Who Really Invented Shampoo? Let’s Clear This Up (For Real)
- Admin
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
Who Really Invented Shampoo? Let’s Clear This Up (For Real)
There’s a video going around saying “white people invented shampoo.”
That sounds clean, simple, and viral — but it’s not the full truth.
So let’s break this down without disrespecting our ancestors and without trashing modern science. Both matter.
First things first: washing hair is not new
Black people — and people all over the world — have been washing their hair and scalp for THOUSANDS of years.
In ancient Kemet (what people now call Egypt), cleanliness was a big deal. They weren’t dirty. They weren’t guessing. They were intentional.
They used:
Natron (a natural mineral salt) to cleanse
Oils and fats to protect hair and scalp
Plant-based mixtures for fragrance and grooming
This is documented by historians and medical researchers. Not TikTok guesses.
👉 Natron is literally written about in medical journals today.
So no — Black people were not waiting on Europeans to learn hygiene.
So where does the word “shampoo” come from?
Here’s where people get confused.
The word “shampoo” comes from India, not Europe.
It comes from the Hindi word “chāmpo,” meaning to massage or press.
The word entered English around 1762 during British colonial contact with India.
So even the name isn’t European.
Now let’s talk about MODERN shampoo (this is important)
Ancient hair washing ≠ bottled shampoo from Target.
Modern shampoo — the liquid stuff we use today — came later, because science evolved.
Early 1900s:
Companies in Europe started selling powdered and liquid hair cleansers commercially. This wasn’t the invention of washing hair — it was the invention of mass production.
1930s (this is the big shift):
Scientists figured out how to make soap-free shampoos using synthetic cleansers.
Why that matters:
Soap can be harsh
Soap doesn’t rinse well in hard water
Soap can leave buildup and dry hair out
The first widely recognized modern shampoo came out in the mid-1930s in the U.S. and is documented by the Smithsonian.
That’s when shampoo became what most of us recognize today.
Why evolution doesn’t mean erasure
Here’s where conversations go left.
Respecting ancient Black knowledge does not mean pretending modern products are evil.
Science didn’t replace our ancestors — it built on what humans already knew.
Modern shampoo evolution helped:
Control pH so hair breaks less
Reduce scalp irritation
Create options for different hair textures
Make medicated shampoos for dandruff, psoriasis, etc.
Some people thrive on co-washing.
Some need clarifying shampoos.
Some need medicated products.
None of that cancels ancient wisdom.
The real problem isn’t shampoo — it’s misinformation
The issue isn’t that shampoo exists.
The issue is when history gets simplified into:
“They invented it. We didn’t.”
That erases:
African civilizations
Global hair knowledge
The difference between washing hair and commercial products
Two things can be true at the same time:
Black people have ancient, documented hair-care knowledge
Modern chemistry improved consistency, safety, and options
The truth in plain language
🟤 Black people were washing and caring for hair LONG before Europe bottled anything
🧪 Modern shampoo exists because chemistry advanced
🚫 Demonizing products helps nobody
✅ Understanding your options helps everybody
Ancient knowledge is powerful.
Modern science is useful.
You don’t have to pick a side.
