Vikings and Cleanliness: Busting the Myths of the “Dirty Barbarian”

When most people think of Vikings, they imagine rugged warriors charging into battle—mud-splattered, wild-haired, and unbothered by hygiene. But the truth is far more unexpected—and surprisingly refreshing for fans of natural skincare and grooming.

Cleanliness Was a Viking Virtue

Far from being filthy or careless, archaeological evidence and historical records paint a picture of Norsemen and women who cared deeply about cleanliness and grooming. In fact, many Viking grooming habits align beautifully with today’s clean, natural living values.

1. Grooming Tools in Every Grave

Excavations across Scandinavia and Viking settlement areas in England and Ireland have uncovered a wide array of personal grooming tools. Combs (often made from bone or antler), tweezers, ear picks, and razors were common grave goods—not just for warriors, but for men and women alike. These weren’t crude tools, either—they were often intricately carved and well-maintained, showing just how much grooming mattered.

2. Weekly Bathing: Ahead of Their Time

While most of medieval Europe considered weekly or monthly baths a luxury (or even suspicious), Vikings were known to bathe at least once a week—usually on laugardagr, or “washing day,” which evolved into our modern Saturday. Public bathhouses were common in larger Norse settlements, where hot spring water and steam were used for cleansing.

3. Natural Ingredients for Skin and Hair

While we don’t have exact recipes for Viking soaps or skincare, historical sources suggest they used natural materials to maintain cleanliness. Lye soap, made from wood ash and animal fat, was likely a common cleanser. Some speculate they may have used herbal infusions—like birch bark, juniper, or nettle—for their antiseptic and aromatic properties, mirroring many of today’s natural skincare trends.

4. Beards Were Groomed, Not Grown Wild

Contrary to the image of untamed beards, Viking men often trimmed and styled their facial hair. Arabic traveler Ahmad ibn Fadlan, who encountered Norse traders along the Volga River in the 10th century, described them as exceptionally well-groomed. Their hairstyles and beards were intentional and maintained—a sign of status, pride, and discipline.

5. Cleanliness as Social Currency

A clean, well-kept appearance was not just about vanity—it had social and even romantic value. The Icelandic sagas and eddas contain references to bathing before feasts or dates, and it was common to change into clean clothes before special occasions. Cleanliness was linked to dignity and respect.

Too Clean to Resist? Viking Hygiene & Their Surprising Appeal

The Norse men were shockingly clean! So clean, in fact, that it caused quite the stir in medieval England… especially among the ladies.

According to 12th-century monk John of Wallingford, Viking men didn’t just win battles—they won hearts, too. Their secret? Soap, style, and self-care.

"The Danes made themselves too acceptable to English women by their elegant manners and their care of their person. They combed their hair daily, according to the custom of their country, and took a bath every Saturday, and even changed their clothes frequently, and improved the beauty of their bodies with many such trifles, by which means they undermined the chastity of wives."— John of Wallingford

So we know its true that; Vikings bathed weekly, and carried grooming kits with combs, tweezers, and razors etc with them, in a time when bathing wasn’t common practice. This kind of hygiene stood out—and so did they.

Their commitment to cleanliness made them irresistible to many Anglo-Saxon women, much to the dismay of local monks and husbands. Viking grooming didn’t just reflect personal pride—it became a weapon of seduction.

Natural Grooming: Then and Now

The Viking approach to hygiene mirrors much of what we strive for in natural skincare today—using what the Earth provides, maintaining rituals of care, and viewing grooming not as vanity, but as a form of self-respect. At its heart, natural skincare is about being in harmony with nature and treating our bodies with kindness—and the Vikings were way ahead of their time.

So next time you reach for your botanical cleanser or handmade soap, you might just be tapping into your inner Viking.

Why not lather up with one of our rune-inspired, cold-processed soaps, remember: you're tapping into a tradition of self-care that once made Vikings too attractive to ignore.

Shop our Viking-inspired soaps and see where a good scrub might lead...[Explore the Collection →https://www.alchemyofcolours.co.uk/shop-3]