I'M A Hairstylist. I Tried Medieval Hair Care And Went A Month Without Washing My Hair

Jack Danya Kemplin: 20 years ago, some SCA friends and I decided to live full time as medieval people for 7 years. I love watching videos like this disproving modern myths about poor hygiene, as we all looked and smelled fine, though as you noted, we did have a "human" smell that most modern people associate with being unwashed.

charischannah: I have long straight hair, and it's usually in braids. I typically brush it with a boar-bristle brush, wash it once or twice a week, and if it's getting a bit oily and I'm not ready to wash it yet, work in some dry shampoo. When I was a kid and teenager, I would sometimes wear the "homeschool" headscarf--a bandana folded into a triangle and then tied around the head. I liked the way it kept my hair off my face, particularly when my mom insisted I have bangs, because I could tuck my bangs back into the bandana. I have actually had one person comment on my appearance while I was wearing a headscarf. A woman in line at the grocery store asked me where I was from, and failing, to get more satisfactory answer than "right now, I'm from here" from me since I didn't feel like getting into my immigration situation with a complete stranger (I'm white, but I think based on the headscarf and my multi-coloured outfit, she was guessing I was an immigrant from eastern Europe; I'm originally American but I've lived in Canada my entire adult life), she turned to my daughter and asked her how many languages she spoke at home. Instead she got a speech about my kid's pet snake. It didn't feel good and reminded me that people of colour get so much crap from white people.

Ragnhild: My only “hair experiment”, if I can call it that, is keeping my hair braided at all times (except when washing it, obviously) and letting it grow out. So far it’s down to my bum when I let it down, but not quite so long that I might accidentally sit on it. During the day it’s always in two braids that wrap around my head (I vary how large I make the circle, how far forward or back I pin it, to not put constant strain in the same spots on my scalp all day every day), and at night I brush it all to one side and put it in a single braid, alternating which side I brush it to. I still wash my hair with shampoo every week, but brushing and combing it every morning and evening is definitely what keeps the scalp exfoliated, judging by the dust that gets deposited in my hairbrush and comb.

Lunam Equa: Thank you for acknowledging the struggle women of color endure while trying to protect our hair.

Chibihugs: I feel you on the curly girl struggle of combing out your hair. This is such a neat experiment. The usefulness of headscarves and braids is amazing.

Adri Cortesia: The most powerful sentence from this video is regarding the headscarf: You're judging your own body less for how it affects your appearance. This is something a lot of people should think about.

TheGPFilmMaker: I wear headscarves regularly and my word they are comfy! And they do genuinely keep your hair so much cleaner. I do curly girl method, don't brush my hair, and only wash 1-2x a week and I attribute part of my ability to do that to using headscarves! I can confirm that I check my scarf/reorganize it a bit probably every 2-3 hours when it's a draped style, depending on my activity level. Usually just once a day if it's a more sedentary time like at my office. When I wear it in a turban/tichel style I do typically pull it forward slightly every hour or so! Though bad "hair" days 100% occur with headscarves...the infamous bad scarf day is just as stressful!!

Marcelino Daggatt: I've developed an allergy to most shampoos and conditioners and I've been using similar techniques to take care of my hair for the weeks in between the "proper" washes and it's been great! I've been doing it for a solid two and a half years and my hair has stayed clean, strong, and easy to take care of. I've even been told by people that my hair smells great, despite the fact that I never use anything scented in it.

Neophoia: I stopped using shampoo in my hair about 5 or so years ago because I got horrible eczema from every brand that the stores around here sell. It somehow ended up with my hair not having had any split ends at all ever since, so apparently my hair and scalp just didn't get along with the "modern" products.

Pris137: my mum lived in a city prone to smog in an area people still used coal to heat their houses. in winter when she washed her hair the water would run off black. this was 40+ years ago and the air quality has improved a lot.

Kris Toohy: I have very long, very straight hair and I work as a gardener and landscaper. Lots of bending, twisting and sweating. I can pin my hair in a braided bun with no elastics and nothing moves all day and since the weight of my hair is distributed over all the pins, there is no discomfort. I started doing it because it was practical for me, turns out it's pretty historically accurate too. And braiding my hair loosly before sleeping saves me so much time in the morning!

Kerstin Isaksson: I haven't used regular shampoo since november 2019 - I usually use chickpea-flour mixed in water and vinegar, but occasionally I use an egg instead (then I of course have to use cold water, and preferably wash it over a container and empty it outside). The first thing I noticed was that my scalp didn't itch. Gradually, I have been able to wash my hair more seldom, though I do comb it quite often. And the comb gets dirty, which is not so strange - dust is mostly skin-cells. When I do wash my hair, I have to work more on it - massaging the "shampoo" into the scalp, and make sure I get it all over my hair, since it doesn't lather, and the removal of "dirt" is mechanical rather than chemical. One reason I started this water was that I was trying not to waste water, for environmental reasons, but I need to use quite a lot of water and soap to clean the comb. Anyway, it seems that in a great part of the world we have become more and more obsessed with hot water and soap (or shampoo), and we have a very simple concept of dirt and hygene and we are terrified of smells. Excessive amounts of water and soap is not good for our skin.

