HOW TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE HARD WATER + WHY IT'S HURTING YOUR HAIR
Does your hair constantly feel stiff, dry?
Does it look dull and dingy?
Does your color lose a little more clarity with every shampoo… even turn weird shades of green, yellow, orange or brown?
If you answered “yes” to one or more of these questions, it’s a sure thing you’ve got hard water. Hard water can really mess with your hair texture and color, making it very hard to style and leaving you with zip zero shine.
We’ve been there, and know first-hand how frustrating it is to deal with “hard water hair,” especially if you don’t even know you have it! When your hair’s in miserable condition and really bugging you, you might try everything: conditioners, moisture treatments, shine sprays. But if hard water’s the reason your hair’s in a bad way, no conditioning lotions or potions are going to make a difference.
Well, fret no more! Today on the blog we’ll help you find out if hard water’s been stressing out your tresses. And, we’ll share quick, easy solutions to bring your hair back to its shimmery, silky-soft best...with picture-perfect color!
FIRST, A LITTLE BACKGROUND... WHAT IS HARD WATER?
“Hard water” is water that has a high mineral content – especially calcium and magnesium – in comparison to soft water. Read more about the minerals in hard water here. Hard water isn’t bad for your overall heath. In fact, hard water is typically free of microbes and bacteria because of minerals like copper, aluminum and silver. And, the calcium in hard water is actually good for your bones and teeth.
DOES HARD WATER DAMAGE YOUR HAIR?
While DRINKING hard water isn’t unhealthy, it can cause serious problems to your hair (and skin). Every time you shower, the dissolved minerals in hard water leave a filmy build up on your hair. And that filmy build-up wreaks havoc. It:• Makes the surface of your hair dull and coarse, and leaves your hair feeling constantly dirty and icky• Blocks critical moisture from getting into your hair, leaving hair dehydrated• Distorts natural hair color (if your hair is color-treated, it interacts with hair color chemicals which warps the tone)• Deposits on your scalp which causes itching, irritation and dandruff-y conditions.
Starting to sound like your situation? The thing is, you can actually see and feel “hard water hair” happening.
Did this ever happen to you? You go on a trip, take a shower, use all your usual hair and skin products, but ugh! Something’s not right. Your skin feels like sandpaper, your hair is like cardboard! So, you load on lotion, but that just feels worse. The answer is: You are in a super-hard water zone, and have coated yourself with mineral scum!
YOUR CRITICAL QUESTION IS:
HOW CAN I TELL IF I HAVE HARD WATER AT MY HOUSE?
Aside from telltale signs on your hair, hard water mineral deposits might cause:• Dry, itchy skin• Faded, scratchy, rough-feeling clothesWhen you inspect your bath and kitchen, physical signs of hard water are a dead-giveaway:• Mineral build up around water fixtures• Soap scum in bathtub and shower, on curtains and tiles• A rimming ring of color around water in the toilet• Spots on dishes and glasses• Sluggish appliance behavior (dishwasher, washer, dryer, heating units break down and seem to have shorter lifespans)
Now, if you discover that you have hard water, don’t freak out! It’s annoying, but not really dangerous. The fact is, over 85% of the U.S. has hard water. (which is actually pretty cool and why we have the best supply of healthy drinking water on the planet)
If you are seriously worried about the quality of your water, you can contact your local water supplier for information. If your water comes from a public supply, call your water superintendent or city hall and ask if the water is hard. If you are on a private supply, collect a sample in an approved container and take it to a testing lab or send to your city or state health department to have it evaluated by professionals. (You can find the intel here.)
SO, WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO DEAL WITH HARD WATER + THE HAIR PROBS IT CREATES?
Improve your water source. You can do this mechanically by overhauling your plumbing and installing a complete water filtration system (major time and $$ - 👎) or installing a filtering shower head (mixed reviews, depending on what minerals are in your household water)
Some people suggest catching rainwater in a barrel (it’s naturally soft) to wash your hair. But first you have to strain debris and mosquitoes. (No, thank you. 👎)
You can buy gallons of bottled water (must be distilled not mineral water) to wash your hair. (Expensive, inconvenient and a definite eco no-no. 👎)
THE FASTEST, EASIEST SOLUTION TO RESOLVE "HARD WATER HAIR" ISSUES?
New Dream Filter Pre-Shampoo Mineral Remover.
(Warning: there are a LOT of harsh products on the market and damaging DIY methods floating around the blogosphere. Read this before you do something that takes your “hard water hair” situation from bad to worse)
Dream Filter is a groundbreaking ultra gentle spray you apply to dry hair before shampooing. In three minutes or less, it works like a magnet to un-do hard water hair:
• Removes minerals found in water that darken, stain or distort color
• Extracts minerals (like copper) that interfere with color processing• Removes elements which leave a dulling film that makes your hair feel rough (calcium, manganese, aluminum)
You can use Dream Filter as often as you need to, even every day if you swim or live in a very harsh hard water zone. READ MORE ABOUT DREAM FILTER
