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!

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.