Hair care has a long history in my country. As early as the clan commune period, people were accustomed to tying their hair up with hairpins, and the phenomenon of wearing hair loose was no longer common. Ancient people often used pods to wash their hair, and this was already included in the *Shennong Bencao Jing* (Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica). The pods are the fruit of the *Gleditsia sinensis* plant, a legume, and are produced throughout China. The pods contain saponins, a strong emulsifier, and their aqueous solution has detergent properties. During the Qin and Han dynasties, the country was powerful, and culture and art flourished, with hairstyles becoming increasingly sophisticated. The concept of hair care also began to take shape. Liu Tao of the Eastern Han dynasty said in his *Shige* (Explanation of the Origin of Hair Conditioner): "Ze is used to moisturize dry and brittle hair." Here, "ze" refers to a type of oil-based product used to moisturize the face and hair. By the Tang dynasty, social prosperity, coupled with the Silk Road promoting cultural exchange between China and the West, led to new developments in hair care. At that time, hair care products made from Chinese herbal medicine and lard were already widely used. Wang Xi's *Waitai Miyao* (Secret Essentials from the Outer Terrace) contained nearly sixty formulas for moisturizing hair, treating dandruff, and dyeing hair.
In the 20th century, the concept of hair care further permeated society. In the early 20th century, wood shavings water was a popular hair care product. Wood shavings water was water infused with wood chips from a plane used by carpenters. It was typically made from sycamore wood chips; the resulting water was bright, slightly viscous, and fragrant, making hair soft and shiny. In the 1920s, hair oil and hair wax began to be used. By the 1940s, the hair and beauty industry in Shanghai was relatively developed. In the late 1970s, conditioner began to enter China, breaking the habit of using only shampoo.
In the 1990s, with increased environmental pollution, perming, dyeing, and other factors, the likelihood of hair damage also increased. Therefore, people paid more attention to hair care.
