Distilled water for dummies/newbies

[saskia_madding]

I've looked up what exactly distilled water is, but I have a few questions about it:



Do you use it for shampooing/conditioning, or only rinses and misting?

Practically speaking, why does it make such a big difference?

And most importantly ... where do people *get* distilled water?

Thanks!

[Heidi_234]

I'll quote Ktani on this one:

Distilled water sources

In Canada - pharmacies and grocery stores

Where to buy distilled water in the US
http://www.hardforum.com/archive/index.php/t-1121735.html

Where to find distilled water in the UK - check out battery top up water for additives
"Halfords or any other garage .... battery top up water."

".... off the shelf in Tesco- .... in the car accessory section. 1.50/litre."
"
"best option for UK .... de-ionised water meant for cars. I had a look at water for irons .... they are putting all sorts of rubbish into it."
http://www.wizdforums.co.uk/archive/index.php/t-3499.html

Where to buy distilled water in Europe - Location: er gaat niets boven groningen (Netherlands)
"at a drugstore. Any of them have distilled water .... about an euro per litre."
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=63745

Where to buy distilled water in Russia
"$2 for 5 litres in auto parts shop."
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=63745

I recommend distilled over deionized water but deionized water should work well too.

[BlndeInDisguise]

I think it does make a difference. We distill our own water, so we always have it in plentiful supply. Though I don't really use it that often.

[Bellalalala]

Grocery stores and drug stores carry distilled water in jugs.
It will end up quite expensive though if you always use it for washing.

I know nothing about its benefits for hair, though I imagine that the dissolved chemicals in water can't possibly be good for hair. Especially harsh chemicals like fluoride and chlorine.

[talullah]

You don't need to use it for washing-- just as the final rinse. The minerals in your shower water don't bind to your hair until your hair dries. As the water evaporates from your hair, the minerals are left behind. If you use it for the wash, you're just wasting it. :)

Distilled water rinses have made a world of a difference in my hair. I have very hard water, and if I skip even one DW rinse, I can feel the minerals on my hair. Crunchy, dry, more tangly. I never let my hair get wet without rinsing after with DW.

I just get mine at the grocery store; it's with all the spring waters, bottles waters, etc. I pay like 69 cents a gallon. I wash every three or four days, so one jug lasts maybe three weeks? I'm not sure.

Oh, definitely use it for misting, too. :flower:

[bakertwins2004]

hmmm who knew?

[Wicked Princess]

I have never heard of rinsing hair with distilled water until I came here to the LHC. However, I do know a little bit about this water because my skin is very sensitive to hard water, and we use distilled water to clean our lab equipment.

People do this because, to some extent, everyone's water is a little bit "hard". Hard water is water that is heavily laden with minerals and other impurities, the most common of which are fluoride in the U.S, magnesium, and calcium. These ingredients are rarely harmful if used for washing and drinking, however, depending on how much the water is laden with these minerals, a residue is left behind on skin, hair, water tiles, etc when it finally dries off.

Hard water will eventually leave a build up in your hair. It might take a long time if you have softer water (i.e. water with a lower mineral content), or depending on your washing habits. Most shampoos, even those without sulfates, loosen this residue when you wash, as much of the minerals will bind to the shampoo and be rinsed out along with the shampoo. Of course...if you're washing in the same water, the residue will inevitably return.

Distilled water is, specifically, water that has been been boiled and turned into steam, and the steam filtered into a clean container free of its impurities, which are left behind when the water becomes steam. This can be done using almost any distillation equipment.

Deionized water is pretty much the same thing as distilled water, except it's generally sold for less, and it hasn't gone through the distillation process as described above. Instead, the water is purified by an outside material is added to the water which chemically binds to the ions of the minerals in the water, and are then filtered out, leaving the water as pure as distilled water. At least, this is the most common way, and for two reasons: it's highly effective, and it's really, really cheap to do.

There are other ways to deionize water, but they involve longer, and most would contain more boring (it's not, it's really cool, but then that's why people make fun of me for being a biochemist right before they tell me to shut up, haha :) ) explanations.

In conclusion...people rinse with distilled and deionized water to prevent build up in your hair! I hope this has brought some enlightenment :) I love this kind of thing.

[saskia_madding]

That was really helpful, actually.

I've been looking into using catnip to help my hair grow in stronger and to prevent breakage, but the part I was confused about (and what prompted this thread) is that you're supposed to use distilled water in the catnip infusion, but then rinse it out. I couldn't figure out the point of the catnip infusion using distilled water.

