Hair is a classic trivial detail of the apocalypse. Movies show survivors with perfect windswept hair after months in the wasteland, which is a lie. Real hair at the end of the world gets greasy, tangled, matted, sunburned and, in crowded shelters, infested. Here is how to keep yours clean, practical and still a little bit stylish when salons are gone and water is precious.
Washing with almost no water
- Wash less often. Most hair can go several days between washes, and scalps adjust to less frequent washing over a few weeks.
- Use a cup, not a shower. Wet hair with a cup or two of water, lather a small amount of shampoo at the scalp, and rinse with another cup or two. Collect the rinse water for flushing toilets.
- Dry shampoo works. Commercial dry shampoo absorbs oil at the roots. If you run out, cornstarch or arrowroot powder does the same job; brush it through and out.
- Use a damp cloth. On truly dry days, wiping the scalp with a damp, soapy washcloth keeps things tolerable.
Styles that last
Braids are the classic survival hairstyle for good reason: they keep hair out of your face and out of machinery, reduce tangling, and stay neat for days. French braids and Dutch braids hold best under a hat or hood. Protective styles like cornrows and twists can last weeks with care.
Short hair is the most practical choice of all, which is why armies have favored it for centuries. It is easier to keep clean, dries faster and gives lice fewer places to hide.
Scarves and bandanas keep hair clean, protect your scalp from sunburn, and soak up sweat. They are also the easiest way to add a bit of personality to a wardrobe made of whatever you could find.
Cutting your own
Keep a pair of real hair-cutting scissors in your supplies, because kitchen scissors fray the ends. Cut hair when it is dry if it’s curly and slightly damp if it’s straight, take off less than you think, and let someone else do the back. Hand clippers that need no electricity exist and are worth having for anyone who keeps their hair short.
The lice problem
Nobody mentions this in the movies, but crowded living conditions spread head lice fast. Lice don’t carry disease, but the itching is miserable and scratching can lead to infected skin. A fine-toothed metal lice comb is cheap, lightweight and the most reliable tool against them, used carefully through wet, conditioned hair every few days. Avoid sharing hats, brushes and bedding when you can.
Why it matters
It is fair to ask whether hair matters at the end of the world. Survivors of long hardships often say that small grooming rituals helped them feel like themselves. Combing your hair or braiding a friend’s is a few minutes of normal life, and that is worth more than it sounds.
What’s your apocalypse hairstyle going to be? Tell us in the comments.
