Today, most people use various hair cosmetics daily, all over the world. But this hasn't always been the case. I've always found the history of hair cosmetics incredibly interesting, and I decided to share some curious facts from history with you.

Let's start with ancient times. While Egyptian men shaved their heads, women used creams made from both animal and vegetable fats (such as castor or almond oil) as hair moisturizers. This protected their hair from the hot climate.

Ancient Greeks, on the other hand, used olive oil not only for cooking but also for hair care. Additionally, they applied lotions, ointments, and beeswax to their hair to nourish and refresh it.

Now something even stranger. In the Middle Ages, women cared for their hair with concoctions of lizards in olive oil. Aren't you glad we live in more modern times? :)

In the 17th century, women fixed their hair with lard or fat mixed with eggs. In subsequent centuries, they used flour or lavender oils and starch to maintain their white wigs. Unpleasant practices followed – for example, caring for gray or thinning hair with hemoglobin treatments... I don't think I need to continue – it's clear that hair cosmetics in those times were based on readily available natural materials, but what's more interesting is to see that throughout the centuries, people never stopped caring for their hair.

And so we come to modern times, when in 1903, German chemist Hans Schwarzkopf developed the first shampoo for the mass market. The water-soluble powder shampoo he created was a huge hit! It shook up the market, and soon numerous liquid shampoos appeared. With their help, in the early 20th century, regular washing became an important part of people's lives. At that time, the recommendation was to wash one's hair with shampoo once every two weeks (or every 4-6 weeks if the hair allowed). This was necessary because more frequent use dried out and damaged the hair.

And from the mid-20th century onwards, the world of hair cosmetics developed at lightning speed – the first synthetic shampoos appeared in the 1950s, and in 1963, the first anti-dandruff shampoo was released. Many global brands emerged, offering both mass-market and professional hair cosmetics. During this decade, some of the greatest professional hair cosmetics brands were created – with each brand contributing to the industry's development with its unique type of innovation.

Kérastase was the first brand to change the way we think about hair cosmetics – from hygiene products to care products. They developed the first masks and serums for intensive hair care. Professional luxury care driven by science combined with the professional expertise of the world's best hairdressers: this is at the heart of this brand. Today, Kérastase offers highly effective, personalized, luxurious hair care solutions.

Around the same time, Paula Kent and Jheri Redding created Redken, and with their revolutionary pH-balanced products, they forever changed the world of professional hair cosmetics. In developing its formulas, Redken relies on science and offers the most innovative products on the market – today, Redken sets the pace for the most modern trends in hair and scalp care. Using protein-based formulas to nourish hair from within, Redken's range of professional shampoos, conditioners, and specialized treatments can make even the driest ends silky soft.

In the 1980s, two friends created Paul Mitchell with only $700 in start-up capital. Paul Mitchell's professional hair care is based on several principles that have made it a favorite brand for millions of consumers in over 80 countries – vegan, paraben-free, gluten-free, cruelty-free. With care for hair and the world we live in! Paul Mitchell offers a wide range of hair cosmetics with specialized lines for even the finest hair and sensitive scalp.

These are just some of the biggest brands. We have worked with all of them, but practice has taught us to prefer American brands like Redken and Paul Mitchell – they offer excellent effectiveness and a balance of price and quality. That's why we rely on them at MV Hairshopy.