How did women Pre-1900...

[Vashti]

Great thread!

 

[Curlykale]

Something else, still from Africa, not necessarily off topic:

HIMBA TRIBE (NAMIBIA)
"The incredible thing about the Himba tribe, is the appearance of the Himba women; they change the color of their skin to a reddish-brown color by using a red-colored ointment that is made from butter, ash, red ochre and herbs. This ointment is said to protect the Himba women from the intense desert sun, but its primary function is esthetic as the women believe this makes them more attractive. Some say that the brownish color that the ointment produces represents the earth while the reddish tinge symbolizes blood. This same earthy ointment is applied to their braided hair"

Women from Ethiopia have used ghee (aka clarified butter) for a long time and many of them have long hair as well.

 

[ladytee2]

Very Interesting.

 

[shiney_sapphire]

I read an article years ago about how black women would use chicken fat on their scalp.
*Checking to see if I can possibly find it on Google*

hey lady! my grandmother told me this....they used to used the fat off of meat mostly pork because that is what the poor black people ate the most of. i couldn't imagine smelling like bacon all day!

 

[karezone]

When you said that all I could imagine was the taco bell commercial where the fat girl has the bacon taco in her purse and gets all the guys because she smells like bacon.

hey lady! my grandmother told me this....they used to used the fat off of meat mostly pork because that is what the poor black people ate the most of. i couldn't imagine smelling like bacon all day!

 

[Meritamen]

Something else, still from Africa, not necessarily off topic:

HIMBA TRIBE (NAMIBIA)
"The incredible thing about the Himba tribe, is the appearance of the Himba women; they change the color of their skin to a reddish-brown color by using a red-colored ointment that is made from butter, ash, red ochre and herbs. This ointment is said to protect the Himba women from the intense desert sun, but its primary function is esthetic as the women believe this makes them more attractive. Some say that the brownish color that the ointment produces represents the earth while the reddish tinge symbolizes blood. This same earthy ointment is applied to their braided hair"

Women from Ethiopia have used ghee (aka clarified butter) for a long time and many of them have long hair as well.

The Himba women are so beautiful. Their skin looks so clear and blemish-free in every picture I have seen of them. I'm jealous. It's weird that I have yet to a picture of what the men look like.
This reminds me of Dlewis's ghee threads I stumbled upon a few days ago... I might have to try some on my hair.

 

[choctaw]

my great grandmother boiled soapwort in rainwater to make a hair wash. Barrels were kept on the side of the house to catch the rainwater. Vaseline was hair grease. The hair was braided and pinned or curled on rags.

 

[DrC]

Something else, still from Africa, not necessarily off topic:

HIMBA TRIBE (NAMIBIA)
"The incredible thing about the Himba tribe, is the appearance of the Himba women; they change the color of their skin to a reddish-brown color by using a red-colored ointment that is made from butter, ash, red ochre and herbs. This ointment is said to protect the Himba women from the intense desert sun, but its primary function is esthetic as the women believe this makes them more attractive. Some say that the brownish color that the ointment produces represents the earth while the reddish tinge symbolizes blood. This same earthy ointment is applied to their braided hair"

Women from Ethiopia have used ghee (aka clarified butter) for a long time and many of them have long hair as well.

Her skin is flawless!! I like her hair too. Is that red clay on her dreads?? I would love to know more about that ointment.

 

[Curlykale]

Her skin is flawless!! I like her hair too. Is that red clay on her dreads?? I would love to know more about that ointment.

from some websites:

"mixture of red ochre ground from rocks, butter churned in a gourd and resin from the Omuzumba shrub. This paste is known as OTJIZE used as protection against the weather and a skin lotion. It is rubbed on the skin, into hair and onto traditional clothing."

"Ochre is a pigment obtained by washing red clay to separate the sand and then evaporating the water in the sun."

"Omuzumba = a kind of desert shrub with an aromatic resin, a little like adding perfume"

They are beautiful, I agree...