The human race has been using shampoo for washing hair since ages now. But how many paused to think about where the idea actually originated from. The entire process of cleaning and massaging the hair has old roots in India as long before shampoo bottles were introduced, Indian households used natural cleansers grown on trees and shrubs to clean their scalps and hair. But one barber from Patna (capital of Bihar), introduced this practice to the world and soon shampoo became a household product. Now let’s find out more about this Bihari barber who helped give the world shampoo! Read on:The story of Patna’s barber who became shampooing surgeonThe story talks about a barber from Patna named Dean Mahomed aka Sake Dean Mahomed. He was born in 1759 and learned the art of champi (therapeutic head massage using herbal oils and cleansers. The barber migrated to Britain and along with his skills, he bought his hair recipes. Soon he settled and started businesses that introduced Europeans to Indian-style baths and shampooing.

He opened a Hindostanee Coffee House in London, and later ran a bathhouse in Brighton. He started “shampooing” (meaning vigorous, aromatic head-and-shoulder massage and steam bath during those times). The entire process was extremely relaxing and cleaning and soon got ‘viral’ in modern-day word. More people from the upper classes started choosing it and Mahomed soon earned the prestigious title of “shampooing surgeon”.

Commercial shampoo is a mere product of labs and industry, but the story begins with a unique combination of soapnut (reetha), shikakai and amla (Indian gooseberry). Before shampoo, these were mixed together to create a paste which was used to cleanse and nourish hair.So how did a barber’s mix become a global product

The concept of rubbing, massaging and cleaning hair with plant-based products have Indian roots. People used the local botanicals not only for cosmetics but for scalp health and lice control. Then came in people (read businessmen) like Mahomed who shared these techniques with Europe and the idea of a packaged hair-wash became transmissible. The word chāmpo (champi) became “shampoo” and during the 19th and 20th centuries, the product became a mass-market consumer good. Why reetha, amla and shikakai are important

Today, we often see herbal shampoos being sold. They all advertise the combination of reetha, amla and shikakai. Amla is rich in vitamin C and is a great antioxidant with conditioning effects. Shikakai’s mild low-pH clean-up protects hair cuticles. Sapindus or reetha have real surfactant and antimicrobial activity

The word shampoo is a perfect example of how everyday vocabulary migrates with people and practices. Practically, the continued interest in natural, low-chemical haircare — from DIY reetha decoctions to commercial herbal shampoos — shows that those old combinations still meet real needs, especially for people looking for gentler, biodegradable alternatives to synthetic surfactants.The story of shampoo with its roots from Patna, Bihar is a lesser-known tale that the world should know. It’s not only a practice, its heritage which is still visible every time someone reaches for a reetha-and-amla bottle or a modern day shampoo.