The history of shampoo

The word "shampoo" is derived from Sanskrit (Campion, 2012). The first written mention of hair washing comes from the Indian subcontinent (Van Dijk, 2011). In ancient India, the plants Reetha and Shikakai were mainly used for washing hair.

With Ayurvedic knowledge, an effective shampoo in 17th century India would look like this:

Boiling Reetha nuts + Amla or Hibiscus = Ayurvedic Shampoo

In 1814, an Indian surgeon, Sake Dean Mahomed, introduced shampoo to England. Since then, the habit of washing hair has become common in Europe and around the world.

Europe gave soap to India

The first soap in India was introduced by Lever Brothers (now Unilever) in 1888.

Before the introduction of soap in India, the main cleansing agent in India was reetha, the same as shampoo. Reetha nuts were peeled to release saponins (natural surfactants) that washed away dirt without stripping the skin of its protective sebum.

Indian/Ayurvedic influence in beauty hygiene today

The Ayurvedic medicinal system uses plants that are particularly gentle on the skin. For example, most plants used for washing hair and skin have a pH between 4.5 and 5.5, which is an important factor to consider.