Reminiscence session on hairstyles in the 1940s at St Winifreds

Reminiscence sessions are fast becoming very popular with our residents

Every woman likes to get her hair done and although this hasn’t changed over the years, costs and methods certainly have. Residents and staff at St Winifreds Residential Care Centre have been busy reminiscing over their visits to the hairdresser when they were younger, what products they used and the best way to dry your hair!

One resident commented, “Years ago we would all sit in a line under the hairdryers and although this still happens, more often than not the hairdresser now dries your hair with a hand held dryer and a round brush to do a blow dry”. “Rollers are not used so much now a days although I prefer them and they give you a nice curl.”

We all remember perms and curls being popular – one of the ladies said,“When perms first started they were expensive so most of us girls back in the day would buy a Toni perm and get friends or family to do it for us. The cost of a Toni perm and the pins was 12 shillings, which was an awful lot cheaper”.

There wasn’t the great selection of special shampoos in the 1940s – one resident commented, “In the early years, soap was used to wash our hair until liquid shampoos came onto the market such as Vosene and Silvikrin, which made our hair so silky. There are now so many differing types of shampoos and conditioners along with specialist treatments, colours, dyes and indeed styles. It’s hard to know what to try.!”

“Men never went to the hairdressers in the olden days they used a barber and most men would also have a shave their too. Men also used Brylcream on their hair and they still sell this today. Most men nowadays have treatments like ladies too, so it’s all changed a lot over the years.”

“I can remember as a child having my hair washed over the sink and my mum putting Vaseline over my eyebrows to stop the water going into my eyes”.

Going to the hairdresser for many women was a weekly event, not just to get their hair done but to catch up on the latest gossip, have a coffee and read their magazines. Here at St Winifreds, everyone is given the chance to relive these days on a Monday when the Activities Room becomes the Hair Salon for the day. Our ladies await patiently for their turn to have their hair styled just the way they like it – it’s like a big moral boost.

The best way to get know this home is to take a look around – get in touch to arrange your visit today. You can have a chat with the Manager and staff – stop by for a chat anytime,

Go to www.nellsar.com for more information on St Winifreds Residential Care Centre.

St Winifreds Residential Care Centre 236 London Road, Deal, Kent CT14 9PP Tel: 01304 375 758 Email: st.winifreds@nellsar.com

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