I have long been in awe of elaborate hairdos, particularly those from the Victorian era. As a teen, with the aid of my trusty curling iron and a lot of bobby pins, I attempted to turn my baby fine hair into some semblance of a Victorian do. It never occurred to me a that these woman were using something other than a curling iron and pins to create their hairdos. I’d never heard of hair pads to increase fullness or thought about waxes and pomades necessary to keep hair in place. Had I thought about that, I would have been grossed out at the idea of having gunk in one’s hair.
Before the Victorian era, and probably well into it, depending on where one lived and the resources
available, hair was treated with grease, waxes, sugar water, and/or sap products to keep things under control. In the 1850s and 60s, a product called bandoline became popular for maintaining hairdos. Bandoline is a clear liquid made of diluted tree gum, alcohol (such as rum) and fragrances. It made hair sticky, which in turn, helped it stay in place.
Bandoline was applied to the hair with a small sponge to set a completed hairdo, or it could be worked through the hair with fingers, and then ringlets could be formed. Because of the gummy buildup from using the product, woman were advised to wash their hair weekly.
Commercially made bandoline was sometimes created using impure ingredients. This in turn, led to hair damage, and in some cases, a change of color. According to the 1900 book The Human Hair, Its Care and Preservation, bandoline could turn hair a “rusty gray”. For these reasons, some women chose to make their own bandoline using quince seeds. The seeds would be soaked in boiling water, then strained. After this, a scent would be added to mask the odor of the gummy substance.
By the late 1870s, bandoline was going out of style, but hair fixatives have remained popular until current times. There are recipes for bandoline online, which combine gum substances, water and a scent. The concoction is said to work as well as a modern day hairspray.
Had I known about bandoline back when I was attempting to make corsets from pictures in costume books and fashioning hoop skirts out of baling wire, I would have definitely tried to whip up a batch in order to perfect an elaborate do–which I probably would have worn to have dinner with my family.