{"id":6172,"date":"2026-03-13T10:22:44","date_gmt":"2026-03-13T14:22:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/torontonka.com\/?p=6172"},"modified":"2026-03-13T10:37:53","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T14:37:53","slug":"the-art-of-allure-how-toronto-women-transformed-their-tresses-throughout-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/torontonka.com\/en\/eternal-6172-the-art-of-allure-how-toronto-women-transformed-their-tresses-throughout-history","title":{"rendered":"The Art of Allure: How Toronto Women Transformed Their Tresses Throughout History"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>If the <a href=\"https:\/\/torontonka.com\/en\/eternal-6137-more-than-a-haircut-a-history-of-hairdressing-in-toronto\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/torontonka.com\/en\/eternal-6137-more-than-a-haircut-a-history-of-hairdressing-in-toronto\">history of Toronto\u2019s barbershops<\/a> is a saga of social clubs and public debate, then the history of women\u2019s hair colouring is a tale of secrets whispered behind boudoir doors. For the longest time in Toronto, changing one\u2019s hair colour was considered a mark of &#8220;wickedness&#8221; or an association with the theatre\u2014which, in the Victorian era, were seen as one and the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How did Torontonians go from rubbing lead into their scalps to embracing the bold experiments seen today on Queen Street? We invite you to step behind the curtain of beauty history with <a href=\"https:\/\/torontonka.com\/en\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/torontonka.com\/en\">torontonka<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a4eafed2f247\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #090909;color:#090909\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #090909;color:#090909\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a4eafed2f247\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/torontonka.com\/en\/eternal-6172-the-art-of-allure-how-toronto-women-transformed-their-tresses-throughout-history\/#%E2%80%9CToronto_the_Good%E2%80%9D_and_the_Weight_of_Morality_1850%E2%80%931900\" >\u201cToronto the Good\u201d and the Weight of Morality (1850\u20131900)<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/torontonka.com\/en\/eternal-6172-the-art-of-allure-how-toronto-women-transformed-their-tresses-throughout-history\/#A_Poisonous_Price_for_Beauty\" >A Poisonous Price for Beauty<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/torontonka.com\/en\/eternal-6172-the-art-of-allure-how-toronto-women-transformed-their-tresses-throughout-history\/#The_%E2%80%9CNatural%E2%80%9D_Alternative\" >The \u201cNatural\u201d Alternative<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/torontonka.com\/en\/eternal-6172-the-art-of-allure-how-toronto-women-transformed-their-tresses-throughout-history\/#The_Dorenwend_Era_and_the_Birth_of_the_%E2%80%9CBeauty_Parlour%E2%80%9D_1880%E2%80%931910\" >The Dorenwend Era and the Birth of the \u201cBeauty Parlour\u201d (1880\u20131910)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/torontonka.com\/en\/eternal-6172-the-art-of-allure-how-toronto-women-transformed-their-tresses-throughout-history\/#The_Turning_Point_1907_and_the_Rise_of_LOreal\" >The Turning Point: 1907 and the Rise of L\u2019Or\u00e9al<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/torontonka.com\/en\/eternal-6172-the-art-of-allure-how-toronto-women-transformed-their-tresses-throughout-history\/#The_%E2%80%9CVamp%E2%80%9D_Henna_and_the_Roaring_Twenties\" >The \u201cVamp,\u201d Henna, and the Roaring Twenties<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/torontonka.com\/en\/eternal-6172-the-art-of-allure-how-toronto-women-transformed-their-tresses-throughout-history\/#The_Hollywood_Influence_and_the_Glory_of_Eatons_1930%E2%80%931950\" >The Hollywood Influence and the Glory of Eaton\u2019s (1930\u20131950)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/torontonka.com\/en\/eternal-6172-the-art-of-allure-how-toronto-women-transformed-their-tresses-throughout-history\/#The_Democratization_of_Colour_%E2%80%9CDoes_she%E2%80%A6_or_doesnt_she%E2%80%9D\" >The Democratization of Colour: \u201cDoes she&#8230; or doesn\u2019t she?\u201d<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/torontonka.com\/en\/eternal-6172-the-art-of-allure-how-toronto-women-transformed-their-tresses-throughout-history\/#The_Era_of_the_%E2%80%9CFrosting_Cap%E2%80%9D_1960%E2%80%931980\" >The Era of the \u201cFrosting Cap\u201d (1960\u20131980)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/torontonka.com\/en\/eternal-6172-the-art-of-allure-how-toronto-women-transformed-their-tresses-throughout-history\/#Punk_Rock_and_Queen_Street_West_1970%E2%80%931990\" >Punk Rock and Queen Street West (1970\u20131990)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/torontonka.com\/en\/eternal-6172-the-art-of-allure-how-toronto-women-transformed-their-tresses-throughout-history\/#Today_High_Tech_Meets_Natural_Roots\" >Today: High Tech Meets Natural Roots<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CToronto_the_Good%E2%80%9D_and_the_Weight_of_Morality_1850%E2%80%931900\"><\/span>\u201cToronto the Good\u201d and the Weight of Morality (1850\u20131900)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In the latter half of the 19th century, the city earned the nickname \u201cToronto the Good\u201d for its rigid Victorian values. For a proper lady, dyeing her hair was an unthinkable scandal. Tinted locks were a clear marker of a &#8220;woman of easy virtue.