Macassar oil

Macassar oil

Macassar oil is a compounded oil used primarily by men in Victorian and Edwardian times as a hair conditioner to groom and style the hair.

Macassar oil is often made with coconut oil or palm oil or that of Schleichera trijuga, combined with ylang-ylang oil (obtained by processing the flowers of the ylang-ylang tree, Cananga odorata) and other fragrant oils.

Macassar oil was so named because it was reputed to have been manufactured from ingredients purchased in the port of Makassar in Indonesia.

Due to the tendency for the oil to transfer from a gentleman's hair to the back of his chair, the antimacassar was developed. This is a small cloth, crocheted, embroidered or mass-produced, placed over the back of a chair to protect the upholstery.

[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ Charles Dickens, Sketches by Boz 1836: Tales: Ch 4, The Tuggses at Ramsgate



Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Macassar oil — Ma*cas sar oil . A kind of oil formerly used in dressing the hair; so called because originally obtained from Macassar, a district of the Island of Celebes. Also, an imitation of the same, of perfumed castor oil and olive oil. Cf. {antimacassar} …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • macassar oil — noun Usage: often capitalized M : a soft fat obtained from seeds of the kusam and used in cooking, in illumination, and as a hair dressing; also : any of several similar oils or oily preparations used as hair dressings * * * 1. an oil derived… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Macassar oil-tree — aliejinis lakmedis statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Sapindinių šeimos daržovinis, maistinis, medieninis augalas (Schleichera oleosa), paplitęs atogrąžų Azijoje. Iš jo gaunami kietieji aliejai. atitikmenys: lot. Schleichera oleosa angl.… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • Macassar oil — 1. an oil derived from materials said to be obtained from Macassar, formerly used as a hairdressing. 2. a similar oil or preparation for the hair. [1800 10] * * * …   Universalium

  • Macassar oil — /məˌkæsər ˈɔɪl/ (say muh.kasuhr oyl) noun 1. (originally) an oil for the hair made from materials obtained from Macassar. 2. a similar oil or preparation for the hair …  

  • macassar oil — noun An oil, from the ylang ylang tree, once used to smooth the hair …   Wiktionary

  • macassar oil — oily substance that was used in the past to make the hair smooth and shiny …   English contemporary dictionary

  • Macassar — may refer to: *Macassar oil *Makassar, Indonesia *Macassar, Mozambique …   Wikipedia

  • Macassar — especially in Macassar oil (1809), hair tonic originally advertised as made from materials obtained from Macassar (1660s), name of a district on the island of Celebes (modern Sulawesi); from native Mangkasara …   Etymology dictionary

  • macassar — n. (in full Macassar oil) a kind of oil formerly used as a dressing for the hair. Etymology: Macassar, now in Indonesia, from where its ingredients were said to come …   Useful english dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”