Housekeeping in the Tropics

Conducted by “Dorothea”

THE more one travels through the tropics, the more it is brought to notice that women damage their own good looks with well-intentioned methods.

Beginning with the top of the head: When it is found that the hair is becom ing a little drab in colour and texture, does the owner say, “ I am obviously run down and in need of a tonic, or my hair could not look like this?” Does she take care of herself, massage her scalp, brush her hair, and coax it back to its healthy sheen?

Oh, no, she treats it; sometimes with peroxide, which dries up the hair till it looks like old straw, and she is then sur prised that the hair will not take a wave.

There are many brightening rinses, which can be made or bought, which will not dry up the hair, so that it is foolish to use peroxide, which is well known to spoil the natural tints of the hair.

Use a good hair tonic when massaging.

A simple mixture which has been recom mended can be made up by any chemist for about one shilling. It is as follows: 4 oz. bay rum, 4 drachms jaborandi, 1 drachm glycerine, and 1 drachm castor oil.

Until the hair shows signs of recovery, shampoo it every week, but after that only once a fortnight will be sufficient. It is an excellent scheme to massage in a little warm olive oil, which should be left on for a couple of hours before wetting the hair.

And although ’tis said that ‘‘gentlemen —cannibal ones, too —prefer blondes,” take my advice and leave your hair the colour nature intended it should be.