CHAPTER XXVI.
Hair and Complexion.—Black Dyes.—Persian Blue-Black.—Peroxide of Hydrogen.—Chloride of Gold.—Transient Dyes.
If it were easy to change the color of one’s hair, and possible to fix that change, which it is not, the result in most cases would be far from desirable. Nature tints hair and complexion in harmony with each other, and both should be deepened if one is altered. Human pictures as well as canvas would often be improved by bringing out the colors, but the free hand of Health, that divine artist, is the only one whose work is tolerable or enduring. In health this harmony of tint is varied and delicate, ranging from the rose-and-snow complexions that suit the true blonde dorée, the translucent honeysuckle-pink that sets off red-brown, blue-black, and olive-brown hair with decided warmth of cheeks, or purple-black reflets of the tresses with Spanish crimson, or rather the burning rose of tropic blood seen through smooth skin. Occasionally there comes an exciting discord, a minor strain of color that affects one like subtle music, such as the finding of dark eyes and golden hair, or clear, brilliant blue eyes in a gypsy face; but it is impossible to compose heads in reality with any satisfying results as yet. We have yet to learn how to work from the inside out, which is the only true method with human modeling.
All that can be said on this point, however, will not make the red-haired girl one whit less ardent in her desire to see her locks of darker shade, that they may be less conspicuous, or keep the dark-haired woman from the coveted vision of bright locks and black eyes. It is useless to talk about the dangers of the process, or hint that orpiment and realgar are deadly poisons. If every hair had to turn into a living snake while undergoing the change, it would hardly daunt this courageous vanity. The best to be hoped from any farther enlightenment is that they will renounce these active poisons for something comparatively harmless. Du reste, all readers will be interested in the secrets of the toilet, and the sight of science turned coiffeur.
It is comparatively a simple matter to dye hair black. Sulphur is one of the constituents of hair, which exhales it constantly in the form of sulphureted hydrogen, fortunately of the weakest sort, or it would be intolerable. When wet with a solution of certain metals, the action of this gas turns the hair black. Lead combs owe their efficiency to this cause. The lead which rubs on the hair is darkened by the gas, but the trace of lead at each combing is so slight that the operation must be many times repeated before it takes effect. But lead-coloring, whether applied by combs or by the paste of litharge, is a slow poison, not seldom causing paralysis, and even death. The absorption of lead into the system at any part is dangerous, but trebly so when applied so closely to the brain. The tint given by this means, as well as that dyed with nitrate of silver, is unnatural, greenish, and rusty in the light, needing continual repetition to appear decent.
Orientals are in the habit of dyeing their hair and beards the deep jetty black which they admire, if nature have not given them the desired depth of color. For this purpose Turks and Egyptians use a thick solution of native iron ore in pyrogallic acid, which gives the blackest and most unimpeachable color. The Persians prefer blue-black, and use indigo to produce it. European hair-dyers use a solution of iron, with hydrosulphate of ammonia to develop and fix the color, but the odor is objectionable. Dyes need to be applied once a week to keep the color vivid, and it is well to touch the partings twice as often with a fine comb dipped in the dye, as the hair always shows the natural color as fast as it grows from the roots.
Red and flaxen hair is changed to gold with little trouble, but dark hair must be bleached with chlorine before the desired tinge is given. The bleaching is the most difficult part of the work. Solutions sold for the purpose oftenest consist of peroxide of hydrogen—a somewhat costly liquid, I am told. Solution of sulphurous acid will also bleach hair; so will solutions of bisulphide of magnesia and of lime. The hair, properly faded or whitened, is colored yellow with solutions of cadmium, arsenic, or gold, but the cause of the change is the same that produces black dye. The reaction of sulphureted hydrogen on silver or lead turns things black, but on the metals first named turns them yellow. Arsenic in the shape of orpiment or realgar, two deadly poisons, is the base of most golden hair-dyes, and numerous cases of poisoning have resulted from their use. Cadmium is harmless, and yields quite as brilliant a tinge as arsenic, though less used. Chloride of gold dyes a very satisfactory brown, available for eyebrows, lashes, and whiskers. It must be used with exceeding care, however, for it stains the skin as well as the hair. If applied with a fine-tooth comb dipped in the liquid, combing the ends first, and ceasing just before the skin is reached, the dye will probably “take” by means of capillary attraction, without affecting the face. Cautious use of this preparation on the brows and lashes gives very pleasing results when these are much paler than the hair. They should be first carefully oiled, and the oil wiped off the hair, which is then touched with a fine sable pencil.
Fortunately, bleaching and dyeing are both such tedious processes that this circumstance alone will keep many persons from submitting to their bondage. Once applied, the dye becomes a necessity, much harder to leave off than to begin, as the English Dr. Scoffern says, who is authority for most suggestions in this chapter. One can not blame those persons who brush the roots of the hair or forehead and neck with amber lavender to disguise their pale, unsightly appearance, and a touch of the same liquid on white eyebrows does no harm. Walnut bark, steeped a week in Cologne, gives a dye that is transient, but easily applied with a brush each day, and has instant effect. It takes a day or two to bleach hair, and hours to color it either black or yellow; and the work has to be done over month by month in a fashion that brings the victim to speedy repentance of her folly.