01684 899044 [email protected]

Guest Blog – Hard water and your hair

Mar 22, 2018

The Unconventional Hairdresser has been blogging about hard water and how it impacts on your hair and we thought we’d share it here.

Here in the West Midlands we are in a moderately hard water area. In Worcestershire it varies between moderately hard and hard.

So why don’t we look at what impact that might have on your hair.

What is hard water

So called ‘hard water’ contains high levels of chalk, lime, magnesium sulphates and other minerals. Therefore hard water can leave white limescale marks that can be very tough to remove. In very hard water areas a build up of these minerals can cause problems for boilers, washing machines and dishwashers.  Hard and soft water also taste different, but it’s not a health risk.

But what about my hair?

The most obvious problem with hard water is that it makes it harder to get soap to lather up nicely. So you’ll go through more of your favourite shampoo! It can also leave a residue on hair after washing resulting in rough, dry, unmanageable hair.

The build up of minerals on the hair can make it harder to style as it’s less supple.  Bronwen Robinson, hairstylist and executive director of global brand artistry at Bumble and Bumble told Allure, “if you’re doing a round brush blow-dry, it really doesn’t want to take the shape of the hairbrush.”

Hard water also wreaks havoc with your colour too, making it fade quicker or changing the hue.

What can I do?

Don’t worry, there’s lots that you can do to minimise the negative impact of hard water on your locks.

An expensive, but effective solution is to install a water softener. Luckily our water isn’t super hard in this region, but if you suffer from dry skin or eczema, this may well be a worthwhile investment!

A cheaper alternative is to fit a shower filter. These come in at under £20 and can be really useful if you’re struggling with dry and damaged hair due to your water.

What do you recommend?

Well some people use vinegar or lemon and lime rinses to redress the PH balance, calm cuticles and promote shine. We would advise caution when using lime though as it can lighten hair over time.

Healthy hair from pHd Malvern with Kevin.Murphy

But why smell like vinegar when there are some amazing products available to help tackle problem hair, whatever the cause. For water-damaged locks, I would recommend the Young.Again collection from Kevin Murphy.  The wash strengthens and smooths dry hair, turning back the clock and promoting youthful shiny hair. The conditioner helps tame frizz and repair damage. The deep-conditioning Masque will kick start your road to long, luscious hair. They also have a leave-in treatment (not a conditioner) to complete the quartet.

From John Masters I would suggest Spearmint & Meadowsweet Scalp Shampoo, which removes build-up and stimulates the scalp while hydrating hair. Followed by Citrus and Neroli Detangler which not only smells amazing but is a lightweight conditioner that detangles and protects all hair types.

A leave in conditioner like Un.Tangled or Shimmer.Shine from Kevin.Murphy or Green Tea and Calendula Organic Leave-in Conditioning Mist from John Masters. Both are great for hair that’s been stripped of moisture. Especially if it’s left with mineral residues it can really benefit from all-day conditioning.

Of course, you could minimise the problem entirely by simply not getting your hair wet more than necessary! If that appeals to you, why not try out Fresh.Hair by Kevin Murphy. It replaces odors and excess oil with body and texture – you can’t say fairer than that!