&#8221; However, this didn\u2019t mean women weren&#8217;t desperate to hide their grey; they simply did so in secret\u2014and often at great risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Poisonous_Price_for_Beauty\"><\/span>A Poisonous Price for Beauty<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The most popular method for masking grey hair in early Toronto involved lead combs. This wasn&#8217;t a metaphor: women used actual lead combs dipped in vinegar. The resulting chemical reaction left a residue on the hair that darkened over time, effectively camouflaging silver strands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Apothecaries on King Street sold \u201cColour Restorers\u201d\u2014the word \u201cdye\u201d was strictly avoided. Products based on silver nitrate were also a hit. While they successfully turned hair black, they came with a bizarre side effect: in bright sunlight, the hair often took on a metallic green or purple sheen. Moreover, these concoctions frequently led to lead poisoning, chronic headaches, and nausea, proving that beauty truly did require sacrifice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_%E2%80%9CNatural%E2%80%9D_Alternative\"><\/span>The \u201cNatural\u201d Alternative<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Those wary of harsh chemicals turned to kitchen-counter remedies. Toronto newspapers of the era were filled with advice on rinsing hair with strong brews of black tea, coffee, tobacco, or walnut shells. These methods provided a subtle, temporary tint and were safe for one\u2019s reputation\u2014a lady could always claim she was simply using a \u201cmedicinal tonic.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Dorenwend_Era_and_the_Birth_of_the_%E2%80%9CBeauty_Parlour%E2%80%9D_1880%E2%80%931910\"><\/span>The Dorenwend Era and the Birth of the \u201cBeauty Parlour\u201d (1880\u20131910)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Toronto\u2019s first grooming professionals were men, and many were African Canadians. In the 1830s, the city directory listed only seven barbers, four of whom had escaped slavery in the United States. The Cary brothers (Thomas, Newton, George, and John) operated successful establishments in the 1850s, catering to the city\u2019s elite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Back then, these &#8220;saloons&#8221; often combined hair cutting, shaving, and even clothes cleaning. Some masters, like H. Nelson, proudly dubbed themselves \u201cProfessors,\u201d emphasizing a scientific approach to their craft. Women, however, had few options; until the 1860s, only one dedicated ladies&#8217; salon existed\u2014Miss Bates at 31 King West. Most &#8220;respectable&#8221; women had their hair styled at home by maids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The real revolution arrived in 1880 with a German couple, Hildebert and Anna Dorenwend. They opened the \u201cParis Hairdressing Parlor\u201d on Yonge Street, which would eventually become the heart of a beauty empire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Dorenwends realized that Toronto women craved European chic. They offered an unprecedented range of services:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Hair washing and tinting;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Custom wigs, hairpieces, and chignons;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dandruff treatments;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Removal of unwanted hair.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Intricate, voluminous styles were the height of fashion, and since natural hair was rarely enough, hairpieces were in high demand. Toronto even housed specialized factories, such as the Toronto Chignon Factory, where hair extensions were crafted not just from human hair, but from camel wool and jute. The Dorenwends elevated this to an art form, marketing their products as the most \u201cscientific and hygienic\u201d available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By the 1890s, Dorenwend catalogues featured \u201cVegetable Hair Dye.\u201d The marketing was carefully calibrated, emphasizing that the product was \u201charmless\u201d and \u201cimperceptible to others.\u201d This marked the beginning of colour&#8217;s slow path toward social acceptance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Dorenwends were also known for experiments that blurred the line between medicine and vanity. In the 1890s, Hildebert\u2019s son, Christian, began selling \u201cDorenwend Electric Belts.\u201d Ads claimed that mild electric shocks could \u201crestore the organs\u201d and improve overall appearance. While it sounds like quackery today, turn-of-the-century Torontonians truly believed electricity was the key to eternal youth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"992\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.torontonka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/03\/image.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6143\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.torontonka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/03\/image.jpeg 750w, https:\/\/cdn.torontonka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/03\/image-227x300.jpeg 227w, https:\/\/cdn.torontonka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/03\/image-696x921.jpeg 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>From Illustrated Toronto, 1890<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Turning_Point_1907_and_the_Rise_of_LOreal\"><\/span>The Turning Point: 1907 and the Rise of L\u2019Or\u00e9al<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While Toronto had its local heroes, global innovations quickly reached Canadian shores through strong ties to Britain and France. In 1907, French chemist Eug\u00e8ne Schueller invented the first safe synthetic hair dye, laying the foundation for L\u2019Or\u00e9al.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1125\" height=\"750\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.torontonka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/03\/image-1.