When most people choose a place to live, they often consider factors like proximity to school or work, urban versus suburban setting and, of course, budget. Water quality – including the presence of a well or city supply – should be equally high on the list of priorities.

That’s because hard water conditions, if they exist at all, can greatly affect your water using appliances, a detergent’s ability to thoroughly clean clothing and dishes, and even the color, texture, and health of your hair. Here’s how.

What is hard water?

Water hardness refers to the level of certain minerals (magnesium and calcium in particular) in your water supply. If the levels are too high, filmy mineral deposits can form on your bath and shower fixtures, soap scum on shower doors, and scaly build-up in water using appliances. Hard water also forces you to use more soap or detergent to get things thoroughly clean, including your hair.

This excess use of shampoo combined with mineral build-up common with hard water can strip away your hair’s natural oils, cause color fading and dryness, thus making your hair look and feel lifeless and more prone to breakage.

What is soft water?

Soft water has a low concentration of magnesium and calcium, which can make water taste a bit salty. And yet soft water can have the opposite effect of hard water by over sudsing your clothes, body and hair and leaving you’re your feel oily, weighed down, and limp.

What can I do?

Hard Water Care

• Purchase a shower head with a built-in water filter or consider having a whole-house water softener installed in your home.
• Wash with a clarifying shampoo once a week to remove mineral build-up.
• Use a natural rinse like apple cider vinegar.
• Apply a leave-in conditioner once a week.

Soft Water Care

• Use a light yet volumizing shampoo and conditioner.
• Avoid applying styling creams to the roots of your hair
• Reduce oiliness by rinsing hair with a mixture of ¼ cup fresh lemon juice and 1 cup warm water. Note that this can lighten your hair.
• Add volume to longer hair by blow drying with a round brush.

Taking care of and maintaining great hair is a never-ending battle. But once you have your armada in place, you’ll find the sailing much smoother with victory assured. If, on the other hand, the hair you have left feels fine but there’s just not enough of it, contact us today for a free consultation on how we can return you to the days of full, beautiful hair.