Unfortunately, not all water helps when it comes to washing your hair. Hard water, water with high mineral content, acts against the lathering capabilities of shampoo, leaving your hair full of mineral build-up and you with the feeling as though you just fell into a pool of grease — the opposite of how you want to feel after taking a shower. If hard water stands in your way of fresh, clean hair, try these eight ways to solve your stressful hair situation.
1. Apple Vinegar Rinse
Buy an apple vinegar hair rinse or opt for a DIY version. If you’re lazy, Amazon is always a go-to for any product. If you’re feeling ambitious, conjure the rinse yourself with two to four tablespoons of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar and 16 oz of water. Essential oils, such as lavender oil, are optional additions. After shampooing your hair, pour the entire mixture over your scalp and let it sit in your hair for one to two minutes. Rinse thoroughly after the allotted time. Only use the rinse once or twice a week depending on your hair situation, and be sure to check out coconutsandkettlebells.com for more helpful information when using the product.
2. Lemon/Lime Rinse
Try a DIY lemon/lime rinse. Simply add 1/4 cup of lemon or lime juice to two cups of warm water. Make sure to strain the mixture of any floating bits of lemon/lime. After shampooing your hair, gently massage the rinse all over your scalp. Let it sit for three to five minutes, then rinse it out. Note that the mixture may lighten your hair color over time.
3. Shampoo and conditioner
Don’t trust rinses or your ability to make them? Go for products specially designed to protect your hair from hard water. Rinses are great, but they involve a lot more effort to make. Many shampoos and conditioners exist to rid hair of the damaging effects of hard water, so take advantage of them. Malibu C® Hard Water Wellness shampoo and conditioner are one of the many great fixes out there. And, you can find it all on Amazon in a package deal that's cheaper than the combined individual prices from the online brand name store.
4. Shower filter
If you’d rather not add another product to your routine or stray from your favorite brand of shampoo, install a shower head filter instead. Though more expensive than a rinse or shampoo, it’s cheaper than buying a water softener. You only have to change the filter when necessary. As always, Amazon is a go-to, and they can also be found at stores like Home Depot and Bed Bath & Beyond.
5. Water softener
Put hard water out of it’s unwanted misery and install a water softener. Though expensive, a water softener can rid your home of the undesirable effects of hard water. If you live in an apartment or in a dorm, this probably isn’t the option for you, but maybe some day.
6. Bottled water or water filter pitcher
Use bottled water or a water filter pitcher as a final rinse. This is more of a temporary solution to your hard water problems because using bottled water can generate a lot of unnecessary plastic waste in the long run. If you want to go the filtered water route as a long-term solution, try using a Brita filter pitcher to avoid purchasing bottles on bottles. Who said Britas are only good for drinking water?
7. Go back to where you came from
If you’re a soft water lover, you were #blessed at some point in your life to live in a place where you experienced the magical qualities of soft water on the daily. Whether you were unwillingly separated or decided to leave the wonder that is soft water, sometimes you just have to go back to where you came from. No matter how far we stray, we always find our way back to the ones the soft water we love. Do it for the hair.
8. Accept defeat
Cry it out. If none of these solutions work for your current situation, you just need to cry it out. Accept the fact that your hair may never be or feel clean again. But, there's always a light at the end of the tunnel. Your current situation may change, and when that day comes, one of these solutions will surely give life back to your locks. Plus, you can always use your salt water tears to get a beach wave look in the meantime.
