long lock, which was believed to be used to pull them up to heaven after they die. Political leanings were also shown - as the long haired Royalist Cavaliers battled the cropped hair of the Parliamentarian Roundheads in English Civil War in the 1600's. Hair - or rather wigs - can also be used to show job roles, such as Japanese geisha's have large black wigs, and the rolled gray wig of a British barrister. Also, it can be cut or styled to show the mood of the person. Egyptians used to grow their hair when they were mourning, Hindu widows used to shave it all off. Now religion, political persuasion or social status is less likely to have an effect on your hair. The general increase of disposable income, along with informality & individualism, has seen a rise in people changing their hairstyle, to suit their needs and tastes at the time. Modern hairdressing as it relates to fashion today began in the 1910¶s and is a constantly evolving expression that is based on multiple social influences from the economy to current events, from lifestyle to locale, from art to fashion, not to mention hundreds of years of study and refinement of form and silhouette combined with a naturally short attention span related to the ever increasing speed at which technology grows. A Brief History of Hairdressing: Studies reveal that haircutting and hairstyling were practiced in some form as early as the glacial age. They used simple but effective implements like sharpened flints, oyster shells, or bone. Animal sinew of hide was even used to tie hair back, or as an adornment. The Egyptians were the first to cultivate beauty in an extravagant fashion, and became well-versed in the art of makeup and hairdressing. The ancient Egyptians also were the first to use cosmetics as part of their personal beautification habits, and in religious ceremonies when preparing the deceased for burial. Ancient records show that coloring matter was made from berries, the bark of trees, minerals, insects, nuts, herbs, leaves and other materials that were used on the skin, hair, and nails. Even though eye paint was the most popular of all cosmetics, henna (a dye extracted from the leaves of an ornamental shrub) was used to impart a reddish tint to the hair that is still used to this day. The first recorded use of henna as a coloring agent was in 1500 B.C. Excavations from Egyptian tombs also have revealed combs, brushes, mirrors, and razors made of tempered copper and bronze. Hairdressing was an art for the Egyptians who liked to wear elaborate hairdos and cosmetics, as well as wigs. Egyptian and Roman women were known to apply a mixture of soil and water to their hair. They then wrapped their hair on wooden made rollers to bake in the sun, creating a temporary wave. The first evidence of nail care recorded in history was prior to 3,000 B.C. in Egypt and China. Ancient Egyptian men and women of high social rank stained their nails with red-orange henna. The color of a person's nail was a sign of rank. Kings and queens wore deep red, while people of lower society wore only pale colors. Beauty and grooming took on great symbolic significance in many cultures. Military commanders in Egypt, Babylon, and early Rome would spend many hours before a battle, having their hair curled, and their nails painted the same shade as their lips. During the golden Age of Greece (500B.C), hairstyling became a highly developed art. Hairstyling services were introduced in Rome around 300 B.C. Women used hair color to indicate their class in society. Noblewomen tinted their hair red, middle class women colored their hair blonde and poor women colored it black. Hairstyling and barbering continued to grow in importance, and eventually became identified with the world of medicine. During the medieval times, cosmetology and medicine were taught as combined subjects in English universities. When Pope Alexander III forbade the clergy to shed blood, barbers were enlisted to assist monks and priests during surgery. They regularly performed bloodletting and minor surgery, administered herbs, and later pulled teeth. In fact, for centuries, dentistry was performed only by barbers for more than a thousand years, they were known as barber-surgeons. The Renaissance was a time where emphasis was placed on physical appearance. The hair was done carefully with ornaments, and headdresses were worn. Around this time, in 1450, a law was enacted that separated the practices of barbering and surgery. They could no longer perform surgery, and surgeons were forbidden to act as barbers. Finally, an entrepreneur capitalized on hair's phenomenal importance, paving the way for the Vidal Sassoons and Bumble and Bumbles of our times. In 1635, the very first ladies' hair salon, appropriately named Champagne, opened in Paris, France. Extra- firm-hold hair gel would have been an essential commodity in the 18th century, when stiff pompadours-masses of hair combed high, frizzed above the forehead, and held in place with paste and glue-were the rage. The entire period marked the origins of hairdressing as a true art form. Hairdressers constructed monuments out of hair as fashion statements, and even further, as statements about current events and deep emotions. The masterpieces were so elaborate that ladies reportedly had to crouch on their knees to fit the huge 'dos into their carriages as they traveled. Hundreds of years before the punk rock era as we know it, hair was powdered in blue, violet, white, pink, and yellow pastels. Eventually, the rigidity gave way to a historic form of "bed head." These elegantly neglected styles featured disarrayed locks whimsically arranged and loosely tied, with overflows of curls in chocolate brown hues. Hair was also crimped, tousled, and caught up in chignons, with locks framing the face, much like today's special-occasion up-do. Women also wore their hair knotted low in heavy chignons and accented with flowers. Late in the century, the French Revolution called for shorter, less elaborate styles. During the early 19th century, hats, hoods, and headdresses became popular in France. Plain and plaited hair made waves in England in the 1850s. The 19th century, an era by research and innovation, saw many changes in the field of hair care. In 1875, a Frenchman named Marcel Grateau developed the technique of using irons for waving and curling the hair. This developed into the art of thermal waving, still known today as Marcel waving. In 1890, the first hairdressing academy was opened in Chicago by Brisbois and Federmeyer. And finally, in the 20th century, hairstyling began to follow trends, and soon became available to all classes of people who could choose their styles based on their needs and desires.