Most of us just tend to go through with our typical hair washing routines, without really thinking a fat lot about what we are doing. We may invest every now and again in a nice shampoo or a leave in conditioner as a treat. But let’s face it, we tend to just stand there in the shower in some sort of daze. Well, news flash ladies – maybe we should be caring a little bit more about what is going on during our hair wash sessions…  

You know the feeling, you’re away from home or have moved house and suddenly your hair feels very different, better or for worse. You can’t style it the same as home or it’s had some sort of transformation and can achieve greatness in a matter on moments instead of hours! This may be caused by something as simple as the difference between hard water and soft water. Yeah, you heard us water.

Let’s start from the source of the issue, what is the difference between hard and soft water? It’s about to get slightly geographical so get your brain switched on… When water falls from the sky (precipitation i.e. rain), it is naturally soft, and it’s only once it meets the ground does it gain ‘hardness’. Water that is described as ‘hard’ is full of minerals like magnesium and calcium. If where you live has porous rock (it will have lots of tiny holes which liquid can easily pass through) like limestone, then rainwater will easily seep into the ground (i.e. the rock) and while it passes through it collects minerals and particles, which is how it gains its hardness. In contrast, if where you live has non-porous rock like granite, the rainwater cannot seep into the ground meaning no minerals are picked up, so it stays super soft. Still with us?

So, the hardness of water is measured in parts per million (PPM) and how many particles of hardness are dissolved in the water gives us a rating. See below that broken down into something we can all understand a bit better…

Now for the scary part, hard water is associated with being bad for our hair. This is because all those minerals can create a layer of film on our hair strands so they can’t absorb moisture *weep*. In time, hard water increases hair breakage by decreasing our hair strength. It can sometimes feel like your shampoo has not been rinsed out properly, and this is because the hard water isn’t really cleaning your hair nor allowing your hair to get the condition it needs. Sometimes your scalp or skin can be left feeling itchy and dry. The impact of hard water is also felt differently in certain hair types and different hair colours. Hair that has never been bleached or coloured (virgin hair) has greater style retention after hard water compared to bleach hair. However, hair stiffness was present in both colour treated and un-treated hair. Wait, it gets even better *not*, hard water can also contain high levels of copper which is a bit of a nightmare for girlies with blonde coloured hair, as it can turn your hair slightly green or brassy!

The far gentler option is soft water, however, even this can leave hair looking a little bit limp but is loads better for your lovely locks than hard water.

So how can you tell if you have this evil hard water and how on earth can you change it?!

THE DIAGNOSIS

Some detective minded individuals may be able to see the hard water signs around their home such as a calcium build-up in their bathroom sinks or inside their kettle and even might discover their clothes becoming crispier after every wash. If you fancy yourself as a Sherlock of the water world, here are a few tactics to help you learn about the hardness of the water in your home…

• Buy water hardness testing trips: SimplexHealth sell test strips that are designed to detect and state the hardness of your water.
• Explore your water hardness using your postcode: The link below allows you to check your postcode and see if you live in a hard water area with their water hardness map.

https://www.aquacure.co.uk/knowledge-base/uk-hard-water-map/

THE SOLUTION

If your detective work has revealed hard water, there is no reason to panic *big deep breaths.* Here are a few ways you can tackle the hard water nightmare…

• Water Softener: If you are a homeowner living in hard water area, you may want to consider in investing in a filtering system for your home. Your water would then be filtered using a softener. They come in various sizes depending on your home.
• Shower Filter: These filter out those nasty excess minerals and can be very effective.
• Shower Head: Same concept in filtering the hard water before it hits your head.
• Wash With Lukewarm Water: Hot water has a tendency of striping your hair of its natural oils and will ultimately lead to hair that feels dry. A cooler temp, even if you do have hard water, will reduce hair damaging factors in your life.
• Weekly Hair Treatments: Treat yourself to a weekly leave-in conditioning treatment to reinforce your hair strength.
• Clarifying Shampoo every few days: This will help remove a build-up of chemicals on your scalp which can cause hair follicle blockage.

Something which you can do immediately to protect your hair is investing in some GLOWWA Hair Food supplements. This is a natural way to support your hair health and promote hair growth. Made with natural ingredients like Biotin, L-Lysine, and Folic Acid, GLOWWA Hair Food supplements nourish hair from the inside out. Results can be noticed in as little as 12 weeks, with optimum results being achieved from consistent ongoing use.

It's time to step out of the shower daze and really start thinking about the water that you are washing your hair with. From scanning around your home for the classic hard water signs to getting geographical by exploring your postcode area, you’ve got everything you need to be the ultimate Sherlock of your shower experience. Don’t forget you can make those investments to stop those nasty minerals once and for all. Let’s turn our water troubles into hair triumphs! Here’s to happy-hydrated hair!