Beautiful hair and skin is a sign of vibrancy, beauty, and youth. Young and older women alike find the benefits of silky, luxurious hair and smooth, supple skin. However, what if your hair is not looking as glossy and your skin is shriveling up? The problem may be your water. That’s right. Your water makes a big difference on your hair and skin.
Hard water consists of many minerals. Where do they come from? Natural rainwater picks up minerals as it passes over limestone and chalk. These particular minerals, and others, make the water hard. The minerals that are most likely to accumulate in hard water are calcium and magnesium. While this may sound healthy, and it may be internally, the effects on your hair and skin are not beneficial.
You may have noticed some changes in your hair if you recently started using hard water. This is because the minerals in the hard water don’t let pure water flow through to aid in the rinsing process. So, what happens is you aren’t getting the thorough rinse you need to get the shampoo out of your hair. Furthermore, the minerals can cling to your hair leaving behind a gritty feel. If you ever showered with hard water you understand the feeling you have when you try to rinse your hair. It has a slimy feel that won’t rinse away! This is the affect of the minerals in your water.
Let’s think about how hard water works. It hinders the rinsing process because the minerals get in the way. How will that affect your skin? When you lather up your skin with soap, you expect it to be cleansed away leaving your skin soft and clean. However, with the use of hard water, the soap is not cleansed away. Instead, a build-up of soap scum accumulates on your skin. This ends up clogging the pores and not allowing them to breathe. Clogged pores are a breeding place for bacteria and acne. Hard water also dries out the skin and triggers eczema.
To combat the affects of hard water on your hair, use a clarifying or chelating shampoo or home remedy such as a vinegar wash. If you notice your skin is feeling itchy and looking less than lustrous due to dryness, then make sure to moisturize your skin and consider a facial treatment. You could also consider a water filtering shower-head or a water softening system for your home.