The History of Haircare: How Past Practices Shape Modern Routines

Haircare has always been more than a routine experience—it’s a celebration of identity, beauty, and creativity. Across cultures and history, people have crafted ingenious, and sometimes surprising ways to care for their strands. While some methods might seem unconventional today (bear grease, anyone?), they reflect a universal desire for healthy, beautiful hair.

Egypt: Beauty Fit for a Pharaoh

The Egyptians were head and shoulders above when it came to mastering the art of luxurious haircare. Battling the desert’s harsh climate, they turned to natural oils like castor and almond oil to keep their hair hydrated and silky. Ornate wigs, adorned with gold and beads elevated style while symbolizing sophistication.

Modern Must-Haves: Today, hydrating hair oils and deep conditioners carry on this tradition, delivering moisture and shine to help hair look its best.

Greece: Liquid Gold for Luminous Looks

For the Greeks, olive oil wasn’t just a pantry staple—it was liquid gold for haircare, nourishing the scalp and giving hair a radiant sheen. This versatile elixir symbolized both beauty and wellness, seamlessly blending practicality with ritual.

Modern Must-Haves: Shine-enhancing products pay homage to these early practices, offering a modern twist on ancient elegance.

Rome: Blonde Ambitions and Cleansing Customs

In Rome, all roads led to innovation, with lye-based soaps for cleansing and natural lightening agents like saffron or vinegar creating the blond hues coveted by the elite. There, style and status reigned supreme.

Modern Must-Haves: Today, blonde-enhancing shampoos keep ancient Rome’s legacy alive.

Across the world, haircare has always been a celebration of individuality and imagination. Each culture has contributed its own artistry and wisdom through the ages. These diverse legacies continue to shape and elevate our routines today.

Africa: Crowned with Creativity

In African cultures, hair was about more than style—it was about self-expression, heritage and status. Intricate braids, twists, and locs weren’t just beautiful; they wove stories and signaled standing. Shea butter and plant oils worked wonders, keeping hair hydrated and healthy while honoring its roots.

Modern Must-Haves: Today’s textured haircare heroes—like leave-in conditioners and curl defining cremes—honor this rich heritage, delivering hydration and definition to curls, coils, and locs while celebrating the beauty of natural hair.

Asia: Herbal Elegance and Silkened Strands

In Japan, camellia oil was the ultimate nectar for silky strands, used to smooth and shine long, elegant hair. Meanwhile, traditional Chinese medicine worked its herbal magic, incorporating ginseng and He Shou Wu to support strong, healthy hair. These rituals wove wellness into every strand, blending beauty with balance.

Modern Must-Haves: Smoothing serums continue this tradition, offering sleek results and radiant shine.

For Indigenous peoples, hair was sacred—a spiritual extension of the self, cared for with deep reverence. Nature provided everything they needed: clay to purify, yucca root to cleanse, and natural remedies to enhance shine. These practices reflected a profound respect for hair as both a personal and cultural symbol.

Modern Must-Haves: Clarifying shampoos and detox masks channel this reverence, cleansing the scalp and restoring hair’s natural vibrancy.

Curious Concoctions: Errors of the Eras

The quest for perfect hair hasn’t always been glamorous. Victorians turned to bear grease and egg yolks for shine. Medieval Europeans relied on fragrant herb rinses to refresh rarely washed locks. Elizabethans lightened their hair with sulfur powder and honey, enduring strong smells and sticky textures to achieve their golden dreams.

While ancient rituals laid the groundwork, today’s haircare blends cultural wisdom with cutting-edge science. Modern ingredients draw inspiration from age-old practices that prioritized hydration and strength. Advanced formulas elevate these natural principles, targeting specific hair needs with precision.

The result? Products that combine the best of both worlds: heritage and innovation. Whether it’s haircare systems designed for shine or shampoos and conditioners that reimagine cleansing, modern haircare is proof that timeless traditions can thrive in contemporary routines.

Despite the occasional peculiarities, every culture brings its unique artistry and ingenuity to haircare. These traditions continue to shape and inspire modern routines. By pairing timeless practices with groundbreaking approaches, haircare has evolved into a celebration of both heritage and progress, honoring a global story of beauty, resilience, and care.

References:
- https://amazingy.com/magazine/a-history-of-haircare/
- https://www.si.edu/spotlight/health-hygiene-and-beauty/hair-care
- https://www.notesfromthefrontier.com/post/native-hair-traditions