How to Tell If Hard Water Is the Source of Your Hair Concerns

By Brittany Leitner

Published on Feb 3, 2023

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Shot of a beautiful young woman looking frustrated while looking at her hair Desktop

If you’ve tried every hydrating product under the sun but your hair still dries into a crunchy, lifeless mess after you wash it, the solution could be somewhere you never thought to look. Of course products like oil treatments, leave-in conditioners, and hair masks can help to recharge your strands, but if one thing in your shower is off, it could be hurting the rest of the process.

We’re talking about hard water coming from your shower head. “Hard” refers to the amount of minerals in the water—and the more mineral-rich the water is, the “harder” it’s considered. Why does this matter for your hair care routine? Because the minerals in hard water can prevent moisture from getting to your hair. And although this is something most people never think twice about, depending on where you live and what kind of shower head you have, hard water could be harming your hair more than you ever thought possible. To get the lowdown on what to look out for when it comes to hard-water damage and how to solve it, we tapped celebrity hairstylist Alison Ryan to break it down.

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Alison Ryan is a celebrity hairstylist and owner of the Dry House. She has more than 17 years of experience working in Nashville, New Jersey, and New York.

What Can Hard Water Do to Your Hair?

Hard water damage will leave a few telltale signs in your hair, says Ryan. “It can leave your hair with a crunchy feeling, which is the mineral residue clinging to your hair as the water evaporates.” That means that no matter how good the shampoo you use is, your hair could still end up looking damaged post-shower.

Signs You Have Hard-Water Damage

Your hair will scream for help in a few ways if hard water is taking a toll. First, says Ryan, hair will appear dry and brittle. If your hair is dyed, you might notice that the color is dull, looks muted, or is noticeably lacking in brightness.

Because it can be more difficult to tell if hard water is building up in the hair, take a look at other areas of your house. Do your dishes come out spotty when you take them out of the dishwasher? That could be due to hard-water buildup as well.

How to Prevent Hard Water Hair Damage

1. Get a Water-Softening Shower Head

The easiest (and most direct) way to tackle this issue is to go straight to the source and install a water softener. Try the BWDM filter, which is just under $20, to reduce minerals and metals from your shower head. But if you’re not quite ready to go that route, keep reading for more tips to minimize hard-water damage on your hair.

2. Visit the Salon

If your hair color has faded due to damage, Ryan suggests paying a visit to your salon to get your color touched up. Your stylist can also help confirm if it’s hard water that’s hurting your hair, or something else.

3. Use a Clarifying Shampoo

Clarifying shampoos are great because they can get rid of all the gunk and buildup that’s taking up residence near your scalp. When things like dry shampoo, hard water, and more get stuck near your roots, using a clarifying shampoo is like hitting a reset button. (Just make sure you only use it once a week to avoid further damaging your hair). If you need a rec for where to start, try R+CO’s Oblivion Clarifying Shampoo.

4. Use an Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse

ACV is one of the easiest and most affordable ways to refresh hair. It helps to rebalance the pH in your scalp, which is just what you’ll need after dealing with hard-water damage.

5. Try a Bond Treatment

Bond treatments, like the EPRES Bond Repair treatment, help to repair hydrogen bonds that cause splits on hair strands. It also helps to replenish protein, which will be your first line of defense in protecting your hair from hard-water damage.

6. Use Routine Hair Masks

In addition to a bond treatment, Ryan recommends weekly hair masks. The VERB Ghost Hair Mask is perfect for fine hair that’s been affected by hard water, since it won’t weigh down strands.

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