Save this story Save Story Save this story One of the few downsides of growing up in Los Angeles is dealing with the city’s very hard water. Thanks to the mineral buildup, my teenage and college years were spent trying different hair products to make my thick, long hair feel less dry (and oh, it was dry) and look less dull . It all changed when I learned the key to washing hair in hard water is in my shampoo.
As Morgan Rabach, MD, board-certified dermatologist at LM Medical NYC, explains, certain shampoos, also known as chelating shampoos, are designed specifically to bind to minerals so that they can be rinsed away easily. When incorporating it into your routine, a shampoo for hard water sets up a good base for your hair to stay healthy and mineral-free.
“The biggest thing is preventing mineral buildup,” says Corinne Erickson, MD, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Georgia Skin Specialists. “Hard water contains minerals like calcium and magnesium that can accumulate on your hair, leaving it feeling dry, dull, stiff, and harder to manage.”
So if you’re dealing with hard water and looking for a shampoo to help revive your hair from all that debris and buildup, consider these seven recs below.
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According to Dr. Rabach, hard water is water that contains high levels of dissolved minerals, including calcium and magnesium. When these minerals accumulate on your hair, it can leave the hair feeling rough, dry, or difficult to manage, she says.
Hard water is pretty common throughout the US, says Dr. Erickson, especially in areas where groundwater travels through limestone and other mineral-rich rock. It is usually found in parts of the Midwest, Southwest, and Great Plains, but she says it really depends on the local water supply and that both city water and well water can be hard. One easy tell is by just looking at your water; she says if you’re constantly seeing white, chalky buildup, you may have hard water. You can also check with your local water utility or use a home water hardness test, she adds.
No, hard water itself isn’t dangerous, says Dr. Erickson, and it is generally safe if you’re bathing and washing your hair in it. But it can damage hair over time. “Buildup can make hair feel rougher, increase tangling, and create more friction,” she says. “Which may contribute to breakage. It can also make dryness or irritation more noticeable if you already have sensitive skin.”
How can you tell if you’re dealing with hard water?
While not exclusive to hard water, some signs to look for if you’re dealing with hard water include hair feeling rough and straw-like, less shine than usual, more tangles, and your hair feeling coated or weighed down after washing. (And if you have color-treated hair, signs also include color looking dull or if you see a change in tone). “If your hair suddenly feels different even though you haven’t changed your products, hard water could be part of the problem,” says Dr. Erickson.
What should you look for in a shampoo for hard water?
Dr. Erickson says that not every shampoo that is labeled “detox” is going to remove hard water minerals, and it’s important to find shampoo with ingredients that will actually help bind to those deposits and wash them away. She recommends looking for ingredients like disodium EDTA (or tetrasodium EDTA), citric acid, and chelating ingredients like phytic acid or sodium phytate.
She adds that those with dry, curly, or color-treated hair should look for a gentle formula and to be sure you’re following the shampoo with a moisturizing conditioner or mask. Most importantly, however, don’t overdo it. “You want to remove the buildup without creating a new problem by over-cleansing your hair,” she says. “Healthy haircare is all about finding that balance.”
What’s the difference between a pre-poo (pre-shampoo) and chelating shampoo?
“These are actually two very different things,” says Dr. Erickson. As Dr. Rabach explains, a pre-poo is a treatment (usually an oil, cream, or conditioner) that you apply before shampooing. “It reduces tangling and dryness during cleansing,” she says. “But does not specifically remove hard water minerals.”
Dr. Rabach says that there’s not a specific timeline on when you can expect to see results. Some people may be able to notice a difference after one was, others may have to wait for multiple washes to fully remove mineral buildup from the hair. It really depends how much buildup needs to be removed.
When we test and review a product, we take a holistic approach to deliver well-rounded product recommendations. First, we lean on Vogue ’s vast network of experts—from board-certified dermatologists to celebrity estheticians—to gain professional acumen on the industry’s standout products, ones these specialists would actually use on their clients. We pair their expertise with our editorial best practices to curate the thoughtful edits you read on our site.
As it relates to shampoos for hard water, we selected the best based on the following characteristics: ingredients, chelating agent, texture, lather, and the hair-care concerns they address. To do this, we paired our own personal tests of each formula with expert guidance and reviewer insights to determine which we would recommend to you. Read more about our testing methodology here .
Corinne Erickson , MD, board-certified dermatologist and owner of Georgia Skin Specialists Morgan Rabach , MD, board-certified dermatologist at LM Medical NYC Sharif Poston , celebrity hairstylist Discover More Beauty Recommendations From Vogue Shopping The Best Eyebrow Pencils for Older Women Create Natural-Looking Volume and Fullness
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Source: Lifestyle
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