Thursday, April 12, 2012

Easy, Authentic, Everyday 1940s Hair Part 1: The Set

I thought I'd take a moment to share with you just a little more about 1940s everyday hair.   I gave you 2 options on how to do it on my Monday post.  I mentioned that sometime i might show ya'll how i do it most of the time, so here it is. 
I usually have my hair damp after a shower, but if i didnt get a very good set the day before then i will use a little fingertip sprayer to dampen each section of hair  and then work a little setting lotion through it before rolling.  I use Proclaim Super Setting Lotion (i got it from Sally Beauty Supply) Its not a concentrate so i dont have to dilute it which i like. 
For the front of my hair i use size medium foam (or sponge) rollers. (i got them from Dollar General)  In the back, it varies.  Sometimes i do pin curls or other foam rollers, really anything.  on my cleaning days i leave the back straight and put it up in a scarf.  It's so cute!
Anyway, just to give you a heads up, my drawings are really bad (i did them on the camputer) so try not to laugh too hard.  Hopefully you'll be able to get the just of it, which is really all that matters, right?

For the front, i use 12 sponge rollers (medium) which is perfect for my just-brushing-my-shoulder length hair.  Its also not damaged at all (the only heat stuff i own is a curling iron and hot rollers, which i never use) and it also doesnt have any color in it and its very straight.    This makes it really really hard to curl and then maintain that set through the day.  Use however many rollers you need.  After all, you know best about your hair thickness and length, but the main goal is to have tons of tiny curls.
I start with a middle part and section off a part from middle part down to my ear.  Do this on both sides and tie of the back with a hairband or something.
Then i take my eyebrow length bangs, part them in the middle and roll each side towards the middle part.  (If you dont have bangs thats fine, just divide your top hair into two.)  Roll your bangs very very TIGHTLY.   You want these to really curl so that when you brush them they dont turn into a lopsided mess.
Continue in this manner with the rest of the hair, rolling towards the part very tightly and on-base.(make sure the top rollers are close together and the rollers with bangs in them not on your forehead very much at all.)
I think you get the picture...
Ha ha. :/

Like i said, with the back you can do anything you want, i'm just focusing on the importance of the front set.
I always set my hair overnight so this is when i would sit and read a book for a while to let it dry better and then cover it with a scarf and go to bed.
Thats all for now.  Tomorrow we'll go into the actuall style.
Also remember to add more rollers if your hair is SUPER thick and less if its thinner.
(wow.  Its storming and the thunder sounds cool. )
Its rattling the windows and vibrating the floor its so loud and low!
Cool huh?  Doris and Dee Dee (my dogs) are kind of going nuts.
Anyway... I hope this helps!
Until tomorrow,
So long,
Beth

1 comment:

seannaapproved said...

I use foam rollers to get vintage curls, too. {And a couple of times rag curls.} I just got my hacked off and layered for summer, so I can't do this now. But whenever I grow my hair out again {and I know I will} I'll give this a try!

Thanks for sharing.