KOKO **: I've done this, I guess sorta? I have curly hair, but not as curly 10 years ago. So about 10 years ago I went months with brushing, not washing, protecting for bedtime, etc. It was a tough first few weeks (month?) at the start. But it was generally very good and effective I stopped when I was always in water anyway for summertime. I would say it worked pretty well, but I DO prefer modern haircare. Texture and styling options, along with being able to swim etc without major concerns for my hair, are big reasons I use modern methods. Also, I admit that I like the sensation and smells of washing etc.

oaktree_: Far be it from me to tell anyone how they should feel about their hair or what looks objectively "best", but I actually think your hair is gorgeous combed out like that! It catches the light and just glows. It's beautiful when you have all the curl definition too, but it looks great in its combed out state as well.

Lisa M: Historical myth busting...my personal fav! This was a real fun and educational video. Good job.

Boops: I naturally don’t sweat much and have dryer hair. I only ever wash it 2-3 times a month. I actually add oils to my hair (Rosemary & Jojoba) for sure much needed oil. My only point is I fully understand everyone has different hair and thus, different needs. My aunt’s hair was so oily it became visibly oily in only a matter of hours. She still only washed every other day.

Sarcasm-hime: I had knee-length hair for over 20 years, and putting it up in a high bun and then adding a cute headscarf has long been my go-to for when it's a little dirty but I'm not ready to wash it yet. And same, I've only ever had positive comments as a white woman wearing a headscarf. And yeah, normally I washed my hair once a week pre-pandemic, more like once every 10 days now, and shampoo only once a month (the rest of the time, CO-wash). People would always ask 'what's your secret, how do you get your hair so long' and my answer was always "I basically do as little as possible to it"

Sara Crouch: My hair 'experiment' has been seeing how long my straight, thick hair can grow while being washed once a week and being plaited the rest of the time - answer, it's been going on for around 5 years now and it went from around ear length to me being able to sit on it when it isn't plaited. However, there are so many split ends!

missanne290: Years ago I was put in a full plaster body cast for six months and the only way I could have my hair washed was to have someone drive me down to the hairdressers to have it done professionally. This was done about once a week. I was just twenty and my hair was very oily. Keeping my hair braided at all times was the way I coped with it. It was certainly more comfortable than having my hair loose. I've also found that a comb made of natural horn picks up more dirt than plastic ones.

Rhonda Crosswhite: I’ve been following the Pretty Shepherd’s hair care routine for almost a year. She has lovely waist-length hair and mine never grew much past my shoulders. Since I only wash it with modern products every 4-5 weeks it has grown to bra level in the back. When you consider that the more you wash out the natural oils, the more oil your scalp produces. I have very dry curly hair and I think I can say that I love the medieval method of no shampoo and keeping the hair braided or contained. Y’all keep your fingers crossed that I can get it to grow to waist length. It never looks or feels oily and I am now just using a comb rather than brushes.

Chaos Bitses: I have a fine wooden comb too and the amount of lint and gunk in my hair is always surprising! I always love seeing people do these experiments because they're very interesting to me as a disabled person. I can't always wash my hair up to 21st century standards so it's nice to learn about alternatives :)

M GB: I spent years not washing my hair. It took a couple of months for my hair to adapt, but then I literally didn't wash it for years because *it didn't need it.* I do wear head scarfs. However, during the pandemic I didn't go anywhere, so I didn't cover. And suddenly, need to wash my hair again. I'm in the process of going back to it.

Katharine Donnelly: For the past month or so, I’ve been powdering my hair with an 18th century reproduction powder (ie: dry-shampooing- I can’t remember the last time I actually used shampoo on my hair) and combing it every day… I usually have really dry, frizzy hair but by keeping the natural oils (except those absorbed by the powder), my hair is smoother and tamer- even my grandmother noticed a difference and wanted to know what new shampoo I’ve been using! No itch, no bugs, no rats- just healthier hair that smells like snickerdoodle cookies!

Marialla: I've taken to wearing my hair up in a bun almost all the time now, since I find it so comfortable and convenient to keep it up and out of the way. My hair is naturally straight, fine, and oily, and normally it doesn't tangle much but it would be normal for me to brush it five times a day if I left it loose. Keeping it contained in a bun gives me the freedom to not have to think about it at all, so it's a huge bonus! I tried going no-shampoo once but it didn't work out well for me. I was showering daily, but only washing my hair/scalp with water. My scalp built up a surprising amount of greasy dead skin cells within just a few days, even if my hair still looked fine. Lately I have found that if I add a light dusting of baby powder to my scalp (scrub it in well with my fingertips, then brush out), combined with bun hairstyles, it can extend my wash days from daily to weekly. Everyone's hair is different, but this is what's working for me at the moment. :) Just sharing in case anyone else out there like me has fine, oily hair and doesn't think they can do without daily shampoos. If nothing else, it's a way to get through a long camping weekend when hair washing would be problematic.

