Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1859-07-22
tFrom the SCIENTIFIC Amereap,l
Useful Information About fair .Dyes,

| ~
. As rnlo, ali hair-dyes should be avoided 4;
in almost every case the process is prejudisasl
to the unities which tend to form that harmor
) nious whole, which we call personal beauty
The chief characteristics of beauty, indepea
: dent Of form, are the complexion, the eyes, ssd
the llaiV: and therefore the first question to be
asked, before attempting to change the color
of 50 important an auxiliary to beauty as the
hair, should naturally be, will the change suit
the complexion and the eyes ?" The Tcntopjc
beauty of Anglo-Saxons and Anglo -No1na1p,
has come to the people of Great Britain along
with the practical common sense Of the one,
and the lofty bearing of the other. The mass
of female lovelness which graces the land is
| therefore essentially " fair white and clear
in contradistnction to brown and dark
A clear rosy complexion, blue eyes, and hair
more or less auburn, are all the most prevalent.
Now, to change either the color of the COM
plexion or Of the hair is to destroy the anities
of such style of beauty, because the eye car
not be changed en- suite; and it produces the
same incongruous effect as an ilI-drcssed woman
often presents by display of ill-assorted colors
in her attire. Fair 4" persons ere seldom, if
ever improved in appearance by the process of
these marked features of Teutonic extraction,
in whose veins commingles the blood Of more
southern race-whose dark or brown complex
ION, gazellelibe eyes, and raven hair te&a to
form that style Of beauty we designate brun-
nette "-sAoaid age trip up youth or their
locks become pTeHaaturely grey Or silvcry white,
may call in the aid of art to restore the hair
to its original tint, without infringing the prin-
ciples of the harmony of color. If the hair
be too glowing, too bright auburn, to as
simulate with the eyes, OF with the blush Of the
cheek, then its refness can be artiicially Iower-
ed by the application of what the French per-
fumers name Eau Crayon, pencil water, but
which is called by its right name, simply wall
nut-water. Nearly everybody ia familiar with
the property of the juice of the walnut husk
to stain the skin dark brown. BY some
chemical magic this water can be prepared to.
darken the hair and yet not to stain the skim.
This liquid, sold by the manufacturing pcrfu-
mers, is the best for darkeBiDg the hair with-
out, strictly speaking, dyeing it Walnut-wa-.
ter does not darken the hair very rapidly it
therefore requires to be applied repeatedly du-
ring several weeks, and the change, however
slow, is thus the more natural and unolJserveds
There arc several good recipes to dye grey hair
The quickest dyes have the fault of staining
the skin, should any portion touch the skin or
scalp by accident, which is almost ipP0ssible
to avoid. The slower acting dyes give
trouble, but are less likely to incur the unpeas-
ant result of staining the skin A quick dye
is made by dissolving quarter of an ouuee Of
nitrate of silver in little less than quarter Of
a pint Of distilled rose or elder water-eyen
comrnoD water will do provided that it has
been boiled for a few minutes, and then allow
cd to cool. IF the hair be quite clean and
freed from grease by first washing it with b
rax, dissolved in warm water, and then allow
ing it to get dry, the silver solution has only
to be combed carefully through the hair in or
der to produce the effect desired. If the hair
be allowed to remain disheselled and EXPOSED
to the action of sunshine, light and air, the
dye will act with increased rapidty; and if it
be not black enough, the dye can be again ap-'
piled with increased effect. The application Of
u mordant, such us sulphate Of ammonia, will
also make the dye strike with greater ra- ,
pitEity but it is most dsagreeable compoundt.
and not to be recommended. Washing the
hair with sulphur soap will help all dyrs to-
produce a better color whether they be walnut.
water or silver solution. The best, dye is thus
prepared :-Calcined magnessia two. ounees;,
quicklime Stacked, two ounces powdered llth-
arge eight ounces. Having Stacked the lime
with as little water as possible to cause it to-
disintegrate, mix the whole OF the ingredients
well together and they viii be ready for use, IN
the following manner Mix the powder with
enough water to form thick creamy fuidi
with the aid Of brush completely cover the
hair to bo dyed with this mixture. To dye it
i:. IL oil to in hntrI
four hours; dark brown eight hours black,
twelve hours. As the dye does not act unless
it is moist it is necessary to keep it SO by wear
ing an oiled silk, india rubber, or other water
proof cap. When the dye has taken effect
the hair has to be washed with an ABUNDANCE.
Of warm water 8. PIKssE.