How to Care for Your Hair, 1881

Theatrical Poster, c. 1875 (Library of Congress)

“Not less than a hundred strokes a day should be given to a woman’s hair with a good hair-brush, rather hard, but not so unyielding as to tear the hair when it meets with a tangle… Once or twice a week, if possible, the hair should be allowed to flow loosely about the head for an hour or two, so as to admit of the air circulating freely about the roots… An excellent method is to rub the head thoroughly with a rather coarse towel until the healthy glow and redness ensue. If these fail to result from the rubbing, the head is in a thoroughly unhealthy and unproductive condition... The hair should never be fastened up too tightly by means of hairpins, combs, ties, &c. The sap should be allowed to circulate freely through the hair-tubes, and any cause preventing this acts prejudicially upon the growth." 

Sylvia's Book of the Toilet

Is your hair getting enough fresh air? Go on, let it free. Those hair-tubes will thank you.

How to Maintain Facial Hair, 1609

John Bulwer, Anthropometamorphosis (1650)

"It is most true that a man is to be commended, if he be cleanly... his haire well dressed, his beard well brushed, and alwayes his vpper lip well curled... as if every haire would threaten to pull out his eyes, for if he chance to kisse a Gentlewoman, some rebellious haire may happen to startle in her nose, and make her sneese, so by this meanes, he applies both physick & courtesie at one time, then he may freely say, God blesse you Lady, receaving back the chirping Eccho of I thenk you sir."

Simion Grahame, The Anatomie of Humors 

Want to improve your kissing technique? With a properly curled mustache, your next kiss will really be explosive.