Hair dye - vintage style [Archive]

~landgirl~

11-16-2006, 08:42 AM

VargasGirl

11-16-2006, 08:51 AM

Hi everyone

just got back from the salon as i had some chocolate highlights put through my dark mane (had sensitivity test and all the other day, so was good this time!) And it got me thinking, when did hair dye come about? Obviously the blonde bombshell look has been around for a while. My hairdresser said the bleach they used back then was REALLY strong, which I guess is why someone as naturally dark as Marilyn could go so light. But how about other hair dyes? Does anyone know?
I have no documentation on this, but I used to work at a living history muesum in Bath, Ohio that did the year 1848. I had my hair red at the time, and I was told that at that time people didn't desire red hair, and would use a dye containing lead to darken it. Yuck!

Kim_B

11-16-2006, 10:32 AM

I've seen a couple ads for Shampoo tints and the like - found here
http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu/adaccess/browse.html

Namely, these:

This was for La Creole Hair Dressing Treatment - not a dye, but used to bring back vibrancy to greying hair...I think this was dated 1920-ish
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y181/KB1012/LaCreoleHairDressing.jpg

This was from Clairol, dated 1943
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y181/KB1012/ClairolShampooTint.jpg

This ad was for Eternol Tint Shampoo, 1942 or 1943
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y181/KB1012/EternolTintShampoo.jpg

Lauren

11-16-2006, 10:34 AM

My grandmother was telling me that my great aunt Tutti was a hairdresser. The mode was to put Henna in the hair to redden it- I'm guessing in the 40's. She said everyone did it. Well, I'm guessing everyone in our family at least :)

pigeon toe

11-16-2006, 10:36 AM

It's not the same thing as hair dye, but my boyfriend has a pomade (not original, but is one of those brands that looks like it hasnt changed in decades) that is supposed to darken greying hair. It's clear, and one of the main ingredients is lead! I thought that was illegal now?! Yikes!

AllaboutEve

11-16-2006, 11:25 AM

~landgirl~

11-16-2006, 11:28 AM

I was a huge Marilyn fan when I was a teenager and have the same natural brown colour as her. I begged the hairdresser to make me that colour but she wouldn't/couldn't? get it light enough - it always went a horrible yellowy blonde (dirty blonde?) - and never suited me now I look back! If I could of got my hands on the harsh stuff she used back then, I would have certainly used it!!!

Avalon

11-16-2006, 11:57 AM

I read somewhere that most of Marilyn's hair had actually fallen out by the time she fimed the Misfits and she is wearing a wig throughout!!!

I am pretty sure that the platinum blondes of the golden era had a pretty tough time with some pretty harsh peroxide!

I do know that Jean Harlow had to wear wigs because of the damage. She used a combo of bleach, peroxide and soap flakes that was actually painful. :confused:

VargasGirl

11-16-2006, 02:46 PM

I read somewhere that most of Marilyn's hair had actually fallen out by the time she fimed the Misfits and she is wearing a wig throughout!!!

I am pretty sure that the platinum blondes of the golden era had a pretty tough time with some pretty harsh peroxide!
Wow, I never heard that before! That's funny becuase I just got home from the hairdresser and we were talking about how Marilyn's hair must have been fried but never looked it. She even suggested that the color wasn't natural, but intead she eas wearing wigs. Maybe that really was it.

TOTTIE

11-17-2006, 05:12 AM

the famous 'Black Dahlia' who was so horifically murdered in the 40's was supposed to have had dyed black hair. She also dressed in black with black underwear, making her, officially, one of the first goths!
People really didn't talk about dying their hair back then, of course...

TOTTIE

11-17-2006, 05:14 AM

Actually, I used pure peroxide once on my very dark hair to make a blonde streak (when I was a teenager, naturally) and it took about 4 applications to take it beyond orange, but it did eventually work. It really did not do my hair much good - went all frizzy and brittle.