Rebecca: I often braid my hair before I sleep, just because it becomes an unruly mess if I don’t (think Hermione on the first movies). I learned that trick from watching Pride and Prejudice years ago. I was watching them get ready for bed and thought, “That’s a good idea!” We can always learn useful things from period pieces, lol

Alexis Welsh: I've done several experiments with my hair, mostly with how often I should wash it. One of them was going about two months washing my hair only twice or thrice a week while brushing once a day. My mom, a former hairstylist who can't be convinced that my once blonde hair grew out and is now dark brown, was convinced that my scalp would be dirty and red. However, when she inspected my scalp after three days of not washing it, she found it was completely fine, and was completely baffled. Another was going about four years without cutting or trimming most of my hair, the only exception being my bangs, while washing and brushing once a day. I wanted to prove that the back of my hair was shorter than the sides and front, and I was right. I also wanted to find out what was the longest my hair could grow. For the back of my hair, it's just past my shoulders. The rest is the end of my shoulder blades.

mintjaan: In College, I lived in a dorm that rarely got hot water, so that year I started pin curling or braiding my hair most days. On the days I didn't go to class I wore scarves. I have extremely straight and fine hair and it could last half a week before it started looking limp and greasy. I never really changed my combing habits.

Talitha Crow: After the initial comb out you looked like Myrtle from AHS Coven. I kinda follow something similar to this hair routine, but with modern products and I generally do use hot water and a mild conditioner to rinse my hair once a week. I usually wear my hair down, and once a week I'll change the style, usually either my natural hair or braid waves , and in working on perfecting a foam roller set so I can have vintage inspired s waves, I'm getting better at it. I brush my hair every day unless I'm wearing it natural and I do the combing at my scalp every two or three days when im not. I find the hot water helps distribute my oils more evenly

Kirsten Paff: I once tried experimenting with washing my hair every other day instead of every day. It did not go well. By the end of day two I could plaster my hair flat to my head with its own grease. I tried keeping it up for a few weeks to see if my scalp would adjust, but it did not. I am very glad I do not have to resort to medieval hair care.

Vee Dragon: Im glad this went so well for you! Ive done this out of curiosity and fatigue, with shorter hair. The hair itself is fine. Even with scalp combing, after about 3 weeks, my scalp gets a serious funk and gunk. I tried rinsing with tap water, but the chlorine made my hair nasty.

Elisabeth Beattie - Scholasticus Vagrans: In medieval Italy, a turban made of a couple of yards of linen was also an option, seen in a number of manuscripts (c.f. Tacuinum Sanitatis). It happens to look good on almost anyone. For northern Europe, the St Birgitta's cap shows up a fair bit, both in the daytime and in bed scenes.

Helena Frei: You mentioned that washing your hair takes half an hour or so, which sounds like it's a lot of work. I have a suggestion: try washing it braided. I have hip-length hair, and washing it used to be an ordeal. A while ago, it occurred to me to try washing it braided. I works beautifully. First, I give it a good brushing & braid it up. Then I shampoo, applying the shampoo mostly to the scalp & behind my ears, which are the areas that get grubbiest. I work a bit of shampoo through the braids, but, since the further the hair is from my scalp, the less oily it is, the less shampooing it takes. Combing it out is a breeze; no more wrestling with mega tangles, and I lose much less hair. Dunno how it would work with your thick, curly hair - mine is super fine - but it might be worth a try.

scouttyra: One of my go-to haircoverings is the Huckle (Google images Huckle Swedish, and it should turn up) in the style tied behind the head. It's super easy to improvise using a teatowel folded diagonally, and keeps my hair out of the food and paint out of my hair. Only downsides I can think of are if it's not forward enough on my head it will slip off and that it can put pressure on my ears, which combined with my glasses can leave my ears achey.

H Colleen: I typically go a week to two without washing my hair. I have bangs/fringe so those get oily before the rest of my hair (which is shoulder length). I haven't been able to go longer because I have some psoriasis and the soap/water/friction combo helps calm it down. Maybe I can try a 'proper' comb to see if that'd work (I use a tangle teaser style brush). I do have rather curly hair, but I don't put any 'fixative' type products in (just a leave-in), so my curls fall pretty quickly, but I also tend to tie my hair back, so... *shrug*

Jackie Thomas: Hi, Jackie from Rigr Crafts here! Thank you so much for featuring our combs and hair pins. I follow the historical haircare routine too (although I end up washing every 2 weeks because I'm a greasy Italian lol) and I use our hair and beard oils on the ends of my hair once or twice a week and then comb it through. It gives it a really nice scent and it helps condition the ends since my hair is waist length. I also wear head scarves regularly especially when I'm working in my jewelry studio so it stays clean. My hair has never been healthier. Now I'm off to share this video on all of our socials!

Aida Kopmels: Tip for tying off braids securely and historically appropriate: insert the ribbon / thread a little bit above where the braid should end (or at the very top if you like the effect) and braid both ends along with the hair for a bit, then tie off. It won't slide out that way, because your hair holds it in place. If I remember correctly, it was Morgan Donner who showed this in one of her videos.

