How to be Glamorous in Minutes

As I have mentioned before, I'm not very good at pin curls. In order to overcome this handicap, I purchased a hair magazine from 1957. It has countless setting patterns and tips for hair care. This evening I plan on cutting my hair shorter, due to my heavily damaged ends, and am hoping that I will be able to follow some of the setting patterns as some of them seem pretty easy.

In the meantime, I'd like to share some of the fabulous articles found in the magazine. One such item is the cover article titled "How to be Glamorous in 16 Minutes." This is actually a series of articles also covering 30 minutes and 90 minutes. Unless you follow the vintage life, having permed hair and setting your hair regularly, I don't think every tip will work. But, this doesn't mean that there aren't little gems that can be used in modern life.

I will start off with 16 minutes. 

• If your hair feels sticky and dirty, you can remove the dirt with a dry towel.  A dry rub is not as good as a dry shampoo for taking away the soot, but it will wipe off surface dirt, and give you a feeling of freshness.  Take a rough terry towel and place it over your head.  Now go to it with your hand, rubbing and massaging just though you were giving yourself a wet shampoo.

• Give your hair a good brushing and a quick massage. 

• Use the curling iron to fix any straggly ends.  Pin each curl and hold it temporarily in place with a clip.  Now take a double square of tissue (or end papers) and insert the curl into the folded tissue.  Hold onto the curl with your left hand, and take the curling iron into your right hand.  Gently heat the curl inside the tissue, holding it there for a few seconds until the heat penetrates.  Move the iron slowly up and down the paper.  Leave the curl alone for a few minutes until it has cooled off.  Then comb through separately.  Brush the curls into a set.

• To keep your hair in place while you finish dressing, use a cosmetic cap - the kind used by professional models.  It looks like a supermarket sack, but it's made of nylon mesh.  Zip it up the front and it will envelop your entire head, keeping your make-up and hair-do in order.

• Spray your hair lightly with lacquer, slip the cap over your head.  Later you'll emerge looking as though you came from the beauty parlor.

• Cover your hair with a glamorous hat.  Keep a feather or jeweled cap in the closet for evening, a felt or straw head hugger for less formal occasions.

• Shop for hair accessories that can be useful in turning a mare's nest into a marvelous hair-do when you've no time at all.  By holding your hair in place the sleekness that's the secret of glamour.  Many ornaments come on combs, while others are sticks or clips that keep your hair-do firm.

Check back later when I will cover How to Look Glamorous in 30 Minutes.