Hair Tonic Heaven

[joto]

Everyone here has probably experienced this dreaded condition: Purchase Amnesia!!! After picking up some Jeris at Sally's a number of months ago, I found myself perusing Appleton Barber Supply's website and noticed their hair tonic selection. The next thing I remember, I woke up on the floor next to my credit card, dazed and confused. A few days later this arrived:

Pinaud Clubman greaseless
Pinaud Eau de Portugal
Pinaud Eau de Quinine
Master Hair Tonic
Jeris
Lucky Tiger Three Purpose with oil
Osage rub

Mostly some great stuff. I really like the Pinaud offerings- Clubman is Clubman scented obviously, I get mostly an soft orange scent from the Portugal, and opening the Quinine I was surprised to immediately think, "gin and tonic!!" That's not a complete and fair scent profile of the Quinine, there is also a kind of sweet, slightly medicinal floral scent in there that nicely balances the slight bitterness I associate with tonic water. The Master's was a little disappointing- a similar kind of artificial rubbery scent that lingers after use that put me off a number of their aftershaves. Jeris was slightly sweet and powdery. Some people here associate 'barber shop' with this scent, but I don't necessarily get that. Then again, the closest thing to a real barber shop I have every been in had none of this stuff. Lucky Tiger kind of smelled wierd, but ended up with a slightly sweet and difficult-to-define kind of smell on the hair after it settled down. It left my hair kind of greasy though, I suppose that is the 'with oils' part. Not for me, but maybe in drier weather it has its uses. The smell of these are fairly tame after 10-20 minutes- I don't think I'll stink out a room with any of these products unless perhaps I used way too much. About a nickel-quarter size was more than enough for my head.

Interestingly, the level of glycerine between the Pinaud products may vary- in the Clubman it is listed third after alcohol and water, but seventh on the Portugal after alcohol, water, fragrance, and some chemicals. In fact it is only present in greater amounts than the 'Yellow 5,' which is telling as I am unable to detect any color at all- it appears clear. There may be the faintest hint of yellow in it, but it's probably my imagination after reading the label, or the yellow bulbs in my house. The Clubman definitely feels slightly slicker or oilier between the fingers than the Portugal. The Quinine also feels a little oily, more so than the Portugal although Clubman feels about the same but says slightly oily longer. I can't tell where glycerine is in the Quinine- it obviously deep red and with the ingredients on the inside label, the fluid is in the way!! In either case, they don't feel oily after a few seconds of rubbing between the fingers, and I don't notice any oiliness in the hair with any of these products except the Lucky Tiger, which is an oil-inclusive formulation according to the label.

I have pretty short hair (1/4") and use hair tonic mainly to keep my scalp in good shape- it really does seem to help as I can get acne on my scalp and tonic seems to really cut into it unless I get major-league stressed out. It sounds strange as is this stuff is basically alcohol, water, and a little glycerine, but I tried the Jeris on a lark and it's the only thing I changed with my hair at the time. With the exception of the Lucky Tiger (it's a little greasy) I'd be surprised if any of them had much hold or control. My son has longer hair (an inch or two) and it certainly seems to work better than straight water for him, but by a relatively small margin compared to a oil or gel- based product. It worked best if all his hair got damp (too little product is difficult to spread around).

Overall, a good order. Appleton is cheaper than many shaving places and the service was great (no problem changing a submitted order) and shipping fast. Now I just have to find a way to use all this stuff. It'll take forever... unless my car can run on quinine...

 

[ClubmanRob]

Great order from a man with great tastes.

The Portugal and Quinine have less glycerine than their Clubman counterpart. You are correct in that they won't provide much in the way of hold; they were mainly used in a time where daily shampooing wasn't common, so the tonic helped "sterilize" the hair and give it some scent between washings. I personally stay away from the "oiled" brands as they are just too greasy for me and get in the way of my pomade.

Another one you may want to try would be the Tres Flores Brilliantine. I'm not crazy about the scent and a little goes a loooooong way, but if you want one that really feels as though it is made to massage your scalp, this would be it. They were recently acquired by the parent company that owns Jeris and Clubman.