Queen Mab: Your first medieval haircare video was my gateway drug to historical fashion YouTube; thank you so much for doing this amazing sequel! I struggle with wavy/curly hair that is also fine and greasy as all get-out, so I can't always wait as long as I would like to wash it. I might try combing it out like you did in between showers, or maybe sleeping with it in braids to keep it from tangling. A related question about headscarves - I used to wear headwraps after studying abroad in West Africa, but I stopped because of concerns about cultural appropriation. I loved them when I used them because they hid the greasy mess that is my hair most days, and as you discovered, they keep hair out of the way like nothing else. Are there any headscarf styles that it would be appropriate for a (Gentile) white woman to use? I'm eager to hide my frustrating hair without stepping on anyone's toes - especially when I get too busy to wash it (I am a teacher - that is a thing!)

Nitzan G: My hair "experiments" are pretty boring, but I'll list them anyway: 1. I had bangs for half of my childhood. Somewhere after my 8th birthday I decided to grow them out, never looked back(except i year of HS when I tried faking side bangs. Did not work with my face). Turns out bangs don't work on wavy(not curly, I know curly bangs are a thing) hair. 2. I cut out all silicone products out of my hair, only brush it when it's wet and cut down on shampoos to once a week(conditioner still twice). My hair starts forming ringlets from chin length onwards. I actually fell in love with my own hair for the first time in my life, and a donation chop(which is 30cm/12in) actually felt like a loss for the first time in 4 rounds.

meamela: Aha! That is why my comb is always so dirty! Haven't really done any hair experiments related to hair care but I feel like I should. I think there would be a lot to discover with my hair. This is stuff I would have wanted to learn as a teen.

La Joyous: I've tried headscarves a few times and I feel self-conscious when I do. My hair is very straight and flat, so it can give the illusion that I'm bald under the wrap unless I leave my braids unpinned and hanging out the bottom. Perhaps I need to rethink my wrapping technique.

Carole M Pluckrose: Ladies, and all you gentlemen, out ther, love and enjoy your hair whilst you can. As a 67 year old female with health issues, it saddens me that my once !not hair never grows further than my kid to upper back and has thinned out a great deal. I once had long, I could sit on it, thick hair that I revelled in. Now, it's quite thin a d all that glorious length has disappeared. Admittedly, although I have very at the front, most of my hair colour is now a dusty shade of what it was at its best. In that respect, I cannot complain. So, if anyone out there can come up with some good advice about how to persuade it to thicken up and grow again, I'd love to hear from you It's great to see how things were done in days of yore, I suspect this combi g practice went on for centuries before our modern hair care was ever a twinkling in anyone's eye. It obviously works. Maybe ditching some of our present day ideas on hair care and learning from our ancestors would be a pretty smart thing to do

Brend Wolff: I also have curly hair, and I wash my hair maybe once every two weeks? I sleep with my hair wrapped in a silk scarf, and that definitely helps keep my hair clean and neat, and I've also figured out that if you're careful and gentle you can spread your natural hair oils down the length of your hair between washings without having to comb it. (I did actually try the medieval method you did in this video for a while, and I quite liked it! Might go back to doing it sometime in the future. I also found no damage to my hair caused by the process, and my hair grew more than expected during it.) Sometimes i wear my hair in a headscarf during the day, too, which I started doing when I had no hair (health problems) and have kept up since. Very comfortable, very easy, looks nice and takes next to no time at all to do in the morning once you've figured out two or three styles of wrapping it that work for you. Highly recommend for other spoonies like me.

Lena Breijer: Headscarves are great. I always used them on unfortunate hair days. In fact my student card from 1968 university has me in a headscarf because I forgot it was the picture day and my hair was limp and greasy.

VeretenoVids: 5:40 Ahhhh, yes, the old fluffy hair cape. I used to have hair like yours and I once brushed it out to prove to some friends that brushes should not touch curly hair.   I feel you on those icy showers! Years ago I was living in a place where the water is centrally supplied (like electricity) and so they shut it off for a month in the summer to do repairs on the lines. I tried to go without washing my hair during that time. I wore it braided in one long braid. By about day 10 I just couldn't stand the way my scalp felt. I've always had an exceedingly oily scalp so it felt like I was wearing a lard cap. Perhaps a really fine toothed comb like you have would have helped! (I had only a very wide one I use to distribute conditioner and work out knots in the shower.) After that I took to boiling a kettle of water on the stove while I washed my hair under the faucet in the icy stream. (Tiny apartment, electric stove, heavy metal kettle, I wasn't worried about leaving it for a few minutes.) Then I'd fill the bathtub with water and pour the kettle water in so I could get my body scrubbed without turning into an iceberg.

Jenna Rhodes: First - I absolutely love medieval style caps, they are so so comfy! Second - this is something I've always wondered about the curly-girl method, if you never brush your hair and wash it less frequently, how do you prevent buildup and itchiness in your scalp?

jr3wx: My recent hair experiment: how long can I let it grow due to pandemic and also laziness before it starts to give me the bad gender feels? Turns out, longer than I thought! As long as I keep the side-shave tight and keep other things like makeup/clothes to the more masc end of my usual I can have longish hair that doesn't make me feel more femme than I want to be!

