Hair styling

The comb, long before electrical appliances

An ivory comb in the Metropolitan Museum, dated to around 3200 to 3100 BCE, bears rows of finely carved animals. This Egyptian object recalls the antiquity of hair accessories. It also testifies to the care taken in their manufacture: a toilet tool could be a crafted object, far from a simple disposable accessory.

Its principle remains familiar: teeth allow the strands to be separated and ordered. Despite the proliferation of formulas and devices, mechanical placement of hair remains an essential part of styling, whether you are looking for a regular part or freer movement.

Electricity changes the gesture

The Science Museum Group maintains a Halliwell electric hair dryer dated around 1920. It illustrates a stage in the history of hair styling: drying can be assisted by a device that sends air. The gesture no longer consists only of waiting for the hair to dry, but can combine its placement and drying.

Today, accessories make it possible to direct this breath according to the desired result. The concentrator tip helps work an area, while the diffuser distributes the air to reduce curl movement. For the user, the interest is to gain control; increasing the temperature is not in itself an improvement in technique.

Products that also play on touch

Modern styling is distinguished not only by weak or strong fixation. Formulas may seek flexibility, a matte finish, shine or improved resistance to humidity. Gels, mousses, creams and waxes thus provide access to different results, even when they all serve to hold the hair in place.