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Care of the Hair and Nails

19519 min 45 sec47 shots

A fairy-tale helper uses a magic wand to visit two children and teach them routines for caring for their hair and fingernails. Stanley demonstrates brushing beneath his nails, drying his hands, cleaning his comb and brush, and washing his hair with warm water and soap or shampoo. Diagrams explain how hair and nails grow, why old hairs come loose, how skin oils coat hair, and how hangnails form.

The film tells children to report itching, patchy hair loss, flakes, or nits to a parent or teacher, and advises them not to share combs or hats. Alice learns to brush her hair daily, file her nails, push back softened cuticles with a wooden stick, and cut rather than pull hangnails. The closing message repeats that regular washing, brushing, and trimming can become lifelong habits.

Provenance and rights

Original producer: Encyclopaedia Britannica Films
Collection: Prelinger Archives
Original title: Care of the Hair and Nails
Date: 1951
Original link: Open on Internet Archive
Rights: public_domain