THE PRESSING-TABLE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5733, 28 November 1896, Page 3

THE PRESSING-TABLE.

(Weekly Sun.) CAKE OF THE HAIR. Too frequent shampooing of the hair is detrimental and in no wise necessary for cleanliness ; soap is apt to fade it if too strong; alkaline preparations should also be avoided. When soap is used, it should be white castile or some of the harmless, unperf umed toilet soaps. It is not necessary save in very warm weather, to wash the hair thoroughly more than once a month; a sponge, wet in tepid water, rubbed on the scalp every morning, will be sufficient to keep it clean; The best shampoo is made with two eggs whipped to a froth and rubbed into the roots of the hair. It is left to dry on. In about an hour the hair may be thoroughly washed in warm water and a little borax. Brushing is one of the most efficacious methods of rendering the hair healthy, soft, and brilliant, but the brush must be applied systematically and thoroughly en rising and before retiring. Brushing is worth all tho nostrums sold in the shops, and should not be neglected. Brushes should never bo washed, this process softens the bristles and spoils their efficacy. They maybe cleansed by a dry rubbing with bran or corn meal, which removes the grease and dirt; should the bristles become limber from constant use, they may be hardened by dipping in a solution of ammonia and water. The old idea that shaving the head improves the hair is disputed by many ; excepting in the case of a severe illness, the head should never be shaved ; clipping or singeing the ends is all that is necessary to stimulate the growth. Grey hair is often caused by using strong alkaline washes and patent hair dyes, which contain mineral acids ; they rot the hair and cause it to lose its colour and fall out. The too frequent use of curling tongs is detrimental ; the heat dries the hair, makes it harsh, and is apt to injure the oil and colour glands, which nourish it. Dandruff causes the hair to fall out, which is a reason for keeping the scalp clean by means of shampooing and frequent brushing. THE NAILS. To keep the nails afc alltimes perfectly clean is so indispensable, a requirement of social propriety that it is unnecessary to insist upon it; but this is, indeed, only the first step in tho care of the nails, [ whose form, colour, and texture are all susceptible of wonderful improvement, if their cultivation be undertaken and per- , severed in with a determined -will. The | roughest and dullest-hucd nail may be j- rendered smooth, rosy, and transparent, ;the squarest and broadest may be nar-.-rowed andJengthened to a delicate oval, j if only the necessary caro bo bestowed upon it. The first step in the cultivation of the •nads-is to soak them for five minutes in a , lather of Castile soap and tepid water, after which they should be dried thorougnly. The cuticle at the root of the TiaJl^Rhrvrild fVion \,n v,..„i^_j __ _.-... j — — -.-—•■ — — . -""^ ud jjuaueu gemajr uutvu "*" vl moistening it with water J — *t»Aion6Ea_

[ tion. .The nails should next be trimmed round with a fine- scissors, the edges being afterwards filed smooth. They should not be cut too close, nor, on the other hand, should they be left too long. In the one case they are apt to separate from the flesh, leaving unprotected the tips of the fingers; in the- other theyare apt to split and break. Tho proper length is just level with the tips of the fingers. The next process is polishing the nails. For. this purpose powdered emery, coloured with vermilion, is used, or finely powdered oxide of tin, coloured with carmine and perfumed with otto of • lavender. This may be rubbed on with a fine sponge, or with an implement which is made for the purpose. A manicure set containing everything necessary for the care of the nails may be bought at a trifling cost; or, if preferred, tho articles may be had separately. Tho operation of trimming and polishing the nails should be performed ouco a week. In general only the file should be used. in- trimming them. Every morning, after the- hands aro washed, the tips oftho fingers should be dipped in tepid water, mixed with a little rose-water, and rubbed, after they are dried, with a fine sponge or with the polisher, but without using powder. They should be occasionally moistened with oil of bitter almonds, to prevent them from becoming brittle. When the nails break witli facility, the following pomade, applied at night, will be found effectual in correcting this tendency: — Oil of mastic 15grms., common salt 2grms., powdered colophony S*6ogrms., powdered alum 2*6ogrms., white wax ugrins. A little linseed oil applied afc night is useful in correcting extreme dryness of the nails. Sometimes white specks will appear* on the nails. These are caused by an interception under the* nails of the particles of juice which nourish them. These will sometimes disappear with the growth of tho nail ; but if this does not occur, they may be removed by applying over -the nail a compress wetted with spirits of -wine and camphor, to be left on until the spots disappear. As this may not occur for several days, it will be necessary [to wet the compress from timo to time, removing it occasionally to ascertain if the spots have disappeared. "A simpler remedy is a mixture of pitch and myrrh, in equal rnn-ts, melted, and applied to the nail at night.