Rosie

11-17-2006, 05:34 AM

I saw an older movie (can't think of the name now but it was from the late 30s -40s), the main female character was on the run and bought bottles and bottles of peroxide, dumped it in the sink and dumped her hair in. Her hair was blondish afterward, I know it's a movie but I was watching it with my mom and asked if it could be done, she said she remembers women doing that with their hair years ago, soaking a towel with peroxide, wrapping their hair and walking around like that for hours to get their hair blonde - blondish.

ohairas

11-21-2006, 10:26 AM

Greeting all~
On color charts, our natural hair colors go from 1-10, 1 being black and 10 being blonde (which doesn't include platinum).
Marilyn was between a 6 and a 7 and could easily achive the platinum look with bleach. If you are a 5 and below it gets harder as the darker you are the more red you have underlying in your hair.

Products have come a long way since then, ( and they have had bottled hair dyes since the 1800's at least). I found a haircolor bottle in our house from the 1880's and I thought that was SO cool for me!! Yes, they did contain lead and all kinds of evil stuff!

Much of the problem with bleaching is overlaping. You must ONLY do the roots, and try not to get the bleach on any prelightened hair. It will break off like crazy. Yes, Marilyn's hair was absolutely trashed, but since it was roller set it always looked nice. (there are some pics you can tell how brittle it was tho!)

To get that light you have to use a scalp bleach and then tone. One of the best professional products out there today is Pravana (chromasilk)brand. Try looking for a salon that uses it, tho it is rather new.

If some of you are a level 7 or lighter, you might be lucky enough to use an "ultra light series" from the salons such as Matrix or Redken, and it's one step. It's somewhat less harsh than bleach, but again, you musn't overlap.

For those that do your own color at home, I don't have any advice on what to use, other than if you found something that works and doesn't leave you brassy or broken, stick with it! I have clients that have great luck with homecolor and I don't try to get them to change.

Also, I could have three clients all a level 7 and it doesn't mean all of their hair will turn out exactly the same with the same formula.

If your hair is breaking off, the bleach was overlapped or left on too long. If you're brassy it wasn't on long enough and/or you need a toner.

HTH!
Nikki

~landgirl~

11-21-2006, 10:31 AM

Greeting all~
On color charts, our natural hair colors go from 1-10, 1 being black and 10 being blonde (which doesn't include platinum).
Marilyn was between a 6 and a 7 and could easily achive the platinum look with bleach.

But she looks so dark in her photos! I would say my natural colour is about the same - a medium to dark brown, but the hairdresser always said I was too dark to get it light enough and I just could never understand why?

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j21/missmodette/marilyn1.jpg

ohairas

11-21-2006, 11:12 AM

Naw... that pic is either colorized or she tried to go darker once perhaps. The books I have on her she was a medium to light brown with quite a bit of auburn to her hair. She had freckles to.
Here's another shot,
http://www.mcnees.org/winesite/labels/labels_California/lbl_Norma_Jean_Merlot_1999.jpg

http://www.reel.com/Content/Reelimages/features2001/marilyn/normajean.jpg

This site lists her as a strawberry blonde.. I wouldn't go that far.
http://www.angelfire.com/mi3/MarilynMonroe/

Here's from another site talking about Blonde Ambition,
This Norma Jean will emerge as Marilyn's polar opposite. She is played deftly by Ashley Judd who, with the real Norma Jean's natural reddish-brown hair color, nubile body, and cherubic face, is quite convincing as a young woman aware of her sexuality and fiery natural ambition. Once discovered as a pin-up model, she develops a fierce motivation to act and star in Hollywood movies.

I just went by her youngest photos in my books.. but however, even had she been that dark, bleach will still work. But the darker you are, the dryer your hair will feel afterwards, and it takes forever to dry.

A good stylist can definately get you light enough if you want to spend the money, time and maintenence! Conditioner a must, along with a bonnet hair dryer!

Nikki

~landgirl~

11-21-2006, 11:35 AM

It still looks pretty dark! Lovely natural colour tho with that red!

ohairas

11-21-2006, 11:36 PM

I found your original post where you said you had been blonde but never liked the color. Bleaching your entire head of hair for the first time can be the worst... did the color ever get any better at your roots? I mean, when you first go blonde from natural, you have to apply the color to the midshaft of the length of hair, then the ends, then the roots. Each section takes different timing to lighten, and can come up different shades/tones. If it's not lightened enough a toner will not even change the color, it would have to be lightened again. Sometimes it's not worth trying to lighten more, but to just keep doing the roots and let it fade out with the sun, etc.

