How to Dye Your Hair Blonde, 1650
Nicolas Arnoult, Recueil des modes de la cour de France (1687) LACMA
How to make ones haire to become of a yellow Golden Colour. Take the rinde, or outward parings of Rhubarbe, and put them to steep in Whitewine, or clear Lye; wet a spunge or linnen cloth therein, and anoint your haire therewith, and let them dry before the fire or sunne; the oftener you do this the sooner they will become yellow: note that before you use this, it is good to clear your head and hair from sweat, and all other filth whatsoever.
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Your new summer hair look: golden color, rhubarb flavor, and no filth whatsoever.
Well, you did have to wash your hair first. I wonder if "Whitewine" is the same as "white wine"? Not sure I'd want to try this with modern ingredients! As for lye, it's what they used to use in soap, yes? The kind you washed clothes with? A bit too strong. I guess I'll stick to my brown hair for now.
I wonder how many late Renaissance ladies "clear[ed] [their] head and hair from sweat, and all other filth whatsoever" only to find out they were already blondes!
An absolutely good reading. Thanks for sharing and posting this article.