Also, try using both the Quinine and the Portugal as a splash. They were very popular in their day as a fragrance and it wasn't until relatively recently that they began to be marketed strictly as hair tonics (hence the slight amount of glycerine compared to the Clubman tonic, which was created solely to be used as a hair tonic. The amount of glycerine in the EdP and EdQ is on par with what is found in Pinaud's other aftershaves/splashes.) I use them more for an aftershave/splash than I do as a hair tonic.

 

[Matsuey37]

Has anyone any experience with this hair tonic - DR Harris Bay Rum, with oil or without oil. I have been wanting to try this but I can't cut lose of the near $30.00 to purchase. I would love to hear some feedback if there is anyone with experience out there.

 

[Phog Allen]

Ah, your second and third listings are two of my all time favourites. I am something of a hair tonic fiend and have come to love the greaseless friction lotions. I am also interested in your pick of Lucky Tiger Three Purposes tonic. They used to make a LOT more old school tonics but lately the web site shows so few. They had one called Three Roses but it seems to have gone away as well. I never got the chance to try it. To add to your credit card discomfort, try the Pashana line.

Regards, Todd

 

[joto]

I had read about the three roses, and there is still a retail listing for it here. Since it has been discontinued a while, I wouldn't hold my breath that it is actually in stock, but it might be worth checking up on it if there are any fans. I called the office a few times during normal business hours to see if they had it, but never was able to reach anyone, and the voicemail message sounded suspect to me, so I never bothered to leave a message. I'm a little apprehensive about getting hooked on a product I won't be able to get ever again!!

I do have to explain to the wife why there are seven new bottles on the shelf. Hopefully I will survive the encounter.

I have tried the Pashana and liked it, but found the scent too strong- I stank of patchouli according to a few people. Too bad as I liked the scent. Blue orchid is on my radar, but my normal haunts are out of stock at the moment, and I need to pair it with a shave cream purchase to make the shipping costs more reasonable.

I thought I remember seeing Tres Flores something at Wal Mart of Walgreens, but it seemed more of a gel or paste- is this a liquid product or do I have the correct product in mind?

It's too bad that I think I have pretty much cleared out the inexpensive end of the hair tonic spectrum. I can only imagine the variety that must have been available 50-100 years ago. So many bottles...

 

[joto]

Has anyone any experience with this hair tonic - DR Harris Bay Rum, with oil or without oil. I have been wanting to try this but I can't cut lose of the near $30.00 to purchase. I would love to hear some feedback if there is anyone with experience out there.

Sorry, no experience personally. I was under the impression that greaseless hair tonic is essentially alcohol, water, glycerine, and fragrance. Unless the ingredients are specifically different, I would suspect that you would mainly be paying for the name, bottle, or scent, or some combination of all three. I could be totally off base too, I've never seen their ingredient list.

 

[ClubmanRob]

I thought I remember seeing Tres Flores something at Wal Mart of Walgreens, but it seemed more of a gel or paste- is this a liquid product or do I have the correct product in mind?

They make both:

I've never tried the paste wax. I used to use the Brilliantine (liquid) in the winter when my scalp would get very dry. I find it too oily now, but for the problems you described, it may benefit you.

They also make the Tres Flores splash now that I have yet to try.

 

[DanOK]

If you enjoyed Pashana you may want to try their Eau de Portugal. I find the fragrance has a light cirtus favor to it which passes fairly quickly. I changed my shampoo to Nexxus and added Pashana as a tonic about six (6) months ago and have seen my scalp condition improve a hundred fold.

Considering I have a oily complexion I find the Pashana to be a perfect fit. I apply it to my hair as the last part of my morning routine. My hair is slightly damp from my shower and the tonic provides just the right amount of hold I'm looking for as my hair finally dries and I finish putting on my clothes.

 

[Aaron01]

They make both:

I've never tried the paste wax. I used to use the Brilliantine (liquid) in the winter when my scalp would get very dry. I find it too oily now, but for the problems you described, it may benefit you.

They also make the Tres Flores splash now that I have yet to try.

I only have tried the pomade, which I own, and it is basically scented vaseline. I think I prefer actual vaseline to it...

