Rosemary for Hair

New Zealand Listener, Volume 12, Issue 299, 16 March 1945, Page 22

Rosemary for Hair

Dear Aunt Daisy, I have heard that rosemary is good for the hair As we have a shrub of this in the garden, will you please tell me how to use it? I have tried the salt and soap method for mildewed curtains which you published in The Listener some time ago. I put them out on the lawn all night in a good frost, and only had to do it once.-Sincerely, V.S., Kainui. I’m glad the mildew cure worked well. Ill repeat it here for the benefit of those who missed it:-Damp the mildewed marks, rub them with soap, and then lay on a paste of starch and cold. water, If starch is difficult to get, salt may be used instead; or half salt and

half starch. Put the garment outside, so that it will get the benefit of the sun and the rain and the wind. Each time it becomes dry, repeat the process till the stains are out. Here is the rosemary hair tonic, sent me by one of the Links in the Daisy Chain:Take 1 Ib. rosemary twigs and leaves (not hard stems), and put them into a saucepan with a quart of rain or distilled water. Bring to the boil, and stand it where it will keep hot, if not actually simmer, all day. The leaves may even be steeped for 2 or 3 days like this, Finally strain and add half a pint of bay rum to the liquid. Bottle and cork tightly. This lotion should be well rubbed into the hair each night after brushing. It is extremely important to spend some time massaging it well into the scalp, as no lotion is the slightest use if itis not rubbed in so thoroughly that the scalp tingles, and circulation is well established at the roots of the hair. Here is another, also said to be very good:Two oz. rosemary, 2 oz. southern wood (lad’s love, or old man), 1% oz. block camphor. Cover all with boiling water, and stand till cold. Brush this into hair twice daily.