Chapter XXIX Wax Pomades, Bandolines, and Brilliantines
The so-called wax pomades, stick pomatum, and bandolines serve to stiffen the hair and are frequently employed by hair dressers. The former two articles possess some adhesive power by which they fasten the hair together; bandolines are mucilaginous fluids which generally contain bassorin (or vegetable mucilage present in tragacanth), quince seeds, etc.
A. Wax Pomades
Stick Pomatum
This is usually formed into oval or round sticks which are wrapped in tin foil. They are colored and perfumed as desired. The ordinary varieties are: white, for light blond hair, which is left uncolored; pink, colored with carmine; brown, colored with umber; and black, colored with bone black. The coloring matters are always rubbed up with oil. Red pomatum may be colored with alkanet root, which is macerated for some time with the melted fat. The base of these preparations consists of:
| Lard | 4 lb. |
| Tallow | 12 lb. |
| Wax | 6 lb. |
The mass may be made harder or softer by increasing or diminishing the wax. The perfumes generally used are oils of bergamot, lemon, clove, and thyme, with an addition of some Peru balsam.
B. Beard Wax
Beard Wax (Cire à Moustaches)
| Turpentine | 2 lb. |
| Expressed oil of almond | 2 lb. |
| Wax | 6 lb. |
| Violet pomade | 2 lb. |
| Peru balsam | 1 lb. |
| Oil of clove | 1 oz. |
| Oil of santal | ¾ oz. |
| Oil of cinnamon | ¾ oz. |
Hungarian Beard Wax (Cire à Moustache Hongroise.)
| Castile soap, powdered | 3½ oz. |
| Mucilage of acacia | 10 oz. |
| White wax | 9 oz. |
| Glycerin | 3½ oz. |
| Oil of bergamot | 20 drops. |
| Oil of lemon | 10 drops. |
| Oil of rose | 10 drops. |
Rub the powdered soap with the mucilage, previously diluted with nine ounces of water, then add the wax and glycerin, and heat the mass on a water-bath, stirring constantly, until it becomes homogeneous. Lastly add the oils, and pour the mass into suitable moulds.
For brown or black wax the corresponding color is added. The mass is formed into sticks the thickness of a lead pencil.
C. Bandolines
Bandoline aux Amandes
| Tragacanth | 14 oz. |
| Rose water | 8 qts. |
| Oil of bitter almond | ¾ oz. |
Crush the tragacanth, place it in the rose water, and leave it at rest in a warm spot, stirring occasionally, until the tragacanth has swollen to a slimy mass. Press it first through a coarse and then through a finer cloth, add a little carmine and the oil of bitter almond.
Bandoline à la Rose
This is made like the preceding, only substituting 1½ oz. of oil of rose for the oil of bitter almond. Other varieties may be produced by the use of different odors.
D. Brillantines
Under various names preparations are placed on the market which render the hair both soft and glossy. The chief constituent of all these articles is glycerin which is perfumed according to taste and stained reddish or violet. As many aniline colors easily dissolve in glycerin, they are generally used for this purpose. Formerly, before glycerin was obtainable in sufficient purity, brillantines were chiefly made of castor oil dissolved in alcohol, but aside from the fact that glycerin is cheaper than castor oil with alcohol, the former is preferable, as alcohol injures the hair.
Brillantine
| Glycerin | 8 lb. |
| Extract of jasmine (or other flower) | 2 qts. |
Oléolisse
| Glycerin | 4 lb. |
| Castor oil | 4 lb. |
| Oil of bergamot | ¾ oz. |
| Oil of lemon | ¾ oz. |
| Oil of neroli | 150 grains. |