Rum and Brandy: Victorian Hair Care's Boozy Secrets

Before modern shampoos lined pharmacy shelves, Victorians reached for their liquor cabinets when hair-washing day arrived. New England rum and brandy weren't just for sipping—they were essential grooming products backed by popular beauty manuals of the era.

The Rum Revolution

Godey's Lady's Book, the Victorian equivalent of a beauty bible, recommended New England rum in 1869 for washing hair, claiming it "keeps it very clean, and free from disease, and promotes its growth a great deal more than Macassar oil." The instructions were simple: apply warm rum to the hair, then rinse with warm water.

Rum often appeared mixed with rose water in equal parts for a pleasant-smelling cleansing treatment. Since Victorians only washed their hair weekly at most—some just once a month—rum served as an occasional clarifying wash rather than a daily routine.

Brandy's Strengthening Power

The American Frugal Housewife (1833) praised brandy as "very strengthening to the roots of the hair," but included an important caveat: it had "a hot, drying tendency" that rum didn't share. This made brandy better suited for targeted scalp treatments rather than all-over cleansing.

The choice between spirits wasn't arbitrary. Victorians understood that different alcohols produced different effects, selecting their hair care ingredients with surprising scientific precision given the era's limited knowledge of chemistry.

Why Alcohol Actually Worked

These boozy treatments weren't just superstition. Alcohol functions as a natural astringent and antiseptic, cutting through the oils and product buildup that accumulated between infrequent washes. In an era before sulfates and surfactants, alcohol provided legitimate cleansing power.

• Dissolved oils: Alcohol breaks down sebum and waxy pomades
• Killed bacteria: Antiseptic properties addressed scalp conditions
• Enhanced shine: Removed residue that dulled hair's appearance
• Stimulated scalp: Increased blood flow to hair follicles

Rum and brandy also appeared in "bandoline"—Victorian hair gel made from quince seeds, rose water, cologne, and spirits. These fixatures held elaborate hairstyles in place until aerosol hairspray arrived in the 1940s.

From Bar Cart to Bathroom

The alcoholic hair care trend gradually faded as commercial shampoos emerged in the early 20th century, offering more convenient and less pungent alternatives. Modern hair products still sometimes contain alcohol, though usually in refined forms like cetyl or stearyl alcohol rather than drinking spirits.

Interestingly, some contemporary "natural beauty" enthusiasts have rediscovered rum rinses, though dermatologists generally recommend purpose-formulated products that won't strip hair of essential moisture. Victorian ingenuity deserves credit, but your bourbon is probably better served in a glass than on your head.