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6146\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.torontonka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/03\/image-1.jpeg 1125w, https:\/\/cdn.torontonka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/03\/image-1-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.torontonka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/03\/image-1-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.torontonka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/03\/image-1-696x464.jpeg 696w, https:\/\/cdn.torontonka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/03\/image-1-1068x712.jpeg 1068w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1125px) 100vw, 1125px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>L\u2019Or\u00e9al\u2019s first advertisement from 1909: \u201cL\u2019Or\u00e9al rendant aux cheveux leur couleur et leur vigueur\u201d (L\u2019Or\u00e9al restores colour and vigour to the hair). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite this breakthrough, Toronto women remained discreet for decades. In the 1910s and early 20s, city salons often featured \u201cback entrances\u201d so clients could slip in unnoticed. Newspaper ads typically showed melancholy grey-haired women who \u201clooked 10 years younger\u201d through \u201crestoration\u201d rather than \u201cdyeing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_%E2%80%9CVamp%E2%80%9D_Henna_and_the_Roaring_Twenties\"><\/span>The \u201cVamp,\u201d Henna, and the Roaring Twenties<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>World War I changed everything. Toronto women gained the right to vote, shortened their hemlines, and chopped their hair into \u201cbobs.\u201d The famous \u201cMarcel Wave\u201d became the decade&#8217;s biggest hit. Suddenly, colouring your hair wasn&#8217;t just fashionable\u2014it was an act of defiance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"759\" height=\"750\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.torontonka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/03\/image-2.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6149\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.torontonka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/03\/image-2.jpeg 759w, https:\/\/cdn.torontonka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/03\/image-2-300x296.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.torontonka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/03\/image-2-696x688.jpeg 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 759px) 100vw, 759px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The \u201cMarcel Wave\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Henna became the go-to product, offering a vivid \u201cEgyptian\u201d red associated with the silent movie vamps. Meanwhile, early synthetic dyes began to appear, though the process was gruelling. A salon session could take three to four hours, with women wrapped in towels, enduring stinging mixtures under massive, clunky hair dryers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Hollywood_Influence_and_the_Glory_of_Eatons_1930%E2%80%931950\"><\/span>The Hollywood Influence and the Glory of Eaton\u2019s (1930\u20131950)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In the 1930s, Jean Harlow sparked a global obsession with platinum blonde. Toronto followed suit, though lightening hair was an extreme sport back then. Stylists used high-concentration mixtures of ammonia and hydrogen peroxide. Hair often turned to \u201cstraw\u201d or simply broke off, but the desire to look like a silver-screen star outweighed the fear of damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The beauty hubs for the middle class were the massive department stores: T. Eaton Co. and Simpson\u2019s. A trip to the Eaton\u2019s salon on Queen Street was a major event. Surrounded by Art Deco luxury, Toronto women could finally feel like movie stars for an afternoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Democratization_of_Colour_%E2%80%9CDoes_she%E2%80%A6_or_doesnt_she%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>The Democratization of Colour: \u201cDoes she&#8230; or doesn\u2019t she?\u201d<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Post-WWII, the beauty industry went mainstream. In the 1950s, Clairol released the first home-colouring kit that lightened hair without harsh bleaching and launched the legendary campaign: \u201cDoes she&#8230; or doesn\u2019t she?\u201d The hook was simple: the colour looked so natural that no one would suspect it came from a bottle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Vintage: 1957 Commercial for Clairol &quot;Does She or Doesn&#039;t She&quot;\" width=\"696\" height=\"522\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/GXkzl2I5CH8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This shattered the final taboo. Dyeing hair was no longer a sign of \u201cartificiality\u201d or \u201csin\u201d; it became a standard grooming ritual. Suburbs across Toronto saw a surge in Miss Clairol Hair Color Bath kits. Now, any housewife could reinvent her look in her own bathroom, achieving a Marilyn Monroe-esque glow without waiting for a salon appointment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"936\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.torontonka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/03\/image-3.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6152\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.torontonka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/03\/image-3.jpeg 750w, https:\/\/cdn.torontonka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/03\/image-3-240x300.jpeg 240w, https:\/\/cdn.torontonka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/03\/image-3-696x869.jpeg 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Era_of_the_%E2%80%9CFrosting_Cap%E2%80%9D_1960%E2%80%931980\"><\/span>The Era of the \u201cFrosting Cap\u201d (1960\u20131980)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If your mother or grandmother lived in Toronto during the 70s, they likely remember the ultimate torture device: the rubber frosting cap. Stylists would pull thin strands of hair through tiny holes with a metal hook before applying bleach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This technique, known as \u201cFrosting,\u201d was wildly popular in Yorkville salons. During the 60s, Yorkville was the heart of hippie culture, and this method achieved that coveted &#8220;sun-kissed&#8221; look, making Torontonians look like they had just returned from a California beach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Punk_Rock_and_Queen_Street_West_1970%E2%80%931990\"><\/span>Punk Rock and Queen Street West (1970\u20131990)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>By the late 70s, Toronto saw a radical shift. The punk scene exploded around Queen Street, and the youth no longer wanted to look \u201cnatural.