I know we don’t need another thing to worry about when it comes to our beauty routine, but, I’m about to tell you something that may just transform it: your beauty woes could be down to your water. If you’ve ever headed away on holiday or on a lovely countryside break and wondered why your hair and skin suddenly looks shinier, healthier and all-round transformed, hard water may be the culprit.
“Hard water can really sabotage your beauty routine,” says Karlee Oz, founder of Hello Klean, a brand designed solely around reversing the effect hard water can have on our skin and hair, “It’s full of minerals like calcium and magnesium that can cling to your hair and skin, leaving behind build-up that causes dryness, dullness, and irritation.” For those of us who live in the South or East of the UK, hard water is particularly prevalent, meaning if you’ve found yourself consistently reaching for that hair mask or body lotion to no avail, it may be time to look for a deeper cause.
What does hard water do to your skin and hair?
“Hard water is something most of us deal with daily,” Karlee continued. “And if your products aren't actively fighting its effects, you’re just managing symptoms instead of the root cause. For hair, it can mean more frizz, less shine, and even increased breakage. On the skin side, hard water strips away natural oils, leaving it feeling tight, itchy, and often more prone to flare ups.”
Now, before you start scrolling manically through Rightmove, looking for properties in the Scottish Highlands (lovely, by the way), there’s no need to be quite so drastic. Thankfully it’s possible to combat the effects of hard water with a few tweaks to your beauty routine. By incorporating hard working ingredients, like apple cider vinegar and hydrating oils, you can cleanse and hydrate to reverse the effects of deposits on our skin and hair, while a shower filter can minimise the effect of hard water before a drop ever touches you.
Intrigued? Well, keep scrolling to see the best beauty products to combat hard water...
The best beauty products to combat hard water
1. Hello Klean Shower Filter
It may sound like a gimmick but if you live in a hard water area I cannot impress upon you enough how game changing a shower filter will be. So many of my personal concerns, from frizzy hair to eczema breakouts, started to improve as soon as I added this chic and sleek filter to my shower and I always notice a difference when it gets close to needing replacing. This tends to be usually around every four months (although it will depend how often and how many people use the shower), but you can sign up to the subscription and the brand sends you a new one at a discounted price.
If you’re worried about fitting it, it fits most showers and is so easy that even as a DIY-phobic person I had no problem. You simply screw it wherever your shower pipe connects to the system and you’re good to go, or, if you’d prefer, Hello Klean also has a filtering shower head which I’ve also tried and is just as good.
2. K18 Peptide Prep Detox Shampoo
While you may not be aware of it physically, hard water deposits metals and minerals onto the hair which over time can build up and lead to damage and dryness. Using a clarifying shampoo (which acts as a detox on the hair and scalp) weekly will help remove this build-up. K18’s Peptide Prep is one of my favourites as it leaves hair feeling squeaky clean but not brittle.
3. Color Wow Dream Filter treatment
While I haven’t used this product myself (being brunette) I’ve heard so many rave reviews from my blonde haired friends that I had to include it on this list. Color Wow’s Dream Filter is a pre-shampoo treatment that combats brassiness in colour treated hair by removing hard water deposits and mineral build-up. Use between salon visits to keep your blonde looking bright and vibrant.
4. L’Oréal Professionnel Metal Detox Hair Mask
I’m a fan of L’Oréal Professionnel's full Metal Detox range, a collection designed specifically to combat breakage, dullness and colour fade caused by hard water. However, If I had to pick one product, this hair mask takes my top spot. It leaves my hair looking smoother, shinier and more hydrated after use and it smells great too.
5. NEOM Super Shower Power Body Cleanser
It’s not just our hair that feels the effects of hard water. Most people shower everyday, but don't always wash their hair each time, so the skin on your body is also affected by hard water. To combat this, I like to use a body wash that cleanses effectively but is also packed with nourishing ingredients, like NEOM’s Super Shower Cleanser. It contains moisturising oat milk alongside eucalyptus and rosemary to leave skin feeling fresh and hydrated.
6. The Inkey List Salicylic Acid Exfoliating Scalp Treatment
If you suffer from a dry, flaky scalp hard water could be the root cause. If this is the case, you want to apply a treatment that will remove build-up as well as soothing the scalp. The Inkey List’s Salicylic Acid Treatment is a great option for this as it gently exfoliates, cleansing away any residue or impurities while also adding hydration into the hair.
7. Naturium The Glow Getter Multi-Oil Body Butter
I’ve already mentioned that hard water can leave our hair and body feeling dry and uncomfortable, so post-shower it’s important to moisturise to add hydration back into the skin. Naturium’s Body Butter feels ultra-rich thanks to a blend of peptides, shea butter and oils all which are perfect for nourishing the skin and combating hard water’s effects. I like to apply generously and allow it time to sink in before getting dressed.
