Temp Hair Dye

[Kace]

I found one discussion from '03 on gray hair http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/...ight=gray+hair but it was not what I was looking for.

I am getting a touch more gray in my chin whiskers than I would like to show for my impression. I am looking for something that I can put in of Friday that won't rub off on everything over the weekend and then (hopefully) wash out over the next week. I am not looking for a permanent solution eg shaving it off or a permanent hair color job. I am looking for a tweak just to notch up the impression a little bit more.

Kace

[coastaltrash]

Re: Temp Hair Dye

Kace,
I would honestly say just let it go. I'm pretty sure most of the fellows had a similar fade job going on, so it shouldn't matter too much. I've never seen someone turned away from a good event for being gray in the face.

[SCTiger]

Re: Temp Hair Dye

If you ever find that temporary hair dye, you may want to stick the ingredients in one of these bottles, great read on antique bottles from the Bureau of Land Management, I might spend 5 hours reading this!

http://www.blm.gov/historic_bottles/finishstyles2.htm

Also below I have attached an 1863 Vermont Ad for hair dye.

As to "henna" dye, I am not sure if that was in wide spread use in the 1860's but it certainly was the rage especially for women in the late 19th century.

http://www.hennaforhair.com/history/19thc.html

It would be interesting to see an older female civilian reenactor, dye her hair with such a technique!

So gray hair was as much a concern then as today.

"Dashing P. G. T. Beauregard was feared by the Yankees and beloved by Southern women, but less than a year into the War of Secession his hair turned gray. Although the cause was never determined, some claim it was due to stress while others hold it was because of a lack of black hair dye caused by the Union naval blockade of Confederate ports."



It could be a limited option for Confederate Reenactors. Might want to check the blockade runner manifests to see if hair dye was still being imported! :D

[neocelt]

Re: Temp Hair Dye

Greg,

Very good information; man, that BLM website is amazing! What is the bibliographic source of the 1863 ad for "Monitor" hair dye and the Beauregard quote? Thanks for your contribution, pard!

Cheers,

[Becky Morgan]

Re: Temp Hair Dye

From someone who has gone completely snow-white at 48 and has had to dye out gray for better than 30 years...

Theatrical hairsprays come off way too easily. As for rinses, you're right about the Roux rinse stuff rubbing off. It won't stick at all on my long, coarse white hair. The Just for Men beard color might work, but I obviously haven't tried it and don't know whether it's intended to be temporary or permanent. I suggest Loving Care regular. It's cheap, readily available, can be used in small quantities and is supposed to wash out in 6-12 shampoos. The wide range of colors means you can get a lighter shade than your non-gray beard actually is, leave it on for the minimum amount of time, and rinse it thoroughly to avoid the hard-edged, stage-beard look. If you don't want it to stick, load your beard, and any hair you want to dye, with leave-in conditioner, THEN try a light application of the dye. Because it'll show on your skin if you simply douse your beard, you'll need to use an old toothbrush to comb it through (the same way those of us who have been going gray forever cover hair roots without overcoloring the hair around them.) When you want the dye to leave, shampoo your beard as often as your face will put up with it.

Alternatively, there's a touch-up dye comb. I don't know how well it sticks. Whatever you do, check the label carefully to make sure what you're buying is TEMPORARY hair coloring. I think they've agreed on "Stage 1" or "Type 1" on the box to mean "will wash out quickly".

--Becky Morgan

[Spinster]

Re: Temp Hair Dye

It would be interesting to see an older female civilian reenactor, dye her hair with such a technique!

Greg---I spent a number of years longing for my Great-grandmother's hair, as I have her coloring. In my 20's and 30's, henna was the answer, and still readily available---a lovely deep red, easy to apply, and gentle on the hair.

Another one of those 'high-maintenance' things though--and I'm way too lazy for such now.

[Enfilade]

Re: Temp Hair Dye

It's better to "Go Gray" than to have your hair "Let Go". I wouldn't worry about gray hair on top of your head. But if you want to look younger there is no doubt that being clean shaven rather than gray-bearded is better.

Just my opinion.

