A video uploaded by YouTube channel Glamour Daze featuring a beauty routine from 1948 has surprised people with its content, receiving over a million views and almost 3000 comments on its simple message.
The video, entitled Vintage 1940s Beauty Routine for Women – 1948, covers a nightly routine before bed, as well as tips on skincare, haircare, shaving, washing, nail care, and general hygiene.
With a slew of ‘get ready with me’ videos and various beauty routines on YouTube, blog sites, Instagram, and other corners of the internet that feature an extensive amount of products, time, money, and techniques, this simple routine from 1948 came as a breath of fresh air for more then just a few people.
The video – irritatingly narrated by a man – began with the simple process of bathing. The woman featured in the video dons her shower cap and steps in the shower and uses the simple ingredients of soap, water, a facecloth, and a body brush. With no branded exfoliating creams or shower gels, the act of simply brushing and soaping up the skin acts as an “invigorating workout” that removes dead skin, dirt, and dried sweat, and also “stimulates the skin and wakes it up all over.”
The video expels the idea that you need expensive products at all.
Stepping out of the shower, the woman then applies lotion to her skin, as the narrator explains “expensive creams and powder, however, aren’t necessary. A healthy skin can be kept attractive with only a few simple preparations.” Many viewers believed this was particularly relevant in today’s world.
The video even proves that a popular shaving myth was disproven over 70 years ago:
“Don’t worry that shaving the hair will make it grow back either faster or denser, that isn’t true. It is true that chemical hair removers have been found harmful to the skin in some cases.”
Although disproven again and again, using this old myth has often proven an easy way to advertise alternative hair removal products involving chemicals, when a good old safety razor (non plastic and more environmentally friendly) has always been fine.
When it came to hair washing, many people were shocked at the advice.
The video advised to wash hair with soap and water every two weeks. In a world where most women wash their hair several times a week, or sometimes even every day, people were divided:
“I can’t even go 2 days without my [hair] being greasy.”
“Frequent washing RUINS the hair. This is the healthiest and truest advice I have ever seen.”
“We wash our hair far too often, especially for someone like me with curly hair. Shampoo companies want us to think we need to wash hair daily. They’re wrong.”
While it may seem like contrary advise, washing your hair just a couple of times a month and rinsing with just water at other times can be beneficial for hair, and the No Poo community is strongly behind this old-fashioned method. Other techniques gaining traction are the use of more natural shampoos, which also come in bar form which lasts longer and comes without plastic packaging.
A favorite of more old-fashioned haircare routines is thorough brushing of the hair, as demonstrated in the video. A common practice back in the day was to brush your hair 100 times a day, which the video explains distributes natural oils throughout the hair, keeping it shiny and conditioned.
For that classic 1940s pin curl that often makes a comeback on the red carpet for a vintage and sleek look, all it takes is… well, pins! Not only were women encouraged to use fewer harmful chemicals on their hair and keep it well brushed and in good condition, but there was very little heat damage too.
We all know that blowdrying, straightening, and curling hair is not great for it, but it often seems too time-consuming any other way. But a simple habit of pinning or rolling hair at night is probably pretty easy to get into.
“Most girls follow their hair washing by doing their hair up in pins or curling rods.”
Check out many a tutorial online for myriad techniques, incuding hair pins, socks, t-shirts, rollers, and many other simple and cheap tools.
The video closes with its simple message: “make the most of what nature has given you.”
Viewers commented below how positive this 70+ year old video is for women today, concentrating on basic tips accessible to almost everyone, rather than pushing unnecessary brands and products:
“P R E A C H.”
“Generation Z on Instagram, take that in.”
“SAY IT LOUDER.”
While the 1940s was problematic for women in many ways, it came as a surprise to learn that beauty routines were in fact way easier than they are now!
