02/11/2026
Charles Orren Bailiff was an American inventor based in Michigan whose work focused on practical improvements to everyday experiences. At the end of the 19th century, barbershops and hair salons were becoming more common social spaces, but comfort during hair washing was still an afterthought. Bailiff’s invention addressed that exact problem.
His patented design introduced a supportive headrest that allowed a person’s head and neck to rest comfortably while shampooing. It was a simple idea, but one that showed careful attention to ergonomics and customer comfort—something that would later become standard in salons around the world.
Like many inventors of his era, Bailiff did not become widely famous. There is little surviving documentation about his personal life beyond his patent record. Yet his contribution reflects an important truth about innovation: many of the things we take for granted today were shaped by people solving small, everyday problems.
More than a century later, the basic concept behind Bailiff’s shampoo headrest is still in use. Each time someone leans back at a salon sink, they are benefiting from an idea first patented in the 1890s.
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