I think I'm going to look into getting a shower adapter (maybe this one: http://www.aquasanacanada.com/Aquasana-Shower-Filter-w-Hand-Held-Massaging-Wand-p-16146.html) and then buy some distilled water for the catnip infusion treatment. It's not the same as rinsing with distilled water after the treatment, but it's better than nothing.

[ktani]

That was really helpful, actually.

I've been looking into using catnip to help my hair grow in stronger and to prevent breakage, but the part I was confused about (and what prompted this thread) is that you're supposed to use distilled water in the catnip infusion, but then rinse it out. I couldn't figure out the point of the catnip infusion using distilled water.

I think I'm going to look into getting a shower adapter (maybe this one: http://www.aquasanacanada.com/Aquasana-Shower-Filter-w-Hand-Held-Massaging-Wand-p-16146.html) and then buy some distilled water for the catnip infusion treatment. It's not the same as rinsing with distilled water after the treatment, but it's better than nothing.

I have hard water (I find calcium build-up on water glasses, my sink etc.) but I have never bought or used distilled water for my catnip treatment or my hair. It may improve results, but I am very happy with the catnip treatment results I do have and my scalp and hair are none the worse for the hard water I have and use.

I recommend distilled or deionized water for honey lightening because depending on one's tap water, the minerals in the water can and have negatively affected honey lightening results. Certain minerals like iron and manganese and others can have a negative result with peroxide (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=146265&postcount=1173)and decrease its level in a honey lightening treatment.

[ktani]

I'll quote Ktani on this one:

Thank you Heidi.

[BlndeInDisguise]

That was a nice, clear, easy to understand explanation. I can tell you are passionate about stuff like that from your post! :)


I love this kind of thing.

[Shiva]

That was really helpful, actually.

I've been looking into using catnip to help my hair grow in stronger and to prevent breakage, but the part I was confused about (and what prompted this thread) is that you're supposed to use distilled water in the catnip infusion, but then rinse it out. I couldn't figure out the point of the catnip infusion using distilled water.

I think I'm going to look into getting a shower adapter (maybe this one: http://www.aquasanacanada.com/Aquasana-Shower-Filter-w-Hand-Held-Massaging-Wand-p-16146.html) and then buy some distilled water for the catnip infusion treatment. It's not the same as rinsing with distilled water after the treatment, but it's better than nothing.
I bought the Aquasana shower head filter. I LOVE it. What a difference it has made. I have well water and over the past few years the iron in my water has risen..... The aquasana filter balances everything out. I've lost alot of length and growth due to having my water being this way. :(

[Teacherbear]

I used distilled water in my mister bottle only. I don't know if it makes a difference or not, but I do it anyway. Besides, I use it in our iron, so we always have some around.

[SallyLopez]

Gosh, I love this place. I'm learning so much. I just visited my family in Seattle for a month and couldn't believe how soft and silky my hair and skin were after showering with their treated city water. I've been on well water for almost three years and I'm sure it's messing with my hair. I'm going to start rinsing with distilled. I should have thought of it sooner, considering the build-up I see on my dishes and sinks. I added baking soda to my dental care routine, but I never thought about what it was doing to my hair.

[Shiva]

Gosh, I love this place. I'm learning so much. I just visited my family in Seattle for a month and couldn't believe how soft and silky my hair and skin were after showering with their treated city water. I've been on well water for almost three years and I'm sure it's messing with my hair. I'm going to start rinsing with distilled. I should have thought of it sooner, considering the build-up I see on my dishes and sinks. I added baking soda to my dental care routine, but I never thought about what it was doing to my hair.
My hair loved NYC water. When I came back home to the country full time it didn't take long (a few years) to destroy my BSL almost waist length hair and I really had no clue how to deal with it or even what the real problem was. After finally figuring it out I was hell bent on getting a water-softening system put in the house, but for some reason I started researching hard water issues online (AGAIN) and all of a sudden there was a showerhead filter available for just this issue. Figured I'd try that first before investing in the whole house system.... so far so good! My hair isn't breaking off anymore and I think I will be back to BSL in a year tops.

[angelthadiva]

People have :lol: at me for years for thinking the water makes a difference on my hair! It does, thank you all for making me NOT feel :crazyq: I grew up on well water and for the last 9 years or so, I've been using chemically treated city water and there is a difference. My well water hair felt so soft, and I think there is a mineral build up with the chemically treated water.