But after the first initial bleaching, your roots would be a cinch and can be monitored more easily. The color should come up more true with each application, does that make sense?

Perhaps your stylist was afraid of damaging your hair... which if you are a 5 or darker you just really don't have a choice, you're going to have to sacrifice and put up with breakage and such which is inevitable if your hair is hard to lift.

Also if you had any color on previous to going blonde the bleach will take uneven, and possibly not even lift past the red/gold stage if it were a dark shade.

At any rate, you make a smashing brunette!

Nikki

~landgirl~

11-22-2006, 12:40 AM

Well this was 5 years ago now, when I tried to go Marilyn blonde. If I am honest, I don't think blonde really suited me. I have the darkest eyes and very dark eyebrows, but despite this, I am REALLY pale! But then I guess Gwen Stafani can do it?

ohairas

11-22-2006, 06:53 AM

Ha! I was going to mention Gwen as well! I didn't like myself blonde either. I just felt so washed out, and putting on more makeup just made me look rediculous for every day wear. I'll stick to my wigs for fun!
Nikki

Jackiej

06-09-2007, 06:38 PM

Hello everyone,

I really want to to start my vintage look, and I am so inspired by all of you. You have given me all the tools I need on where to shop and what make up to buy, but what color should I dye my hair? I am half cuban and half white so I have alot of yellow undertones in my skin, so I definitely wouldn't look good as a blond. I also used to dye my hair a dark chocolate brown, but after I stopped everyone told me they were so glad that I did, because it completely washed me out. Right now it's a med-light reddish brown. Do you have any hair color suggestions, or suggestions for hair dyes?

Thanks,

Jackiej

Emmababy

06-09-2007, 06:55 PM

i dyed my hair a reddish brown recently and have pale yellowish tones. Go Rita Red

ohairas

06-09-2007, 07:02 PM

Let's see a pic Jackie! And welcome!
Nikki

Jackiej

06-09-2007, 10:14 PM

Thank you for replying! I need to find a pic in color so you can adequately see my skin tone. Right now the only ones I can find are black and white, which is no help at all. I'll look in the am and try to post something manana.:D

Jackiej

06-10-2007, 12:18 PM

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2114992780101497077pHOwDj

I know that this picture is far away, but I am going to have someone take some close-ups later on today. For some reason my skin actually looks darker in this photo than it really is.

Jackiej

06-10-2007, 12:19 PM

Okay, I must have done something wrong because my pic didn't show up. I'll try again.

ohairas

06-10-2007, 12:22 PM

Jackie, be sure you're using a site such as photobucket.com or something to get your photo links from!
Nikki

Jackiej

06-10-2007, 12:31 PM

http://thumb17.webshots.net/t/63/463/9/92/78/2114992780101497077pHOwDj_th.jpg

Jackiej

06-10-2007, 12:34 PM

Okay, I got it to work, but that is much smaller than i thought it would be...I'll wait until later so I can post something bigger. Sorry about all this, but I'm still learning. Be patient with me girls. :o

Miss Neecerie

06-10-2007, 01:01 PM

Looks like you picked the 'Thumbnail' of the picture to link to.

You might need to go to the bigger image and use that url to link to instead.

Jackiej

06-10-2007, 01:38 PM

<a href="http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2114992780101497077pHOwDj"><img src="http://inlinethumb33.webshots.com/4320/2114992780101497077S500x500Q85.jpg" alt="img096"></a> Let's try this

Jackiej

06-10-2007, 01:42 PM

http://[URL=http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2114992780101497077pHOwDJ]

ohairas

06-10-2007, 04:06 PM

Hehe.. don't worry Jackie, just keep trying! Most of us went thru the same thing, at least I did!
Nikki

Jackiej

06-10-2007, 04:45 PM

http://thumb17.webshots.net/t/55455/3/85/91/2419385910101497077sDxFue_th.jpg

I took this with my cell, so that's why it's a little goofy!

