Moving to a hard water area...help!

[Hatsumomo]

Okay so my boyfriend and I are announcing our engagement around New Years and obviously that will then involve moving. He would be happy to move up here but I want to move in order to have a fresh start and put a lot of crap from my past behind me.

The only problem I can think of (other than finding a new job) is that I've been enjoying a soft water area for twenty one years and I know that my hair (and also my skin) hate hard water and tangle at the first whiff of it!

I'm meeting his parents and staying there for about a week and want to avoid the inevitable bad hair and bumpy, gross, dull skin that hard water always brings. Does anyone have any short-term ideas that won't involve a water filter for that one visit?

I've looked into Lush Hard Shampoo which seems like a decent option but I'd like some other ideas too if possible...and some skincare ones!

Thanks in advance!

[pepperminttea]

Congratulations on your engagement! :D

Since moving back from Scotland to a hard water area down south, everything seems to need to be exaggerated. I need harsher shampoo (returned to sulphates, but not 'cones), and much stronger conditioners to keep moisture levels in check as a result - heavy oilings at this time of year, SMTs when it's a bit warmer. An ACV rinse at the end of each wash helps with the mineral build-up a lot for me, and a very light post-wash oiling with your oil of choice (I tend to avoid coconut and olive for this, since it's much more difficult to do a light oiling with them). As for my skin, I do a brown sugar facial scrub every week before I wash my hair, and then a good dollop of 'cone-free moisturiser afterwards. Besides that, just water rinses in the morning and moisturiser when needed; incidentally, I definitely go through more moisturiser here generally than in Scotland. Hope you're able to find something that works for you. :)

[Hatsumomo]

Thanks for that, great to hear from someone with a similar location-based issue:)

I've been looking into Vosene since I'll only be washing it once on my visit (god help my hair)...I'm wondering if that'll be any good. As for my skin...hmm.

[lillylonghair]

I am the same as Pepperminttea. I moved to a hard water area last january and it has been a struggle to find out what works and what doesn't!

For my skin I have definitely needed to find a stronger,yet not harsh scrub and my skin seems to be able to handle more moisture. I definitely recommend a vitamin C product to keep your skin from getting dull.

As for hair,that's pretty individual but I am hard to go back to sulphates and heavier conditioners.I also second the SMTs!

[lillylonghair]

Also ,if you don't have on already, a boar bristle brush has worked wonders for me. I take time at night to really brush it and get all the sebum to my ends before braiding.

[lapushka]

I've lived in a hard water (extremely hard water) area all my life, so I can't even imagine what it must be like to have soft water. I do use a lot of shampoo, though. I have oily hair and thick hair and so I use about a palm full. It might help. No need to buy something harsher, just (maybe) use more of it.

[Superfine]

What about an ACV (somewhat dilute) rinse. I live in a hard water area using well water & it helps.

[little_cherry]

Congrats!

I've been living in a hard water area for 5 years now...before that, I lived in a soft water area for years. The water here contains calcium and magnesium which can be drying for the hair. Ktani pointed me in the direction of doing a club soda rinse on the hair after shampooing/cleansing-- this has worked brilliantly at removing the build up. Once a month, I shampoo with an ordinary shampoo for clarifying and do a 5-10 minute club soda rinse straight after that. Sometimes I leave the club soda on for up to an hour. It won't hurt the hair as it is slightly acidic.

Usually I wash with Indian herbs.

I find that the club soda rinses and the acid (I use acv or white vinegar) rinses work brilliantly to remove any deposit..oiling the hair prior to washing helps, too.

I wash my hair once a week and follow with an acid rinse...I find frequent acid rinses are fantastic for hard water areas.

[pelicano]

I live in possibly the hardest water area in the country. My scalp prefers hard water, although my hair likes soft. The best things I've found are :

1. a weekly chelating shampoo to remove mineral build up - I use Ultra Swim, which I buy online.
2. rinses with sparkling mineral water - it's really cheap from supermarkets. It's very slightly acidic.