THE CULT OF BEAUTY

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 234, 2 October 1937, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE CULT OF BEAUTY

Grey Hairs and Signs of Old Age. PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE. (By A SPECIALIST.)

A PERSON may lose his eyesight sufficientTy to make spectacles a necessity, or have the softness and elasticity of skin give way to a leathery, wrinkled hide, or replace his own teeth j with manufactured ones, or develop a | gouty foot, a sciatic leg, a rheumatic | back, or a bilious disposition, and still consider old age somewhere off in the future, around, several corners. But when grey hairs begin to appear, people feel that the whole world knows that youth no longer abides in the body capped by such hairs. Then some manner of deceiving the world is looked fcr —the one that will most perfectly shield the truth if possible. Some people become grey prematurely, but moet people become grey just about when they could be expected to. Nervous "breakdown, cares, worry, anxiety, all may cause the hair to giey. For a remedy, let us set aside the idea of a dye, which many people look upon with distaste. By preserving the general health and the health of the scalp and hair we should preserve the colour of the hair. Bobbing the hair is one of the best things to delay greyness. For it will practically ensure more frequent scalp washing, which will keep the scalp cleaner and healthier. If the hair is washed properly with an excellent soap, dried well after rinsing and given a little oil if dry, neither the hair nor the scalp will be harmed in the least, even if this process is repeated several times a week. Such cleanliness will decrease the danger of infection, tone the scalp and improve the hair. Imagine a woman taking this, care of her hair when it reaches her waist! But if women with unbobbed hair only would bathe the hair and scalp two or three times a week they would do much to maintain or improve the health of the scalp.

The best soap to use is an excellent quality of Castile, preferably in liquid form. It should be made into a thick lather and applied to the wet liair, then worked into the scalp with the balls of the fingers. By the time the scalp is well kneaded in this manner the soap has done about all it can do and should be rinsed thoroughly from the hair and 6calp. For rinsing, there should be alternate hot and warm water used, followed by a good cold rinse. Then the hair should be well dried with a towel.

If the hair is very dry it may he softened by using a little oil, such as olive or coconut oil. If one is obliged to use hard water it should be softened with' a little ammonia or borax or salsoda. If one uses sea water or gets the hair wet in sea water as in swimming, the salt should be rinsed out well in fresh water before the hair dries. As the salt has a stimulating effect on the scalp and is beneficial to the hair, women should not wear bathing caps. Instead, they should get their hair wet, then care for it as suggested, using a little oil after rinsing if the hair is quite dry. If not overdone so as to bleach the hair, drying in sunlight is excellent for the hair, as the sun is a tonic because of the chemical ravs.

The hair should be brushed several times a day with a \moderately stiff brush, which should get down to the scalp. A softer brush may be used for dressing the hair and glossing it. Twice daily at least the scalp should be massaged with the finger-tips, and the hair pulled by closing "the fingers on it. While massaging, the scalp should be pinched between the finger-balls as well as rubbed thoroughly in all directions. If women only would be content with the kind of hair they have they might preserve its colour better. Instead, they want straight hair if it is curly, curled hair if it is straight. Consequently many heads of hair are grossly maltreated to secure the desired effect—wreathed, wetted and steeped, parboiled and electrocuted, curled and waved. The hair is bound to be abnormal as a result of such treatment, and the scalp will become unhealthy.

Greyness is much more likely to develop prematurely because of such abuse. If one has begun to turn grey it is time to look after the health in general. It is important that constipation and oxemia be corrected, that th« diet contains plentiful supplies of raw salads, cooked greenstuffs and fruits, and that all rich foods and stimulants be avoided. Considerable water- should be drunk. The entire body should come to know fresh air and sunlight, in the nude, though if the hair dries and bleaches it should be protected during such general radiations. General exercise or open-air sports will be beneficial, but there must be freedom from a bustlebustle existence. Relaxation is important.

If a woman postpones old age she may postpone the marks of it, but grey hairs are not unattractive. If they just will come, why not accept them and recognise the dignity they confer? What Shall We Do About Our Teeth? The best thing to do about our teeth is to visit a good dentist at regular intervals to be sure that they are in good condition. To have cavities filled as soon as they start to form; to have gums treated, if they are soft or spongy or bother one in any way. If your teeth are in good condition, keep them that way. Wash them thoroughly twice each day with a fairly firm toothbrush, using a good dentifrice at least once a day. An antiseptic mouth rinse is good, too.

Fruit is good for the teeth especially. Sweets are said to be injurious, but they are injurious only when eaten too freor when the mouth is not cleansed afterwards. A good wholesome diet is good for the teeth, aa it is good for the rest of the body. Do not try to change the colour of your teeth. The toothbrush and dentifrice will give your teeth a bright, polished appearance. It will stimulate your gums and keep them healthful. Your teeth are in harmony with your hair, eves and skin. Whitening them will injure the enamel and ruin your general appearance. Keep them in good condition. Make them sparkle by frequent brushing. Do not be ashamed to show them when you smile. Then you have done all you can do to keep your face in tone with your appearance, to make them a harmonious part of your beautv.