Beauty is your Duty - Week 2

This week I will be concentrating on hair care during the war. During the war sue to rationing shampoo was not always available. When it wasn't women used Lux flakes and plain water to wash hair. Styling your hair in the 1940s was alot more of an ordeal than nowadays. Because of rations on water and the palaver of boiling water women tended to wash their hair just once a week. Thus the saying 'I can't come out I'm washing my hair'. Women would washing and set their hair on a Friday night (generally!) so as the week went on and hair became dirtier and greasier women had to come up with more elaborate styles to disguise that fact that their hair wasn't the cleanest.

Women also had to take ensure that their hair was out of the way as many women had jobs in factory's and similar so they had to make sure their hair was out of the way of heavy machinery. Actress Veronica Lake had her long peekaboo style hair cut short to show her support for the women in the workforce and alot of women followed suit. Many women would also cover their hair with scarves, hats or turbans whilst working to keep it out the way and try to stop dirt from their work getting into their hair.

This week I am going to challenge myself to maintain my hair as a women would in the war. This means a Friday night wash and set (and yes ladies I will be using Lux flakes!) I will then update you everyday with the condition of my hair and try to come up with wartime styles and solutions as the week progresses. I'll leave you with this video of the beautiful Veronica Lake doing her bit for the war effort!