I do want to try the brilliantine liquid though

 

[Myanmar Shave]

I am also a big fan of Pinaud's Eau De Portugal and use it frequently as an aftershave and body splash. Next to Pinaud Bay Rum it's my favorite Pinaud product. It's just fantastic in hot weather as a quick refresher-I can't praise it high enough!

I took a sniff of the Eau De Quinine at the store and I wasn't sure what to make of it. As I recall it kinda smelled like cough syrup, a little pungent, but I don't remember it real well. If anyone uses this as an aftershave or splash I'd like to hear your thoughts on it. If it does smell like a gin and tonic as Joto states then maybe that wouldn't be the best product to be splashing on!!

Any input appreciated!!

Marty E.
ICPH Representative

 

[ClubmanRob]

For some reason, I love Quinines, even though I can see where some would be put off by them. The Gin and Tonic correlation is overrated though. Quinine Tonics were all the rage way back when, and someone got the bright idea of mixing them with gin, creating Gin and Tonics. It does smell a bit medicinal, as it should. Keep in mind, this stuff was meant to be ingested as a medicine, used as a shampoo, aftershave, face and body wash, antiseptic, and probably cured cancer, too. Today, we would call it snake oil and Ron Jeremy would be hawking it on late night TV as an all-natural "male growth" supplement.

Pinaud's was the original, but the Pinaud Eau De Quinine of today is not the Pinaud EdQ of yesteryear. If you want to smell what the original was like, find some Crown/Anglia Eau De Quinine, which was an exact replica of Ed. Pinaud's original blend. It's very close. The original was much smoother and less medicinal than the current version, but it's similar enough that if you smell the current batch, you have a fairly good idea of what the olde stuff smelled like. I could see where somebody got the idea of cutting cheap gin with EdQ (which I wouldn't recommend with today's batch and all the SD alcohol included.)

So yes, I wear it as a splash and I like it. Too cloying for summer, but just right for fall. And if anyone wants to make their own, here's what a 1916 lab analysis revealed as the ingredients in the formula known as Pinaud Eau De Quinine:

Pinaud Eau de Quinine

The composition of this nostrum is not known. Dr. Tsheppe failed to find in it any constituent of cinchona bark. The absence of quinine from the mixture probably would not hurt it, as the "tonic" effect of quinine on the hair is generally regarded as a myth.

On the other hand, it has been stated that this preparation contains:

Quinine sulphate. . . 2 parts

Tincture of krameria 4 parts

Tincture of cantharides ............. 2 parts

Spirit of lavender. .. 10 parts

Glycerine.......... 15 parts

Alcohol............ 100 parts

 

[Phog Allen]

Good post Rob. I too love the quinine. In gin and tonics and hair tonics. I doubt the current Eau de Quinine by Pinaud has any but I would like it if it did. My experience is like yours. Much too sweet for summertime or any time it is really humid. Come the fall though and I am in the game for it. And don't let anyone tell you it is not for lighter hair. I use it all the time in winter and it does not darken my hair or turn it red. Great stuff.

Regards, Todd

 

[Myanmar Shave]

Hey Rob-

Thanks for taking the time to post such a detailed helpful response. I have been wanting to try some of the lesser known Pinaud products and EDQ is one that piqued my curiousity. When cooler weather sets in I may pick up a bottle. I would loved to have tried the Naturelle Sec--the descriptions I've read puts it right up my alley scent-wise...too bad that got discontinued. From personal experience maybe they should have discontinued the Lime Sec instead. Whew, that's bad stuff...

Thanks for the EDQ info, I appreciate it!

all the best,

Marty E.

 

[ClubmanRob]

Good post Rob. I too love the quinine. In gin and tonics and hair tonics. I doubt the current Eau de Quinine by Pinaud has any but I would like it if it did. My experience is like yours. Much too sweet for summertime or any time it is really humid. Come the fall though and I am in the game for it. And don't let anyone tell you it is not for lighter hair. I use it all the time in winter and it does not darken my hair or turn it red. Great stuff.

