For Thickening The Hair
To one ounce of Palma Christi oil, add a sufficient quantity of bergamot or lavender to scent it. Apply it to the parts where it is most needed, brushing it well into the hair.
Source: The Ladies’ Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness, Florence Hartley
Ammoniacal Pomatum for Promoting the Growth of Hair
Take almond oil, quarter of a pound; white wax, half an ounce; clarified lard, three ounces; liquid ammonia, a quarter fluid ounce; otto of lavender, and cloves, of each one drachm. Place the oil, wax and lard in a jar, which set in boiling water; when the wax is melted, allow the grease to cool till nearly ready to set, then stir in the ammonia and the perfume, and put into small jars for use. Never use a hard brush, nor comb the hair too much. Apply the pomade at night only.
Source: Our Knowledge Box, ed. G. Blackie
To Remove Dandruff
Take a thimbleful of powdered refined borax, let it dissolve in a teacupful of water, first brush the head well, then wet a brush and apply it to the head. Do this every day for a week, and twice a week for a few times, and you will effectually remove the dandruff.
Source: Our Knowledge Box, ed. G. Blackie
Anti-Freckle Lotion
Take 1 ounce of rectified spirit of wine; 1 drachm of hydrochloric acid (spirit of salt); and 7 ounces of water. Mix the acid gradually with the water, and then add the spirit of wine; apply by means of a camel’s-hair brush, or a piece of flannel.
Source: The Ladies’ Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness, Florence Hartley
Dye for White or Light Eyebrows
Boil an ounce of walnut bark in a pint of water for an hour. Add a lump of alum the size of a filbert, and when cold, apply with a camel’s-hair brush.
Source: The White House Cookbook, F.L. Gillette
Wart Remedy
Apply oil of cinnamon often as possible. A camel’s hair brush may be used, but it is not necessary. A five-cent vial has been found sufficient to remove a large seed wart.
Source: 1001 Household Hints, Ottilie V. Ames
To Prevent Bedbugs From Remaining Either in the House or Bedstead
Take two tablespoons of lard and one ounce of quicksilver; beat the white of an egg then stir them all together. With a small brush or stick put this mixture in every crack or crevice where vermin can hide; do this after cleaning house and you will never be troubled with vermin. If you have them already, use corrosive sublimate first. Take off your rings while applying this preparation as it injures gold.
Source: 76: A Cook Book
Hints to Young Ladies (II)
Never use a fine comb to the head, but keep the scalp clean with a solution of ammonia and water, used several times a week, and then give the head a thorough brushing afterwards. A child’s head especially is too tender for the use of a fine comb. The proportions are two or three spoonfuls to a basin of water. Apply with a brush and dry well with a soft towel.
Source: The Housekeeper’s Friend: A Practical Cookbook
How to Keep Brushes Clean
The best way in which to clean hair-brushes is with spirits of ammonia, as its effect is immediate. No rubbing is required, and cold water can be used just as successfully as warm. Take a tablespoonful of ammonia to a quart of water, dip the hair part of the brush without wetting the ivory, and in a moment the grease is removed; then rinse in cold water, shake well, and dry in the air, but not in the sun. Soda and soap soften the bristles and invariably turn the ivory yellow.
Source: The White House Cookbook, F.L. Gillette
A Splendid Hair Tonic
A strong tincture for the hair is made by adding half an ounce of oil of mace to a pint of deodorized alcohol. Pour a spoonful or two into a saucer; dip a small stiff brush into it, and brush the hair smartly, rubbing the tincture well into the roots. On bald spots, if hair will start at all, it may be stimulated by friction with a piece of flannel until the skin looks red, and rubbing the tincture into the scalp. This process must be repeated three times a day for weeks. When the hair begins to grow, apply the tincture once a day until the growth is well established, bathing the head in cold water every morning, and briskly brushing it to bring the blood to the surface.”
Source: The Housekeeper’s Friend: A Practical Cookbook