\u201d They wanted to look shocking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Manic Panic dyes were smuggled in from New York, turning hair neon green, hot pink, and electric blue. For structural integrity, mohawks were held up with everything from sugar water to actual glue. Salons like House of Lords\u2014a legendary haunt for the city\u2019s punks\u2014became cultural landmarks. In these spaces, hair colour was an act of protest against a grey, corporate Toronto.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Today_High_Tech_Meets_Natural_Roots\"><\/span>Today: High Tech Meets Natural Roots<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, Toronto is a global hub where any style is possible. Interestingly, the industry has come full circle:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Return to Natural. Modern Balayage and Ombre techniques are essentially high-tech versions of the 70s &#8220;sun-kissed&#8221; look\u2014thankfully without the rubber caps.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Safety First. Much like Victorian women, modern Torontonians are wary of toxins. However, they now choose ammonia-free dyes, organic salons, and vegan-friendly products.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pan-Asian Influence. Toronto\u2019s large Asian community has introduced new trends, such as ash-tones, pastels, and \u201cdigital perms,\u201d with specialized salons in Markham and North York leading the way.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Strolling past the sleek salons on Yonge Street today, it\u2019s hard to imagine that these same blocks once sold camel-hair chignons and electric belts. Yet, those first steps\u2014from pioneering African Canadian barbers to the Dorenwend empire\u2014built the foundation of a modern industry. Today, a Toronto girl can be a blonde in the morning and have pink highlights by dinner, and the only thing anyone will ask is for her colourist\u2019s phone number.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If the history of Toronto\u2019s barbershops is a saga of social clubs and public debate, then the history of women\u2019s hair colouring is a tale of secrets whispered behind boudoir doors. For the longest time in Toronto, changing one\u2019s hair colour was considered a mark of &#8220;wickedness&#8221; or an association with the theatre\u2014which, in the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":402,"featured_media":6141,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1036],"tags":[4124,4117,4130,4132,4080,4133,4129,4119,4136,4122,4128,4127,4126,4125,4116,4114,4135,4131,4121,4118,4134,3662,4120,4066,4123,4115],"moimportance":[34,33],"motype":[1045],"moformat":[127],"class_list":{"0":"post-6172","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-style-and-beauty","8":"tag-beauty-and-grooming","9":"tag-beauty-parlour","10":"tag-beauty-secrets","11":"tag-canadian-history","12":"tag-clairol","13":"tag-dorenwend-family","14":"tag-eatons-department-store","15":"tag-fashion-history","16":"tag-hair-colouring","17":"tag-hairdressing","18":"tag-henna","19":"tag-highlights","20":"tag-historic-toronto","21":"tag-loreal-history","22":"tag-lifestyle","23":"tag-makeover","24":"tag-old-toronto","25":"tag-punk-culture","26":"tag-queen-street-west","27":"tag-retro-fashion","28":"tag-style-evolution","29":"tag-toronto-history","30":"tag-toronto-trivia","31":"tag-victorian-era","32":"tag-vintage-beauty","33":"tag-womens-history","34":"moimportance-golovna-novina","35":"moimportance-retranslyacziya-v-agregatori","36":"motype-eternal","37":"moformat-longrid-korotka"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/torontonka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6172","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/torontonka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/torontonka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/torontonka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/402"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/torontonka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6172"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/torontonka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6172\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6173,"href":"https:\/\/torontonka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6172\/revisions\/6173"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/torontonka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6141"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/torontonka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6172"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/torontonka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6172"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/torontonka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6172"},{"taxonomy":"moimportance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/torontonka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moimportance?post=6172"},{"taxonomy":"motype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/torontonka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/motype?post=6172"},{"taxonomy":"moformat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/torontonka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moformat?post=6172"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}