As a child in Primary, I looked forward to the time each year when we would practice the pioneer songs in the "green section" of the Children's Songbook.
Not only did I recognize this as a signal of barbeques and parades to come, but I genuinely enjoyed singing these tunes. Trying to fathom what it would feel like to be a pioneer, I would boisterously sing, "Pioneer children sang as they walked and walked and walked and walked."
The pioneers' daily routines seemed so distant from my own of flat irons and store-bought clothing. Their fashion and personal hygiene methods seemed archaic — now I realize I can benefit from those techniques.
Look beyond today's fashion magazines and reality makeover shows, and try out these pioneer beauty tips:
Where did they plug in their curling irons?
When I think of life without an electric curling iron, my mind immediately turns to the movie "Little Women." I always wanted to offer my condolences to Meg, whose hair was burned off when Jo left the curling rod in her hair too long.
In the late 1800s, curling rods heated over lamps served as one method women had to coil their tresses. With their unpredictable variations in temperatures, hair fatalities at the hand of the curling rod were not uncommon.
Other methods, however, existed that thwarted these casualties. Here is how you can obtain springy locks pioneer style via rag curls:
Step 1: Cut fabric such as cotton into 2.5-by-8-inch strips. The number of strips needed depends on how long your hair is and how curly you want it, but 20-25 strips should be sufficient.
Step 2: Wash and dry your hair until it is barely damp. (Apply gel or mousse as desired, if you want to cheat the 1800s a little.)
Step 3: Starting with the bottom layer, separate hair into approximately 1-inch sections. Hold the end of one section of hair with the center of the rag folded over it. Roll the rest of your hair around the strip it is as close to the scalp as possible. Tie a bow with the rag and repeat until every section of hair is tied in a rag.
Step 4: Allow the curls to set, possibly by sleeping with the rags in your hair.
Step 5: After approximately 6-8 hours, remove the rags by untying them and slowly unraveling the hair. Brush or comb to separate and style the curls.
Sunbonnets to sunscreen
Whether their motives were to prevent skin damage or to maintain fashionably pale skin, the pioneers had the right idea.
We can take a page out of the pioneer book of skin care to avoid the harmful effects of sun exposure, such as wrinkles, freckles, age spots, dry skin and cancer.
One lesson we can learn from the pioneers is to protect the entire body from sunburn, not just the face. Out of necessity, they relied on long sleeves and sunbonnets. Today, we have to convenience of sunscreen, but the principle is the same.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the use of sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, even on cloudy days. It is also important to remember to reapply it at least every two hours. While you don't need to sew yourself a bonnet, the CDC suggests that a hat with a wide brim be worn in addition to sunscreen.
Hair product, pre-Pantene
Before the mass production of shampoo, the pioneers made their own remedies to clean and condition hair. Simple cornstarch applied to hair and combed out a few minutes later serves as a dry shampoo. Here is another recipe for an herbal shampoo-conditioner combination:
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons dried thyme
2 cups of water
Directions:
Step 1: Boil the dried thyme in water for 10 minutes.
Step 2: Strain and let cool before massaging onto clean damp hair.
Step 3: Leave on for 15-20 minutes, then rinse in warm water.
Now, like another beloved Primary song says, "You don't have to push a handcart, leave your fam'ly dear, or walk a thousand miles or more to be a pioneer," or, at least, to take advantage of their beauty wisdom.
e-mail: wbutters@desnews.com