Mio's Life: I recently switched out my regular shampoo and conditioner for pure olive oil soap and an apple cider vinegar rinse. I used to get quite a dry itchy scalp using normal shampoos most likely due to additives and having sensitive skin in general. This new method turned out to work really well for me.

Harley H: This was super cool to watch and learn! Can I ask a couple of questions; are the headscarves you use rectangular or triangular? The wrapped ones look super cool and I'd like to try this myself, as I'm trying to grow my (wavy/curly) hair and take better care of it. Second question, do you wet your hair in the shower at all, or just keep it wrapped and covered and dry while you shower the rest of you? Thanks so much!

History With Character: I am totally here for all of this experimental hair stuff! I kind of want to buy my own comb like that, my hair gets gross and itchy if I don't wash it every day and now I'm curious to see if that comb would prevent that sort of feeling. Also, I have a few scarves that I want to try out but just don't have the confidence-- you've made me want to wear them more often!

Casey Leichter: Great video - very interesting! I haven't washed my hair every day in a very long time, but thanks to the pandemic I've gotten into the habit of washing it only once every 7 to 10 days. It does get itchy, but I haven't been doing the comb-out routine nor worn a hair covering. Since I would like my hair to grow more and better than it does, I may try the no-wash-but-do-comb experiment... though probably not for a month.

Maura McConnell: I love this video. I’ve been struggling with my hair for years - it’s wavy and super fine, and generally looks straight, but frizzy, and won’t stay up unless it’s long enough to braid or uses a million pins. I’ve been wearing caps and tichel-style headscarves to keep myself sane as I grow out, and I totally agree about the potato look. I find myself overcompensating with large earrings a lot!

Timothy Strain: Thank you for the experiment and letting us know how it all went. I was wondering how medieval men dealt with their hair grooming issues.

Paley Lewis: When I tried to not wash my hair the comb got that dusty looking every time. I think it’s just what sebum looks like all clumped together. I wish I had a wooden comb, my plastic one and boar hair brush were so hard to continuously clean I had to stop

Adri Void: This is really cool experimental archaeology- examining how older beauty/hair techniques would actually look is really useful to analyzing our perception of the past. I’ve been curious about this, being from Southern Europe where curly hair was the norm, and veils/coverings were the norm until the 1950s

Whit Alleys: Headscarves are really awesome! I asked my Muslim sister to show me how to drape a hijab and am so happy she showed me. I have thick curly/wavy hair that dries out quickly, scarves are an awesome protective style. <3

Rebecca Cuthbertson: LOVE IT V! Thank you for sharing this fun experiment with us!

Jean Brown: Hello there! I've been watching your videos for some time now. I find each to be informative and interesting. You delve deep into topics that captivate my curiosity. I have had a few months were I gave up on regular modern hair products and switched to using vinegar and baking soda. Diluted vinegar as a rinse and baking soda mixed with plain water to scrub my scalp. My hair was healthy, clean, no bad smell and actually looked wavier than when I use commercial products. I didn't need to wash as frequently, either. Right now I have bleached and dyed hair. I made my own dry shampoo with cornstarch and rice flour. I added a tiny bit of vanilla and violet oil for a pleasant fragrance. I only need to use the dry shampoo every week or so. My goal was to reduce washing with water and not being fearful that my scalp would have an offensive odor. Also a benefit is lower cost for products to maintain my hair. Long ago I had watched a series that put modern people in pioneer settings with things only available during the time period. The women and teenage girls used wheat flour as a period appropriate dry shampoo. I believe the narration indicated this was a practice of people at the time. Anyway, please keep the videos coming as you are able. I appreciate your candor, humor and expertise. As always, my best to you.

UBT pixielox: I’ve also found myself wearing headscarves more often lately. They work so much better than anything else for keeping my hair away from my face, which is such a relief sometimes (as an autist, sometimes my sensory issues are enough that having my hair keep brushing my face can leave me crying on the floor trying to rip my hair out )

Brigitta Albares: Great video!! I appreciate you going to such lengths for our Hair Knowledge ☺️ My hair experiment has really just been the pandemic and working at home more making it so I didn’t need to wash it so often and since I have it up in a bun all day (though I do sleep with it down but use a silk pillowcase) it’s no trouble at all to go a week without washing anymore. I have gone two weeks but it’s really not feeling nice by the end of that. I wonder if I used a comb instead of my boar bristle brush and if I braided it for sleep if that would extend the time more easily. Let the experiment continue lol

Helen Everbach: This was totally interesting! As for your comment in the beginning of this experiment about elastics, I've been braiding my hair up with ribbons since August and I can recommend if you're trying to get ribbons to stay in your hair to tie off the ends, fold a short bit of ribbon into two strands of braid when you're about two inches down from the bottom of your hair and then when you get to the bottom of the braid, tie the two strands of ribbon that are hanging off the ends of your braid one clockwise and the other counterclockwise so you can tie it in a little bow. This has worked for me! Just if in the future you wanna try braiding up again but without elastics. No shade on elastic though, elastic works great too! Anyway very interesting video! Maybe I'll try this method at some point? My hair is dyed though so I worry about if that would mess up my ability to naturally produce oils or whatever. Or maybe it would be fine. I don't really understand how hair works lol

Sewcial Anxietea: I just think of my years as a camp counselor, we used braids and bandanas to keep our hair clean during days spent outside playing with kids and working in the barn with the horses. So I guess I've done this sort of thing, but with weekly washes.

