Relocating to soft water state

[Dragon Lady]

Hi!

So I've gone really quiet since joining, but that hasn't stopped me from lurking. I've been using the CWC method on my hair for the last couple of months, and being kinder to my hair in small ways (like not brushing it out when wet, putting it away when I work, and braiding it at bedtime) and just that little bit's really made a dramatic difference. I'm told it looks better and shinier, and I know that I no longer get that oily and gunky feeling I used to have if I didn't shower every day. (I still have to wash my hair every other day, but it's still a huge improvement.) I did a clarifying wash the other day, just to make sure my hair wasn't hiding any damage, and I was pretty pleased to find out it wasn't any harder to detangle than normal, and actually looked OK -- my post-diagnostic clarifying hair is actually in my avatar pic. (I do wish I had better photos, but webcam/cell phone quality is the best I've got.) So yay! I've hit on a maintenance plan that works with my hair and makes keeping it long very manageable, thanks to the wisdom on LHC!

But...

I'm moving to Seattle in a month and a half. Which means I'm going from someplace with rather hard water (Oklahoma) to someplace with very, very soft water (from what I've learned, anyway). I'm a little concerned, though I know soft water is great, because I've gotten used to protecting my hair from hard water all my life!

For reference, I once spent a week visiting New Orleans some years ago. I was still in my shower-every-day habits, and shampoo'd twice with one conditioning rinse. I think I was using Garnier Fructis brand at the time, but I can't quite recall. Anyway, what I do recall is that by about my third day there, my hair was SO flat, and very stiff on the scalp, and "piecy", pretty much as soon as I stepped out of the shower. It was horrid! I was actually relieved to get back home to my hard water, since at least there, I knew what my hair would do!

So with my new washing habits, should I make the transition easily? Or is there something I should change to avoid getting hell hair out of not knowing what the hell I'm doing in soft water?

Thanks everyone!

[lizzyjo]

I move back and forth from home to school quite often, and depending where I live I either have hard water or soft water. I don't notice a huge difference between the two, but my hair does like the soft water better. When I have hard water I use a vinegar rinse to keep my hair from getting crunchy/piecey.

Anyway, have fun experimenting to find a routine that works.