Your Water Is Affecting Your Hair More Than You Think
Have you noticed your hair feeling dry, looking dull, or your blonde turning brassy faster than usual—even when you’re using good products? The culprit might not be your shampoo, your stylist, or your hot tools. It could be your water.
Here’s how your water is affecting your hair more than you think, and what you can do about it:
💧 What’s In Your Water?
Many homes have hard water, which contains high levels of minerals like calcium, magnesium, and sometimes iron. While these minerals aren’t harmful to your health, they can leave deposits on your hair, leading to:
Dryness and brittleness
Dullness and lack of shine
Brassiness in blondes
Difficulty lathering shampoo
Color fading faster
If your hair feels heavy, coated, or “crunchy” after washing, hard water could be the reason.
💧 “But I Have a Water Softener!”
Water softeners can help reduce hardness by removing calcium and magnesium, but they don’t always catch everything. Trace minerals, metals like iron or copper (especially in well water), and chlorine from municipal water can still impact your hair’s health and color.
While a water softener is a great first step, pairing it with detox treatments and the right products will help protect your hair fully.
💧 How Hard Water Affects Color-Treated Hair
If you colour your hair, especially if you’re blonde, hard water can:
⚠️ Cause brassiness or discoloration from mineral buildup.
⚠️ Fade your color faster, reducing the longevity of your investment.
⚠️ Make it harder for color to absorb evenly during your salon appointments.
💧 Chlorine & Well Water: Hidden Hair Saboteurs
If you have well water, it can carry iron or copper, leading to discolouration (think orange or green tones).
Swimming in chlorinated pools strips your hair’s natural oils, making it dry, porous, and prone to breakage and unwanted color changes.
🛁 What You Can Do About It
1️⃣ Install a Shower Filter
A shower filter can help remove additional minerals and chlorine from your water, even if you have a softener.
2️⃣ Use a Clarifying Shampoo (sometimes)
Clarifying shampoos help remove mineral buildup, but can strip colour if overused. Aim for every 2–4 weeks for a fresh feel without compromising your colour. We love this one because it’s safe for daily use and the mask strengthens the hair.
3️⃣ Add a Salon Detox Treatment
A professional detox treatment can safely remove buildup while restoring softness and shine.
We love the L’Oréal Metal Detox line, which helps neutralize metals inside the hair fibre, protecting your colour and making your hair feel lighter and cleaner without stripping moisture.
4️⃣ Incorporate Kérastase Première Into Your Routine
The Kérastase Première line is specifically designed to combat hard water damage, mineral buildup, and dullness. It uses citric acid to remove calcium buildup from the hair while strengthening and repairing the fiber, restoring shine and softness without compromising your colour.
Adding this to your home routine is a game-changer if you live in an area with hard water or have well water, helping your hair stay vibrant and healthy between salon visits.
5️⃣ Protect Before Swimming
Before swimming in pools, rinse your hair with fresh water and apply a leave-in conditioner or oil. Hair that is saturated with fresh water will absorb less chlorine, helping to protect your hair colour and condition.
💧 Your Hair Will Thank You
Your water might seem harmless, but it has a major impact on your hair’s health, manageability, and colour. Even with a water softener, taking steps to protect your hair will help extend the life of your color and keep your strands healthy.
By using the right in-salon detox treatments and at-home products like the L’Oréal Metal Detox line and Kérastase Première, you can keep your hair looking bright, soft, and beautiful, no matter what’s in your water.
Ready to detox your hair and protect your color? Book a clarifying or Metal Detox treatment with us, or ask us which Kérastase Première products are best for your hair goals during your next visit.