Phoenix18793: Really appreciate the commitment you have to mythbusting, we need more of this in the world. Also a really important point about BIPOC who wear headscarves and how we should let people wear what they want without harassing them.

SmartStart24: Having 4B/C hair, looking at that comb gave me major anxiety. I almost hissed at it when you pulled it out But very cool and enlightening experiment! It actually gives me ideas for when I wear braids and protective styles.

Fiber Obscura: Loved this! Glad you could get some experiential archeology done while they were working on your house. During the panini, I cut my own hair. Occasionally, I ended up needing to trim the back a second time, but that is as experimental as I have gotten with my hair.

Bun Helsing's legacy: I've sort of adapted my own version of this... I used to have greasy hair and dandruff and get an incredibly itchy scalp if I didn't wash it every other day and had to load on the conditioner cause split ends even though it'd been a decade since my hair had seen a dryer or curling iron or colouring... then when I ended up without a job to look presentable for, I decided it was time for a change in hair care so I stopped using shampoo, just going through the same scalp scrub in the show under the running water every other day that I'd done to rinse out the shampoo. So my hair was on the very greasy side for the first month or two but then I discovered something: if I went without washing it for three or four days, IT DIDN'T ITCH! So I showered less often (daily facecloth of pits and parts was fine in between), still no shampoo. I typically brush with a boar bristle brush (which I now and then use shampoo and a coarse comb on to remove all the scurf/schmutz/greasy lint that accumulates on it) every other day or so and I keep it braided with a finger-loop braided cord that I wind into the braid and use to tie it off so I don't have to keep looking for the hair elastics my husband keeps using up... I also wear a ball cap when I leave the house because when sun hits my bare head I get a headache within half a hour (I used to do the triangle bandana head kerchief thing but I decided once I started wearing ball caps that I also prefer having a hat brim for when I'm outside anyways, good for sun and good for keeping rain off my glasses). Also, my chronic dandruff? Yep, gone. Turns out all those shampoos for dandruff and greasy scalps dry you out and make you produce MORE of your own oils, and a more natual approach of letting my scalp self-regulate seems to really work for me. And even though I'm colouring my hair again (because blue and purple are fun, not because I feel the need to hide that I'm going awfully light awfully quickly), I have fewer split ends than I did when I was using shampoo and condiioner and not colouring my hair... I do admit, I sometimes pre-condition my hair before I shower just to rehydrate the end of the tail, which because I do work outside in winter and do all kinds of not nice to hair things indoors as well, does sometimes get a bit crunchy feeling. And I've been known to use hair dressings and even the odd squirt of olive oil on the end of the braid when I didn't feel like getting in the shower yet. Around the same time I was increasing the time between hair washes, I also quit using antiperspirants (which I'd just sweat through and they'd not only mess up my clothes but also make me smell worse than if I'd just forgotten to put it on entirely) and switched to just an underarm deoderant that works with my body chemistry (men's Old Spice Pure Sport), and was discovering that a quick wipe of pits and parts with a wet facecloth was sufficient most of the time so the icky goblin that I am could keep avoiding the shower. That "human" smell, yeah, it's there. And I'm ok with that. If my whole braid doesn't smell like it, nobody else is going to notice it, and if I can smell it myself, it's time for a scalp scrub, finally time for the icky goblin to get in its shower. So now I'm down to full shower with exfoliation mitt and head scrub every other week, with unbraid/brush/rebraid at least every other day, occasionally oiling the tip of my braid if it's really dry, really abused or just feeling too crunchy, and my skin and scalp have never been happier. I usually don't tell most people how rarely I do a full wash, it grosses people out, but daily showering is so not good for my exterior surfaces, even if it wasn't such a waste of time and water!

Johanna C: I actually washed my hair with flour (yes, the powdery food substance) for a year and I kinda liked it. Wasn't compatible with modern hairstyle though so I gave it up in the end. But it was an interesting start to what ended up being a journey of me discovering my hair is actually curly lol.

Анна Бушева: I’ve been thinking about trying these methods out since your first video on the topic, but now, after seeing you actually do it, I’m sure I will incorporate this into my hair routine. Also I’m a huge fan of headscarves, but I struggle to arrange them on my head in any historical way, so I’d love to see a tutorial from you about the styles you’ve been wearing for this experiment or in general :) Thanks for the amazing content!

The Pomegranate Witch: You’ve inspired me to add ‘fine tooth comb’ to my ultra-straight fine hair care routine. I have to add oil to my hair so perhaps moving beyond just brush will help! Such a mood that some of my ancestors would just add black oil to their hair and the others decided that once you got married, no time for that and you cover!