Jackiej

06-10-2007, 04:49 PM

http://thumb17.webshots.net/t/55/455/3/85/91/2419385910101497077sDxFue_th.jpg

Oh my, finally I have had some success!! Ladies you are true gems for putting up with all these silly posts of mine. Thanks a bunch! Jackie lol

ohairas

06-10-2007, 09:47 PM

Yea Jackie, you did it! :eusa_clap
Well girl, you probably won't like my answer. I think it looks great the shade it is, you're a doll!
However if you really wanna play around I suggest you don't go any lighter or any darker than within two shades of your natural level.

I'm *guessing* that your natural level is a 4, 1 being darkest and 10 being blond. So, you could go as light as a 6 and as dark as a 2. You shouldn't look washed out going a bit darker (or lighter) as long as you have the right tone and makeup.

I think a deep red would look stunning. Not copper, not auburn. Red. But I don't mean Jessica Rabbit either, lol!
I have always reccomended Redken Shades. They make your hair super shiney and stay in about 6 weeks. I could see you in Cherry Cola mixed with a bit of Rocket Fire. An extremely dark firey red. Would look awesome in victory rolls, :p If you don't wanna go to dark at first, try straight Bonfire... but it will fade quicker. Even tho Bonfire is a level 6, it will look darker on you because of your natural color. Keep that in mind when using colors that are not meant to lift your natural shade.

I could also see you just enhancing what you have a tad, using the color Suntea. (looks like it sounds)

Or, do some very subtle highlights and go over them with a mixture of Morrocan Sands and Cafe Au Lait. (A more nuetral to ashy hilight)

Frankly I think the mocha/chocolately browns would be boring on you, blending into your skin.

That's my two cents! Definitely stick with colors that wash out until you know what you want... and let them wash out completely before you try a new one unless you found one you like for a while. The more/sooner you apply them the more permanant they become.

Nikki

Jackiej

06-11-2007, 07:52 PM

Thanks Nikki,

I am so excited! I really think I would like to go red. My BF doesn't like red hair, but he said as long as it's dark red he wouldn't mind. He doesn't really have a choice though, I want to be a redhead. One more question...a lot of the 40's styles have no bangs, and I have to have bangs to cover up a brow spot on my forehead. Do you have any suggestions on what I should do with them?

Thanks again, you're too sweet!

Jackie::)

ohairas

06-11-2007, 09:37 PM

THere are more 40's do's with bangs than you might think. Try looking up pics, say on this site...
http://www.doctormacro.info/Galleries.htm
or do a search for 40's patterns on ebay, I like to look at their hairdos too! Also old pinups, such as Elvgren.

Here's Ginger with a heckofa bang! http://www.things-and-other-stuff.com/images/MASTOSprofiles/0378_rogers_life_120940.jpg
So cute, makes me think of the comic Blondie!

Here's a good site, lots o bangs,
http://www.geocities.com/hollywood/picture/8520/1940s.htm

And my Grandmother wore fluffy bangs,
http://new.photos.yahoo.com/ohairas/album/576460762343325260/photo/294928803642589448/2

If you want, you can still blend them into your rolls and act like they're not there. Just tease and spary, smooth into the roll. Hope that makes sense! Or just wear it softly back with a bit of wave, or wear it down, etc.

Actually, with a true middy haircut, pretty much everyone had a "bang", it just wasn't worn as one. Depends on how it's styled.
I think the mom's hair on Christmas Story shows the layers best on how a middy would look just worn permed and frizzy like hers, lol... only she's straight accross in back instead of the U shape.

Nikki

GoldLeaf

06-12-2007, 06:58 AM

I second Rocket Fire Red, I LOVE it. That is the color that I have been doing my hair since Christmas, and I never stick with a color for more than a month lol I don't know if you can see how red the color is in my avatar. I think I had just recently gotten it dyed in that picture, so it should be pretty vibrant.

I am color blind, so I don't see reds all that well. Ironic that I like my hair red, when I am not sure I can see it :p I just know that I looks different from brown and that I like it more ;)

My hair is also naturally a bit lighter than your hair. Maybe a shade lighter, so using Ohairas' scale, I am probably a 5. So, of course, the red shows up more on my hair. I also love how amazingly shiny and soft my hair is. Because the Redken Shades aren't permanent and don't contain ammonia, they don't damage your hair. If you use them, for purposes of color, your hair is still considered "virgin" if you haven't used permanent shades previously. This is the first time I have colored my hair and been nice to it, and it feels nice!