When soap was high tech and shampoo was the new thing

There was a time when shampoo was high-tech.

In fact, shampoo is a relatively recent invention — the first commercially available shampoo (really just a liquid soap) was launched in Germany in 1927, and the first true soap-free shampoo followed in 1933. But before that, hair still got dirty, and it still needed to be cleaned.

According to History Things, the ancient Sumerians washed without soap and oiled their hair to enhance the shine. Women would place cones of waxy perfume atop their heads to slowly melt, which gave the hair a pleasing scent and helped disguise body odor. Greeks and Romans rinsed their hair with vinegar and conditioned it with olive oil. Ancient Egyptians sometimes shaved their hair off to avoid lice and relied on wigs instead, which they washed with citrus juices. Egyptians who kept their hair used castor oil to moisturize and protect it in the hot, dry climate, according to Project Archaeology.

According to History Extra, medieval physicians believed that hair was a waste product and required frequent washing, at least once every three weeks, in order to open the pores in the head and release harmful vapors. People used water mixed with ash and herbs to promote shine and give hair a pleasant scent. Daily combing with fragrant powders was also encouraged.

By the early 16th century, an early form of shampoo was in use in India, according to Beauty Heaven, and consisted of a mixture of soapberry pulp (which contains a mild detergent), herbs, and hibiscus flowers that left the hair and scalp clean and fragrant. When British colonial traders arrived, they adopted the Indian shampoo routine themselves and introduced it to Europe upon their return. Cleaning the hair using soap or other foaming agents (such as egg whites) eventually caught on, and by the early 20th century, the New York Times encouraged shampooing every two to six weeks.

So the next time you step into the shower and lather up, just think: You could be stuck with just a bowl of water and a handful of ashes.