Old-time shaving: Did men apply talcum powder?

[Benzadmiral]

I ask because in an early Ellery Queen short story from the Thirties, "The African Traveler," the issue comes up as a clue. A corpse is examined by Ellery and his students in an applied criminology course, and they note that the man is freshly shaved, with smooth, non-streaked talcum powder applied to his face. One of the students, a woman, deduces that a woman must have applied the powder using a pad or puff, since the application was done smoothly, and no powder puff was in the victim's shaving kit.

She says, "How do you men put your powder on?" Ellery, as well as his two male students, admit they do it with their fingers.

So: Was that actually a thing in the Thirties, earlier, or later? Instead of shaving balm or skin lotion, it was an option for men to apply talcum powder post-shave?

(I tried it this morning. Not bad. But then I had to rinse it off so I didn't look like a walking ghost.)

 

[xxvaleria]

I don't ever remember my father or grandfather using talcum powder when shaving, and they were both alive and shaving in the '30s.

 

[G.W.]

The barber I went to as a kid (I'm in my 40s) would shave your neck/behind your ears with a straight, then powder it all up when finished. I remember asking about it, and was told that is was to keep your shirt collar from rubbing the freshly-shaved area. I've never once had another barber/stylist do that, and I've never known any man in my family to use talcum as part of their shaving routine.

 

[lancelot]

My dad applied talcum powder on top of aftershave lotion, I know, through the mid-fifties. I guess when his beard turned gray he no longer needed it. Mennen powder had a color agent in it to counteract the ghost effect.
Ron

 

[emwolf]

I use talcum and have had it applied by barbers when they would do my neck and ear area. I believe it may have been more a barber thing than a home thing. They make mention of it in Sweeny Todd.

 

[Tallships]

My Dad and Grandfather used it. Dad did allot in the summer on hot days, They put it in face and neck, they said it was cooling and did help around neck area when wearing a tie with those tight collars. I was told Granddad used those celulose collars till they came out with shirts like we have today, Those cellulose collars must have chafed allot.
I've tried powder on hot days and it does feel good, it not only feels good after a shower.

 

[RSC]

My memory only goes back to the fifties, but I remember the barber applying powder after shaving the neck and ear areas. Never heard of anyone using it at home, but I guess some could have.

 

[Try em all]

My barber uses powder to this day.

 

[jar_]

I never used talcum powder for shaving but certainly used tons of it in general. Remember this was before ubiquitous AC and talcum powder was essential to keep from chaffing around the collar as well as most every place clothes were tight against skin.

In the late 1950s Harundale Mall opened. It was the first air conditioned indoor mall in the East and absolutely amazing. It had several eateries and a Read's Drugstore and Hochschild Kohn's and a fountain where you could throw coins from the second floor and there were girls all over the place. Luncheonettes were still common back then and there were at least three in the mall, one in Kresges five & dime store, one in Murphy's five & dime and another in Read's Drug Store.

Most houses and almost all cars were without AC so it was a real treat.

And there were at least five stores in the mall that sold razors and shaving supplies.

 

[TheVez2]

I have a small collection of bottles & tins of shave talc. I've used a few of them. They feel nice. Most of what I have is too small to have been practical for a barber's use, so they must have been sol commercially. Some had pink dyes added to them to be more "flesh" tone.

 

[Kokak]

I don't use talc on my face... but a little "Corn Starch" in my shorts, helps keep me refreshed all day.

 

[Benzadmiral]

I never used talcum powder for shaving but certainly used tons of it in general. Remember this was before ubiquitous AC and talcum powder was essential to keep from chaffing around the collar as well as most every place clothes were tight against skin.

In the late 1950s Harundale Mall opened. It was the first air conditioned indoor mall in the East and absolutely amazing. It had several eateries and a Read's Drugstore and Hochschild Kohn's and a fountain where you could throw coins from the second floor and there were girls all over the place. Luncheonettes were still common back then and there were at least three in the mall, one in Kresges five & dime store, one in Murphy's five & dime and another in Read's Drug Store.

Most houses and almost all cars were without AC so it was a real treat.

And there were at least five stores in the mall that sold razors and shaving supplies.

Back when malls had stores for men, as opposed to today when they seem to be only for women and children, and you really could get all your shopping done (grocery, drugstore, clothes, books, toys) in one spot.

 

[ackvil]

My grandfather, father, and I used WH when we shaved. However, the barber I went to applied talcum potter after a shave.

 

[sarimento1]

shaving talc was indeed a fad early to mid-20th century!

 

[slybrewguy]

Talc has a few great shaving related uses:

It's a great pre-shave if you use a dry electric shaver.

It's a great post-shave if you use a dry electric shaver.

It's great to help minimize "collar rub" if you have to wear anything with a close tight neck like sweater, shirt'n'tie, or scarf for example.

It is awesome for putting on sensitive areas like your neck if you will be sweating a lot. I used to do this all the time until I discovered alum and havent used talc since. I do use cornstarch baby powder everyday to keep the "kids" fresh and sometimes in my work boots.

 

[sarimento1]

Many of the shave 'gift sets' of the 30's, 40's and 50's included a tin of talc, along with aftershave and cream.

 

[Jnatcat]

I use talc everyday, have a horse hair brush to apply to cover face and neck after my splash, i think it just completes the experience.

 

[Merle]

if you were speaking of talc used to ease the application of a smooth rubber 1/4" dive suit, a ya, it was nearly essential to get it to pull over - the entire world changed when wet suits were lined with nylon weave. Then it was to keep the neck and around the ears dry and comfortable after a shave at the Barbers. Otherwise? well it sure worked well between the legs and in the shorts on hot hot days. This was all before they started saying talc was a carcinogen. Now, well my lady still likes a lite dusting of Shalimar powder to enjoy staying cool on a hot summer's eve in Atlanta!

 

[santamariasteve]

I vaguely recall talcum powder being used by men on a limited basis back in the 1940's and 1950's, but I believe the practice now has largely gone the way of the dinosaur.

Even women no longer seem to "powder their noses."

Times and practices do change over time.

 

[Macfrommichigan]

My father used talc after every shave. And yeah, barbers applied it to the back of your neck.