1930s Vegan Rose Curling Fluid | Vintage Soft Curl Set

Rose Curl Set
Original 1934 Recipe
Available in 6 convenient sizes and styles:
~Sample Spray: 10ml, 4 3/4 in. tall slim plastic spray bottle
~Regular Size/Open top with reducer: 1oz clear glass French square bottle w/black plastic cap
~Regular Size/Spray top: 1oz clear glass French square bottle w/black plastic spray cap
~Large Size/Open top: 4oz clear glass Boston round bottle w/black plastic cap
~Large Size/Spray top: 4oz clear glass Boston round bottle w/black plastic spray cap
~Extra Large Size: 8 oz clear glass open top Boston round bottle w/black plastic cap
Vintage Label
Vintage Hair Set, Soft Curls, Natural Hairspray

Curling fluid was created to enhance the texture, definition, and suppleness of setting in curls and waves, and making naturally curly or permed hair easier to manage. But it also works well for hairspray and to set fine, or thin hair with Marcell waves that were popular in the 1930s. The use will vary for everyone. The historical manuals talk about those with oily hair needing to dilute the mixture so as not to leave flakes. Those with straight hair should not dilute the mixture, and those with curly hair could make sure the mixture is not too thick- and may or may not have to dilute the fluid. That said- we tested this original recipe quite a bit and found that for our purposes, making sure the hair was damp first, then applying it and combing it through before setting or waving worked the best, and it did not need to be diluted.

What will curling fluid do?
In my opinion- curling fluid is similar to hairspray, but it’s not as gross or hard on your hair, and it holds really well. We still have a curl that we tested on human hair that is still (after 4 weeks) holding just as well as the first day, but it’s also super soft! If you equate it to styling moose… it’s sort of similar- only when it dries, you can’t tell you have any product in your hair; unlike mousse, this curling fluid is not stiff… Now if you use a lot of this curling fluid, it could dry stiff, but then you could carefully brush it out for soft curls!

How to use:
The best way is to have damp hair (but not necessary). Put a small amount of curling fluid in your hand and rub it together, running your hands through your hair. The amount you will put on will vary for each person. After applying the curling fluid, comb the hair through to the scalp until it is free of snarls. In combing the hair after the waving fluid has been applied, always start from the bottom of the hair, taking a small section at a time, working to the top of the head, ( just like pomatum) to avoid creating the snarls, which could occur if one started from the top or at the parting and combed down. In combing out a finger wave, whether dry or wet remember to use this same method.