Monday, May 2, 2011

Burnished Blond Belles Ban Brunette Beauty



During the Renaissance, blondes definitely had more fun. Blond hair for women became so much de rigueur in Venice that a brunette was not to be seen except among the working classes. Venetian women spent hours dyeing and burnishing their hair until they achieved the harsh metallic glitter that was considered a necessity. To get these golden locks, Italian women would use a mixture of honey, lemon, and sometimes pidgeon dung, and would sit on their roof under a wide-brimmed topless hat with the hair spread out on it. Apparently pigeon dung has an acidic bleaching component. The whole process is detailed in many historical books about courtesans, probably makes for very interesting reading. One such book is "The Book of the Courtesans: A Catalogue of their Virtues" by Susan Griffin. (Haven't read it, don't have an opinion).

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