Christmas is coming, and with it the cold, the snow, hot chocolate and Mariah Carey, New Year's Eve and its family reunions. At LAO, we wanted to give you a little boost so you can shine as bright as the tree at the petits fours, guaranteed. So we went back in time to find out how our ancestors washed their hair, and wrote this little article just for you.

Let's start with the etymology: the English word “shampoo” dates from the 18^th century and comes from the Hindi “champna,” a plant whose flowers are pressed to make naturally scented oils used to massage the hair.

History of shampoo

Hair washing first appeared in antiquity, when it was customary to clean the scalp with clays, plant decoctions or henna. Plants containing saponin were especially favored.

It was also possible to use soap, invented around the same time. However, it turned out to be too irritating for the eyes and the scalp (that hasn't really changed, by the way, see our article on the subject).

Then, in the Middle Ages, women washed their long locks with ointments made from animal fats, herbal infusions, and even egg white mixed with ash. Iris root powder was used as a dry shampoo.

During the Renaissance, blond and red hair were in fashion, and women tried sometimes dangerous recipes (bleach, no less) to lighten their hair.

When it comes to washing, Catherine de’ Medici shared her beauty and hair experiments in a book titled “The Book of Experiments.”

The famous Nostradamus also shared hair care recipes in his Treatise on Jams, but these are more heavy chemistry than cosmetics.

But moving forward in time, at the end of the 16th century, the quality of water deteriorated and helped spread deadly diseases. Using it for body care was then discouraged. A substitute similar to today's dry shampoo appeared: clay powder to degrease the roots.

Modern shampoo

In the mid-18^th century, Sake Dean Mohammed opened Indian Steam Baths in Brighton, England, where customers enjoyed scalp massages with plant oils. This was the beginning of the story of shampoo as we know it today.

Once this kind of care became widespread, hairdressers used a paste created by Kesey Herbert: “Shaempoo,” a mix of soap flakes and plants used to clean hair and scalps.

In the 19th century, women only washed their hair a few times a year, since products used too often were said to give them migraines.

It was only at the very beginning of the 20th century that dedicated (and foaming) shampoos appeared.

Shampoo as we know it

Since the end of the 20th century, shampoos have evolved and no longer exist only to wash. Indeed, a shampoo can also provide a dose of care and hair protection.

Product ranges are expanding and adapting to every hair type and to consumers' different needs.

While most shampoos have been made of chemical ingredients since the 2000s, in recent years the trend has been reversing and we are seeing a return to the past, with a quest for naturalness in hair care.

We hope this article on the history of shampoo has taught you something, and that you now have one more story to tell your loved ones!

To shine with science (simplified!) you can also read our article explaining how the pH of cosmetics influences the beauty and health of hair!

And to treat your loved ones at Christmas, why not give them a LAO gift card with no expiration date?

FAQ - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. Where does the word “shampoo” come from?
It comes from the Hindi champna, a plant used to massage and scent the hair in the 18th century.

2. How did people wash their hair in antiquity?
People used clays, plant decoctions or henna, often rich in saponins, to clean the scalp naturally.

3. What did people do in the Middle Ages to care for their hair?
Women used animal fats, egg white mixed with ash, and even iris root powder as a dry shampoo.

4. When was modern shampoo born?
In the 18th century, with the Indian steam baths opened by Sake Dean Mohammed in Brighton, where scalp massages with oils were offered.

5. Why do we talk about a “return to nature” today?
Because after decades of chemical formulas, the trend is returning to natural hair care, which is more respectful of the hair fiber and the scalp, like the LAO Care ranges.

Sources:

• Who invented shampoo?, Madmoizelle https://www.madmoizelle.com/histoire-beaute-shampoing-209283
• Shampoo, Wikipedia https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shampooing