Hard Water Versus Soft Water: Effects on Skin & Hair
From cleansing your skin every single night to using a weekly hair mask, you’re probably doing everything right in your beauty routine. So why are you still dealing with dry skin and crunchy hair? Blame your water. Water and soft water have different effects on your skin and hair—some of which may do serious damage.
What Is Hard Water?
Water has a high mineral content, meaning it’s packed with minerals like calcium and magnesium. This mineral content differs depending on where you live, because the water’s path through soil (where it picks up those minerals) determines the levels. Water is totally safe for drinking, showering, cooking, so on and so forth. The only thing it’s not ideal for? Your hair and skin.
“The abundance of minerals and chemicals in hard water can leave behind buildup,” says cosmetic chemist Ron Robinson of BeautyStat.com. They prevent hard water from completely dissolving the ingredients in your formulas (as well as the grime you’re trying to get rid of) so washing with it can leave behind a film-like residue. On skin, that residue can exacerbate breakouts, dryness and even bring on irritation, especially if you have sensitive skin. That’s not all: water can affect the skin on your scalp, too, causing dryness and that telltale itch.
As for your hair, it may feel like it does when you haven’t thoroughly rinsed out all of your shampoo. So, you might notice it feeling dull, limp or super-dry (think straw-like) to the touch. On top of that, water can also lead to faster fading and altered color in color-treated hair. “Minerals in hard water, like calcium and magnesium, bond to hair,” explains cosmetic chemist Al-Nisa Ward of Cosmetic Science Innovations. “This causes hair to look dull or discolored.” Read more
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