Mona Skov Jensen: This video was so great! Thank you! I did attempt this method of hair care once but it only lastet a few days. About 5 years ago I stopped using scented shampoo and I don't use conditioner at all. The shampoo I use now is allergi-friendly. Last night before going to bed I braided my hair, and it was almost perfectly braided when I woke up (my hair is not the same length in front as it is in the sides/back). I think I try that each night in the next couple of weeks (hopefully that will last longer than the combing method did).

Anna G.: I loved this experiment! I'm trying out more curly hairstyle hacks, and while I don't think I'll go medieval, I definitely have come around to more headscarf use!

Kima Blazewood: As a disabled person that don't always have the energy to wash my hair, I'll totally try this! I imagine it can save me a lot of energy, and still make me feel like I'm actually doing something productive. (Mind you, I do have very straight hair, tho, and it never really tangles at all, because I already sleep with it in braids or twists)

Morgan Biddlecom: I stopped using modern shampoo about a decade ago and I've found my hair to be much happier. I do have dandruff but it's a medical issue as I also have it on my face and in my ears and I have meds for it. I rinse my hair in cool water a couple times a week and wash it with diluted apple cider vinegar about once a month. I brush it with a boar bristle brush every couple days which does about what your comb did I think.

J Gamble: Yes. Braiding before bed has a long and continuing history for long-haired european types for that exact reason of keeping maintenance manageable...lots of folks still do it.

BethAge: Awesome experiment! I think your hair looked nice all the way through :) I have very straight and long hair and I always try to wash it as little as possible to protect the length and tips from drying out. Was down to once a week but then I moved to Helsinki and the dryer air and different water made my hair oilier so I'm washing it about every fourth day atm. Brushing it out a lot definitely helps with distributing the oils and removing dirt. Never thought about using a comb to help with that even more, I think I'll get a fine wooden comb now and see if I can push the shampooing schedule to every 6 days maybe :) Also wearing a headscarf while not doing reenactment seems to be a good idea! Only have wool ones, but I have enough linen lying around to make an easy headscarf. Thanks for the inspiration!

Elizabeth McGlothlin: No hot water? That's a very medieval life style. I went through a year of having to heat water on the stove and it's a nuisance! No wonder people used to wash a bit at a time with a cloth!

Jez Mezz: the urge to try this with my hair is strong. My hair is also curly and lately I've been wearing a bandana most days and have already found that lengthens the time between needing to wash it. My hair is just longer then chin length, so would be very interested to see how this goes with a shorter length (its just long enough to french braid).

reallifefrizzle: So interesting! And I love that you wore tichels :) I’ve been wearing a basic bandana style tichel for practical and Jewish reasons often lately and I love it

Amy: I don't have curly hair, but my hair is extremely wavy, and I comb it most days (unless I'm not going anywhere or don't have time) since I shampoo it almost everyday it doesn't have as much lint, but it's still in there. I think the fine tooth part of the comb distributing the hair oil helps it stay reasonably healthy considering the battering it takes from my germophobia. (There have been times where it touched something dirty and I didn't want to get another shower just to wash one bit of hair, so I just sprayed rubbing alcohol on it...how it still manages to get complements now and then is a mystery...)

Rachel: Great to see all the techniques you can use for hair without washing it! My hair is only shoulder length but already washing it is a pain because it’s so thick, so I might try and see how long I can get away with not washing. Did you wash your comb every day?

It's always Halloween except when it's Christmas: I've done a lot of experimentation with my hair care routine. I wanted to wash it less with regular shampoo. Things I have tried; -egg yolk shampoo (very effective for me) -water vinegar rinse (very effective when used after another product) -making a paste of water and raw chickpea flour and applying that, and rinsing out. It seems to absorb the oil -rye flour paste (not very effective) -water only washes can extend the time between other types of washes/cleansing. I used this when I had shoulder length and it gave me the most beautiful glossy, frizz free waves that I have not been able to replicate since. -different types of brushes and combs to transport the oils from scalp to ends, and to get dust/dirt out of the hair. I don't have a wooden comb, but I'm sure it works better than my plastic fine tooth comb. I've used a boar bristle brush which works really well but is more work to clean (compared to a comb) imo, and tends to yank more hair out of my head than the comb. Now I'm interested in getting a double sided wooden comb. Brushing to extend the time between washes does really work for me, it prevents that itchy scalp feeling and leaves hair really glossy. I'm not disciplined enough to use the comb out method consistently, because I need to clean the comb after every session and I tend to forget. So when I get more lazy with my hair care routine I often default to using a regular shampoo once a week. I was concerned about developing a bad smell in my hair during these experiments. I asked someone who I knew would be brutally honest and she said my hair didn't smell bad, and my friends said the same.

lemon balm: awesome video! i would even say your hair actually looks even healthier! your curls looks very defined with lots of volume

Autumn: I keep my hair up all the time, but I work outside so I wash my hair once a week when I’m done with the work week. The longest I’ve gone is three weeks when I was home after a surgery and no one knew the difference, because bun.

nyella: I don't use shampoo since 6 years now. My hair and me are loving it :D It's just a bit annoying to have to clean the comb all the time. How did you do it?

Harko: I enjoyed this video way more than I thought (and probably should), being a bold man. Thanks for doing and sharing the experiment V!