Regards, Todd

You're correct- my father once told me that only darker haired folks should use it because of the color of the liquid. I was never positive that this was the case, even though my hair is so dark I wouldn't notice. But there are some folks that positively swear that it makes their hair two shades darker. My barber used to recommend the Portugal for blondes and greys and the Quinine for all other shades.

Hey Rob-

Thanks for taking the time to post such a detailed helpful response. I have been wanting to try some of the lesser known Pinaud products and EDQ is one that piqued my curiousity. When cooler weather sets in I may pick up a bottle. I would loved to have tried the Naturelle Sec--the descriptions I've read puts it right up my alley scent-wise...too bad that got discontinued. From personal experience maybe they should have discontinued the Lime Sec instead. Whew, that's bad stuff...

Thanks for the EDQ info, I appreciate it!

all the best,

Marty E.

Marty, have you ever tried the Lime outside of the bottle and on your skin? I agree that the scent in the bottle is a bit off-putting, but it dries down to a very pleasant fresh scent. In the bottle though, the Victorian part of the Victorian Lime equation is heavily emphasized. The Naturelle Sec was the same way; it had that heavy Victorian base but dried down to a very fresh lemon scent. The glass bottle varieties are still my preferred editions of these historic scents, though. The plastics have more of an artificial scent about them, and I believe less longevity.

I'll make you a deal, my good man. Buy a bottle of the Lime Sec come fall or winter, and give it a few tries before you disown it. I'll reimburse you the cost of the bottle and cover the shipping and you can send it my way.

 

[Phog Allen]

Well in all fairness about the colour of the EdQ, I decant all my tonics into four ounce glass rounds with a pump spray atomiser. I think it makes application much more consistent and you don't really use as much as you think. That may be a factor since most barbers are going to splash it in their plam and then work it into your hair. You use more that way and the Pinaud bottles have a really big hole in the dispenser top. Still, I have not noticed an actual darkening of my hair and it is ash blond and will turn even lighter if I stay out in the summer sun. BTW, I use the EdP all the time as well and I love it.

Regards, Todd

 

[Myanmar Shave]

Marty, have you ever tried the Lime outside of the bottle and on your skin? I agree that the scent in the bottle is a bit off-putting, but it dries down to a very pleasant fresh scent. In the bottle though, the Victorian part of the Victorian Lime equation is heavily emphasized. The Naturelle Sec was the same way; it had that heavy Victorian base but dried down to a very fresh lemon scent. The glass bottle varieties are still my preferred editions of these historic scents, though. The plastics have more of an artificial scent about them, and I believe less longevity.

I'll make you a deal, my good man. Buy a bottle of the Lime Sec come fall or winter, and give it a few tries before you disown it. I'll reimburse you the cost of the bottle and cover the shipping and you can send it my way.

Rob-

I may not have given the Lime Sec a fair chance. I bought a bottle and put it on, gave it about half an hour and hit the shower. It just didn't sit well on me, maybe a body chemistry issue. I only tried it that once though-maybe I should have left it on longer. When fall arrives I think I will give the EDQ a try. Always looking for something different.

Thanks for your generous offer on the Lime Sec. I remember you posting a similar offer sometime back on Eau de Portugal for another forum member. Rob, you're going to have to get your own bottle of EdP--mine is staying right here and getting emptier by the day!!

cheers, Sir!!

Marty E.

 

[Kouros]

I have noticed fewer gray hairs since I started using Jeris hair tonic. Maybe the green liquid darkens them?

 

[ada8356]

I find this odd because my Clubman hair tonic does not have any glycerin... it is, in fact, almost identical to the clubman aftershave except one has a stronger scent (I don't recall which right now).

 

[Captain Flint]

I have pretty short hair (1/4") and use hair tonic mainly to keep my scalp in good shape- it really does seem to help as I can get acne on my scalp and tonic seems to really cut into it unless I get major-league stressed out.

I have the same problem and never thought about using hair lotion to fix it. Hell, I think I might try one of those one of these days...

 

[ada8356]

Ok, so I just went and checked:

Clubman 'Greaseless' Tonic - No glycerin

Quinine and Portgual 'Compound' Tonic - Glycerin