HAIR DYE, any preparation for coloring the human hair more or less permanently, usually applied to darken gray hair, but some times because a person is not pleased with the natural color. Men often dye their moustaches, which are apt to be a little higher in color than the hair, or more sandy. Women both dye and bleach their hair, which is assumed to enhance their beauty. Hair dyeing has been practised from the earliest times, and two general classes of dyes are used: (1) Those based on the mineral salts, as mercury, lead, bismuth and silver; of these nitrate of silver is the most common. (2) Those based on a vegetable stain, as walnut or henna. The latter are harmless, but all the metallic dyes appear to injure the hair. Perhaps the least objectionable of the metallic hair dyes is made from sulphate of iron, in the proportion of 10 grains to an ounce of glycerine and a pint of water. This may be applied with a brush once a day, and each application gives the hair a deeper shade of brown, until a brown-black is attained. It will color the skin as well as the hair, hence must be applied with care. Nearly all hair dyes will also tan the skin, and it is common to apply first some form of grease on the skin to prevent any dye from adhering. Pulped walnut skins make an excellent dark brown dye, and they can he put up with either alcohol or cot tonseed oil, with a trace of perfume. An in
fusion of henna leaves in alcohol makes a satisfactory brown dye, which can be darkened by adding a little ammonia. In applying nitrate of silver dye, it is first desirable to soak the hair in a solution of sulphite of potassium, and the stronger the solution the darker will be the resultant dye. The solution of nitrate of silver is added while the hair is still wet with the potassium; the result is claimed to be quite permanent. A simple method of slightly dark ening the eyebrows or moustache is to use a lead comb daily, which gradually darkens the hair. To lighten the hair peroxide of hydrogen is used, giving a so-called gold tinge, and pro ducing artificial 'blonde hair, or a • peroxide blonde.D The dyeing of false hair is much easier .than dyeing on the human head, and a greater variety of dyes may be used. Any dye suitable for cotton or wool can be utilized. A solution of logwood in warm lime-water is commonly used for brown dye; hut the hair should first be well washed in alum water. To remove hair dye stains from the hands, wash ing with a bleaching powder is recommended, followed by an alcohol wash. Nitrate of silver stains may be removed by applying a weak solution of sulphydrate of ammonia.