Alejandra Moreno: About bear grease, in Mexico a mixture of castor, sweet almond and olive oil is known as "bear grease" and is used a lot for hair growth, and it is even included in some comercial hair masks.

Talya Em: As a fellow curly girl I'm surprised by how much I like the way your hair looked after the initial comb out!

Elise L: I’ve been trying to do “no poo” for 2.5 years now. My hair still gives Snape’s hair a run for it’s money.

FlybyStardancer: I’ll probably go on a rant about my own hair elsewhere and elsewhen… I feel for you on the hot water issues!! When I moved in to my current place, the water balance on my shower specifically had the max temp way too low, and it took years to get Dad to understand that and fix it. And eeek on losing hot water completely! I only had to do a cold shower like that once (finals week at Uni and we had a terrible storm that knocked out the power for days and I needed a shower my last full day before flying home, but no electricity meant no hot water, so that shower was absolutely as quick as I could make it, and with me standing outside the spray while soaping up.)

TL oS: Great video! It is nice to see this experiment in action.

Hermina Depagan: Historical records shows women would sew the ends of their hair. Also with your lovely skin and green eye, you need to make a Merida style dress. Now, I’m carved from cream cheese but I will rock a headscarf to cover my hair and I’ve had nasty comments about either having cancer or being in a cult. But I do love a head wrap to keep my hair clean when doing yard chores because I only wash with shampoo 2xs a week.

Kathleen Stidham she her: I just got a couple of lovely scents from opuselenae! I am not washing my hair more than every two weeks because my shoulders don't like the extra stress. I actually stopped counting "how many days" in between and just wash with a watered-down dandruff shampoo when the seborrhea gets bad enough which seems to be less often because my routines are apparently gentler than before. I find that my hairbrush picks up a LOT of lint, as you noticed with the comb. I was surprised!!! I was thinking I would try headscarves, but wasn't convinced. But this experiment of yours is inspiring me to give this a try! (but not with curtains, I think I have some actual linen around! LOL)

Day: for about 4-6 months, i decided to just use the barest of bones hairstyling things- so ribbon, twine, u-pins, and scarves. i didn't try washing it any other way that i usually do (although i will say i only used shampoo and conditioner, no other products or heat), but it was fascinating and very fun to spend a long time just sewing and pinning my hair into different styles! from that, i will say that in order to tie a braid with string etc, you have to weave in the string maybe 5-8 inches up from the end, then tie it when you'd do so with a hair tie. also, as someone with hip-length straight hair, i can literally *never* sleep with my hair undone- braids and the occasional lazy bun are saving me 20 minutes detangling, HIGHLY suggest it (same goes for sleeping in satin- my hair is straight but frizz gets us all)

Camille La Chenille: I used to have quite long hair until last year and I washed it once a week at most, every ten days usually, and kept it braided for night after combing it. Yet the ends were completely broken and I had allergic reactions to shampoos, hence I cut my hair very short to start from zero. Since I have short hair, I have to wash my hair twice a week because the oil doesn't have anywhere to go and my scalp starts to itch sooner because less combing. Short hair are really practical to stle in the morning and to wash but I am considering the idea of letting my hair grow back and have a more medieval haircare. Anyway, I now have a shampo my scalp accept and it is good for hair growth so it should be esier than before and, maybe, I will reach my goal of "princess long" hair I had as a child.

Janice McAlisterDouglas: You are beautiful and interesting with orn without cosmetics! I so enjoy your videos and I learn many things from you.❤

Shaina C: So happy I subscribed to you, thank you for bringing a little bit of joy to a stressful morning.

Carron Greene: I actually typically go 3 to 4 weeks between washes because I've yet to find a shampoo or conditioner that doesn't irritate my scalp if I wash my hair more often. I also don't have overly oily hair and it's mostly straight so doesn't require much by way of styling. I keep my hair up or braided. The only thing I don't do is wear head scarfs, but maybe I should. I might try adding the essential oils to my hair for fragrance when I comb my hair, as I have a few I like the smell of.

Eden Smith: I've been doing this awhile ;) My bone comb (saxon replica 900ad) started to break after a year. Lack of extent wood combs?? I use yarn or ribbons to tie my hair. Yarn more so. Usually in a knot bun. Either using the remaining yarn or a bone pin, granted recently broken. I find if I try to buy bone hair pins are too thick rather than long cloak pins. Oil seems to make bone more fragile. Yes braid when sleeping, helped my hair grow. No itching, used to have horrendous dandruff. Yes the lint can be quite extensive. The oils stop after awhile and yes I put olive oil, on the bottom. Nothing fancy.

Alaska 49: As someone with long straight hair, I usually do some sort of braid or bun almost all the time. I braid it at night as well since my hair is at the middle of my back.

The Dress Developer: Interesting, thank you V. I would not have expected such a good result. Maybe I should give the fine side of my comb a try.

Twice Exceptional Costuming: I think that I am going to try this with my own hair. I have been wanting to grow my hair out but I get a bunch of breakage. I don’t think it helps that I rarely have the spoons to shower so it just gets really tangled and annoying between showers.