Macassar oil
Macassar oil is an
It was popularised by Alexander Rowland (1747–1823), a celebrated London barber. It was then not uncommon for barbers to make their own hair preparations and around 1793 Rowland began offering Rowland's Macassar Oil. Within two decades it had become hugely popular and was aggressively advertised with extravagant claims of its effectiveness, becoming one of the first nationally advertised products.[2]
The words Macassar Oil were registered as a trademark by A. Rowland & Sons in 1888. Rowland's son (also named Alexander) later stated that a relative living in the island of
Although it was originally made with
Macassar oil was so named because it was reputed to have been manufactured from ingredients purchased in the port of
Due to the tendency for the oil to transfer from the user's hair to the back of his chair, the antimacassar was developed. This is a small washable cloth (crocheted, embroidered or mass-produced), placed over the back of a chair to protect the upholstery.[8]
See also
References
- ^ "Men's Hair Care Lesson: How Conditioner Works". Detailsformen.com. Archived from the original on 2014-10-06. Retrieved 2014-06-22.
- doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/59286. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- PMID 22303070.
- ^ "Ylang-ylang essential oil information". Essentialoils.co.za. 2014-05-29. Retrieved 2014-06-22.
- ^ "Macassar Oil". Abc.net.au. Retrieved 2014-06-22.
- ^ public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Antimacassar". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 2 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 127. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the
- ISBN 0-517-02962-6
- ^ Charles Dickens, Sketches by Boz 1836: Tales: Ch 4, The Tuggses at Ramsgate
External links
- Macassar Oil for the Hair, recipe from The White House Cookbook (1887)