Mark Berrier
North State Rifles

http://www.northstaterifles.com

[Terry Sorchy]

Re: Temp Hair Dye

Just for Men Beard and moustache color. Knocks about 5 yrs off. And when your in you mid 40's trying to look the mid 30'ish age, the stuff really helps.
Cheers:D
Terry Sorchy

[Vuhginyuh]

Re: Temp Hair Dye

Salt N' Pepper http://www.gggodwin.com/wigs.htm

[Gary of CA]

Re: Temp Hair Dye

As mentioned by others, hair dye was available during the period. I learned of its existence from this passage:

'Ambulance Brown' prefers a black moustache on his amiable face to the huge paler hued one which nature supplies. The color he takes along in his pocket is handy to have... Our excellent Asst. Surgeon Small finds among the captured horses one that suits his fancy. A whining rebel citizen appears and begs for his 'dear horse.' The Colonel tells this Mr. Secesh to go among the herd and pick out his horse, and he will see about his return. The horse has a white foot or two, a white star in his face and a white nose. Brown, however, the moment he sets his sharp eyes upon this horse, sees that he is a valuable animal, and suspects that he will be demanded. He decides that this particular horse is not the horse he was, and to prove it, he whips out his moustache dye - without the knowledge of the Colonel or Asst. Surgeon Small - and colors all the white marks on the horse jet black. This job has hardly been completed, when Mr. Secesh appears in the herd, and still further proves the horse was not his he was, by being utterly unable to find his lost property - the work so well done he does not recognize his own 'dear horse,' and goes his way lamenting. When it is safe to do so the color is washed off - and now he is the horse he was. He does good service in the army, and is brought North at the end of the war. No one but 'Ambulance Brown' would ever have thought of dyeing a horse's moustache - but you see the habit of dyeing moustaches had grown strong upon him."

[Kace]

Re: Temp Hair Dye

Theatrical hairsprays come off way too easily. As for rinses, you're right about the Roux rinse stuff rubbing off. It won't stick at all on my long, coarse white hair. The Just for Men beard color might work, but I obviously haven't tried it and don't know whether it's intended to be temporary or permanent. I suggest Loving Care regular. It's cheap, readily available, can be used in small quantities and is supposed to wash out in 6-12 shampoos. The wide range of colors means you can get a lighter shade than your non-gray beard actually is, leave it on for the minimum amount of time, and rinse it thoroughly to avoid the hard-edged, stage-beard look. If you don't want it to stick, load your beard, and any hair you want to dye, with leave-in conditioner, THEN try a light application of the dye. Because it'll show on your skin if you simply douse your beard, you'll need to use an old toothbrush to comb it through (the same way those of us who have been going gray forever cover hair roots without overcoloring the hair around them.) When you want the dye to leave, shampoo your beard as often as your face will put up with it.

Becky:

Thanks for the detailed instructions. I doubt even I could mess up too much with them as a guide.

Kace

[Becky Morgan]

Re: Temp Hair Dye

Just make sure you read the label on whatever you use to eliminate Very Unpleasant Surprises!

There are "party" hair colorings available, meant to stick for a night or two but leave after a single shampoo. However, I have yet to find any that aren't in very odd shades. While Barney purple may, in some instances, be correct for a faded frock coat, I doubt it ever caught on as a beard color in the period :D

--Becky Morgan

[TeamsterPhil]

Re: Temp Hair Dye

But if you want to look younger there is no doubt that being clean shaven rather than gray-bearded is better.

When in doubt go to the pictures. I seem to remember a thread way back in the infancy of the AC (three or four crashes and a couple of software changes ago), in which someone posted the results of a study of many (maybe in the hundreds) of CW soldier images. The results of the study: facial hair is WAY too over-represented in our hobby. I also believe that Cal Kinzer had an opinion or two on hair, but no one seems to listen to old dinosaurs like Cal anymore.

Phil

[MomKelly]

Re: Temp Hair Dye

I suggest Loving Care regular. It's cheap, readily available, can be used in small quantities and is supposed to wash out in 6-12 shampoos.

as stated by Becky Morgan...

the above advice should work just fine. I use this product as I like to cover the grey a little but do not want roots to grow out or show. I have been using it for years and can cover most of the grey... but then again I don't try to cover it all... at my age I should have some grey... :wink_smil

and it washes out in about 6 washings especially if you don't leave it on long. the less you leave it the more temp the color.

the suggestion to comb it in with a toothbrush is a VERY good one and will save mess and will put the color where you need it.

the bottle says not to keep the product if you don't use it all ... but I do that too so a bottle can last me a few applications.

just be sure it does not have a developer... ammonia, or proxide and you will be fine.

Catherine Kelly

[boreguard]

Re: Temp Hair Dye

I couldn't resist this one. I'm gray as can be for 43, mostly sides, so when I have my lid on one can't tell what color my hair is. So I'm old enough that my hair is gray, but I cant grow a beard! Tell me what's up with that ?:confused_