Hair and Scalp Part 1: Mindset Change

Maybe you think giving up shampoo and conditioner will leave your hair greasy, tangled, and full of dry ends all the time? It doesn’t, I promise. Every step in this lifestyle change for historical hair care goes hand in hand, and when I went “all in” and the consistency of my hair completely changed in six months. Natural methods like these are used for helping people with excessive hair fall, damaged hair, and skin conditions on the scalp like dandruff and psoriasis. Using things other than harsh soaps and conditioners full of chemicals gives your scalp a chance to heal and balance out oil production. Part of why I gave up constant use of shampoo and conditioners (despite having already used the most natural products available) was I had to keep swapping conditioner brands because one would stop working for my hair. I was tired of all the flowery, fruity-sweet scents they had as well as relying on something from a store to keep my hair in good condition. Nothing about modern hair care reflects nature, we buy the problem instead of live preventing it. Yes on occasion I still use store bought shampoo and conditioner when my hair is extra tired from being loose in the wind and sun– I've discovered a balance where I can use those once a month without risking the strength and consistency of my hair, but if you’re looking for a natural, less expensive switch that strengthens and grows hair instead of slowly breaking it, read on for an understanding behind the mindset change to historical hair care methods! (And if you want a deeper historical background for this check out this video that I learned from!)

Mindset Change #1 Washing and drying

This is a luxury that’s hard to give up but is slowly wrecking the consistency and strength of our hair. When you wash with commercial soap or shampoo (even natural stuff with far less chemicals) it does a very good job of removing ALL the oil from your hair. This oil is what’s needed to strengthen the entire hair shaft so that it can grow longer without breaking. After your scalp is stripped of all the sebum it works even harder to quickly replenish that needed oil, and the unnatural chemicals in shampoo cause thin hair and sensitive skin. Modern “hair care” is fighting our bodies. 

The longer your hair is, the older the strands are and more dependent on gentle care. Over-washing it, heat drying and styling it, and even constantly wearing it down is very harsh on the oldest lengths of our hair. (People with short hair who are often getting the oldest ends trimmed off don’t have to be as gentle with their hair) Historical hair care is as much about taking care of the lengths of your hair as it is about properly washing the scalp for hair growth, and in the 1800s “frequent washing” was once a week using strengthening things like eggs or clay powder that gently remove extra oil. It’s not all messy, chalky, dry shampoos like you think! 

Drying our hair should be a gentle process too, not including blow dryers and curling or flattening irons that cook the lengths! My hair was oily for the first month when I gave up shampoo because my scalp hadn’t yet balanced the production of sebum, and my hair used to take FOREVER to dry because of all the conditioner that was holding water in. Nowadays my hair dries within half an hour after only a little towel drying and gets oily only around monthly cycles. 

Mindset Change #2 Conditioning / oiling

Your scalp wants to condition your hair on its own. We just have to work with it by providing foods with natural fats instead of processed oils, and by working the oil on our scalps down the length of our hair. For some people that requires a well kept boar’s hair brush to pull the oil down, for me that means massaging my scalp with clean hands before finger detangling. 

It’s hard to find store bought conditioners that don’t contain alcohol, silicones, polymers, and preservatives. Oil alone is nature’s way of cleaning and conditioning something, and if that doesn’t work for your hair type there’s herbs, vinegars, and rice water to smooth and soften your hair. The sebum your scalp creates is exactly what’s needed to protect, strengthen, and condition long hair, but when your scalp isn’t creating the right amount there are some natural substitutes to use! Depending on the texture of your hair, you can use heavy or light oils in certain amounts. In example, the top of my head grows wispy straight strands that can only handle small amounts of very light oils like Jojoba and Apricot– while the underside of my hair is dark, coarser and does better with heavy oils like Coconut or Castor. Experiment and find the best oil for your hair– even a small bottle of natural carrier oil costs less and lasts longer than a bottle of conditioner. (By far the best conditioning agent I’ve used for both parts of my hair is Jojoba oil, rubbed first over clean fingers then lightly over the driest locks)

Mindset Change #3 Detangling 

First, “micro tangles” and tiny knots are always going to be there, so the “tools” you use need to respect that. A wide tooth pick comb and clean, gentle fingers are the best tools for all hair types (and because I hate static I bought a wide toothed wooden comb) After shampooing and drying my hair it would be FULL of little tangles that could only be removed by ripping them out with a stiff plastic-bristle brush. And ‘cause my hair was so dry from lack of natural oil and wearing it down and loose all the time, it would tangle again in a matter of hours. Part of my childhood bedtime routine was trying not to cry as mom whetted my hair with spray detangler and combed through everything. A proper historical comb or brush strengthens the hair during use, exfoliates the scalp (removing a lot of dust and dead skin that you didn’t know was there) and distributes the oils. A wooden comb leaves your hair feeling just as straight and fluffy as a modern plastic brush, but it forces slower, gentle attention that doesn’t rip up your hair during use! Until you’re accustomed to finger detangling the process takes awhile, but the change is worth it. Now I gently comb through my hair once daily- and mostly out of enjoyment- because thanks to oiling, no soap, and keeping my hair in braids\, it doesn't get tangled and frizzy. 

Second, don’t detangle when your hair is wet! Long hair strands are far more likely to break when they are wet, but we don’t feel this because it’s kinda stretchy while it’s damp. This means detangling happens best when hair is dry and properly, lightly conditioned with the right oil. 

Mindset change #4 Styling and sleeping

Edwardian women had floor length hair. It was customary not to cut it short, their diets and hygiene practices supported hair growth, and the way they dressed and wore their hair protected it! If you have long hair and wear it down all the time then you know exactly how much it rubs on everything, dries out and gets tangled up during the day and night. (I like to think of this like a leather strap being taken care of so it lasts a long time. If you’re oiling it and properly drying it and yet still leaving it out to flap in the wind and heat, it’s still gonna become brittle) Protecting your long hair is just as important as all the other steps. Historical hair styles all consist of gently twisting or braiding the hair then pinning it up to keep it from rubbing and catching on everything. That is way better than using tight clips, elastics, and strong holding gels that break and pull hair when they’re taken out. 

In the mornings and before bed I braid my hair and sometimes lightly oil the ends, then pin it up if needed. “Messing” with your hair more often isn’t much of a pain like I once expected, it’s even easier now and takes less time. (Also historical sleeping caps for women were used to protect the hair from tossing and turning on pillows and getting tangled up, and when fitted properly they are fun and comfortable to use) Protective Hair Styles for Long Hair Growth

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Let me know your thoughts! Have you ever done any of this before? Next week I’ll release an in-depth post on historical washing techniques and recipes, along with the inexpensive products like clay and vinegar that I use to wash my hair! For now, look at your own hair care practice and determine if you want to start switching to natural “products”.