E. J. Balcear of Martinez, California, registered a Patent for his "Improved Hair Restorative" in 1868 (Patent #83,820). The primary ingredient in his invention was soap root, a plant indigenous to the Pacific coast. He made his preparation by stripping, bruising, and pressing the root, to express the juice. He claimed that with application to the hair once a week, dandruff and scurf would be removed, a healthy growth would be imparted, and the hair would be restored to a natural color. The preparation was said to produce suds when rubbed into the roots, which should then be washed out in fresh water.