Hard water may seem harmless but it contains certain minerals like calcium and magnesium which can silently affect the health and texture of hair. Understanding how hard water impacts hair and knowing simple ways to protect and restore it can make noticeable difference.



How Hard Water Changes The Texture Of The Hair

Scalp health

• Hard water builds upon the hair shaft and the minerals from it cling to the hair's cuticle creating a rough, waxy coating.


• This mineral barrier prevents the moisture from entering the hair, making it dry, stiff and more prone to breakage.


• The mineral build-up makes the hair look lifeless and lackluster because it cannot properly absorb moisture.


• Mineral deposits can cause colour treated hair to fade faster and can lead to mineral residue.

Signs That Hair Is Damaged By Hard Water

Washing hair

There are few signs that indicate that the hair is starting to get damage by hard water:

• When the hair feels parched and brittle after using conditioner.


• The lack of shine and luster which makes the hair look flat and dull.


• Shampoos may not lather well and conditioner feel ineffective.

Some signs to notice on scalp

• The scalp feels itchy, dry and may develop a flaky or dandruff like condition.


• A sticky feeling can occur on the scalp due to mineral deposits.

Easy Ways To Protect Hair From Hard Water

There are many different ways to protect hair from hard water like:


Home Remedies

• Installing a shower filter is direct way to reduce mineral build up by softening the water before it reaches the hair.


• After washing the hair with tap water give a final rinse with bottled or distilled water to remove any residual minerals.


• Switch to warm water instead of very hot water when washing hair, as hot water can further dry out hair and strip its natural oils.

Some product choices:

• Using clarifying or chelating shampoos weekly to remove mineral build up that normal shampoos can't.


• Going for a moisturizing shampoo conditioner and choosing sulfate free moisturizing formulas that helps in counteract the drying effects of hard water.


• Applying a deep conditioner mask for a moisture containing oils or hyaluronic acid, is crucial to replenish hydration lost to hard water.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How does hard water feel on hair?
Hard water is rich in calcium and magnesium. And while it's completely safe to drink or bathe in, “hard water may make your hair appear dull, feel dry and seem more brittle, frizzy and less manageable, says Dr. Susan Massick, an associate professor of dermatology at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

How to check hard or soft water?
You can test if your water is hard or soft by performing a soap suds test at home, which involves shaking water with a few drops of liquid soap to see how much it lathers. If it produces lots of fluffy bubbles, your water is soft; if it has few suds, it's hard. Another method is to check your local water quality report from your water provider, as it will list the water hardness levels.

Is Indian tap water hard water?
In India, tap water is usually untreated, hard water. It is particularly common where groundwater is the primary source. How is that different from the filtered water we drink? It contains traces of limescale, which is composed of calcium and magnesium essential minerals for the body.