Why Your Water Could Be Ruining Your Hair Health

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You spend a ton of money on shampoo and conditioners, invest in argon oil serums, and try to do a coconut oil mask whenever you can, but somehow your hair still doesn’t look like a L’Oreal ad – although you know you’re worth it! There are tons of things that can cause hair loss (check them out here) and a list of things you shouldn’t do to your hair (see how to get hair like Rapunzel here), but there could still be an enemy at work that you hadn’t even considered. I know it sounds like we’re being dramatic – we are – but for a very good reason… the water could be working against you, and we take this very seriously!

You’ve probably heard the term hard water and soft water being thrown around and presumed it had nothing to do with you, but actually, it does! If you live in an area with hard water, it might taste great and be good for your body, but the rich mineral content that characterizes hard water can wreak havoc on your hair and scalp. In comparison, soft water has very few minerals and is treated to taste a little salty, but it’s far better for everything, from your hair and body to your kettle! So, if you live in an area that has hard water (to be technical, an area that’s rich in limestone), like Dubai and most of the US, it could significantly impact your hair’s health.

Hard water contains minerals and oxidizers that could be causing split ends, breakage, and dandruff, and don’t even get us started on how it could be affecting your skin too! It also stops your shampoo from lathering up as efficiently, as the magnesium and calcium react with surfactants (what causes foaming), making them less effective. Not only is your shampoo less efficient, but the minerals in the hard water create a scaly, almost sticky feeling on your hair and leave a film that prevents moisture from entering the hair follicles so that your hair looks dull and feels dry. Hard water can even affect how long your fresh new highlights stay in your hair, as the mineral deposits can mess with your color.

The good news is, now that you know this could be the issue, you can fight it effectively (just google your region, and you’ll be able to see if you live in a hard water or soft water area). You can buy a shower filter that fits into your shower, which will filter the water, immediately giving you less problematic water. Miranda Kerr is obsessed with Alkaline shower filters, but there are a ton of different shower filter options that remove the bad stuff and are super easy to find online. We love the Hello Klean Shower Filter, which fits onto any shower and is consciously made.

If you’re unable to invest in a shower filter, we have a DIY to help you – don’t we always?!

Rinse with apple cider vinegar! Not only does this remove the scaly build-up on your hair, but it makes it super soft and shiny, and it’s great for your scalp too. Fill a glass with one-quarter ACV and the rest with bottled water; once you’ve washed your conditioner out, use this rinse as the last thing before you get out of the shower. Find out more about why ACV is awesome here.