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Maintaining your hair can be tough but if you live in a hard water zone, it can be next to impossible. Hard water has high mineral levels and according to statistics, over 80% of U.S. homes have hard water.
Hard water can make your hair feel tangled and rough while damaging its luster and vibrancy. It also makes it difficult to rinse of all the shampoo causing the scum to build up and making your hair feel weighed down and stiff.
While there are DIY ways to target the negative effects of hard water on your hair, an easy option is to choose a high-quality shampoo that can clean your hair thoroughly, while clarifying it and ridding it off the buildup left behind when you shower in mineral-rich water.
Although finding the right shampoo can be difficult, that’s what we’re here for! It’s time to say good-bye to hard water hair as we’re going to show you 8 of the best shampoos on the market for hard water.
Let’s go ahead and have a look.
Malibu C Hard Water Wellness Collection
The Malibu C Hard Water Wellness Collection is specially formulated to give your hair a detoxifying deep clean while at the same time being gentle enough for daily use.
This shampoo prevents hard water buildup that weighs down your hair, removing ashy and brassy discoloration that’s caused by copper found in hard water. It works on any type of hair and is really effective at delivering moisture into it, making it shinier and more manageable.
The best part about this shampoo is that you don’t even need to use it for a long time to see results. In fact, you will most likely notice a significant change in your hair after the very first packet. While this shampoo is quite expensive, it really makes up for it with its quality and performance.
Ion Hard Water Shampoo
Need to quickly reverse the effects of hair discoloration caused by hard water? The Ion Hard Water Shampoo could be just the thing for you.
While this shampoo is highly effective at invigorating hair and clarifying it of harmful toxins, it also does a great job at smoothing out tangles. It also eliminates mineral build-up that latches onto hair from hard water, removing dryness and damage in the process. This product is safe to use, and works for all hair types.
The only downside of this product is that even though it’s safe for daily use, using it that way for several months continuously and using a lot of it can cause it to dry your hair out so you might want to take a break every now and then.
Bumble and Bumble Sunday Shampoo
If you’re struggling with oily hair and hard water issues, this product from Bumble and Bumble would be perfect for effectively handling both scenarios.
Made to thrive in any hard water environment, the components of this B&B Sunday Shampoo detoxify hair, thoroughly cleansing it of water residue and discoloration issues that are common when showering with hard water.
This shampoo is a ‘once a week’ product which should be applied on the hair to ensure it stays free of harmful toxins. It also works excellently as a clarifying shampoo, but is designed primarily as a weekly detox so it’s not the best option for daily use. It works just great for oily hair but use it more than you should and it’ll strip your hair of its natural oils as well. On the plus side, if you’ve dyed your hair, it won’t mess with the color but only if you use it once a week.
Kenra Clarifying Shampoo
Is your hair feeling dull, lifeless, weighed down and stiffened by the minerals in your water? If so, why not give this clarifying shampoo by Kenra a try?
This product restores the natural radiance of your hair by stripping it of the dulling deposits and buildup of minerals found in hard water. It also brightens up bleached, highlighted or gray hair and is gentle enough for everyday use. The grapefruit and witch hazel extracts along with amino acid chelators effectively bring bounce and shine to your hair, giving it a pleasant and natural smell.
This product is really easy to use since all you need to do is massage it into your damp hair until it builds up a good lather and then rinse off thoroughly. You can repeat if necessary, try to avoid using too much of it since it may overly dry your scalp. If you have colored hair, it’s advisable to use it once a week.
Joico K-Pak Clarifying Shampoo
The Joico K-Pak Clarifying Shampoo is one of the best products available on the market, specially made to clarify your hair. It’s designed for athletes, especially swimmers and anyone residing in hard water zones. If you’ve experienced your blonde hair turning to green because of the chlorine content in the water, Joico K-Pak works great at clearing it up.
This shampoo removes the buildup of mineral residues and styling products that stay in your hair, making it dull, frizzy and unhealthy. As a result, your hair will appear conditioned, hydrated and full of life.
Although this product may look expensive at first glance, the bottle holds 33.8 ounces of shampoo that’s enough to last you for a whole year if it’s used once a week for clarifying purposes. Since it’s specifically made for clarifying hair, it should only be used in small amounts once a week.
Neutrogena Anti-Residue Shampoo
This Anti-Residue Shampoo from Neutrogena is an ideal option for anyone with a sensitive scalp that’s prone to rashes and also for those having issues with hard water. The product is effective, removing up to 90% of heavy, dulling residue caused by hard water, shampoos, conditioner and styling products.
This product has non-irritating properties that make it the perfect choice if your scalp is sensitive. You’ll find that it easily washes away soap scum, leaving your hair feeling clean and healthy.
On the downside, this shampoo isn’t recommended for everyday use. Since it’s a clarifying shampoo, even with its mild and gentle formula, it can damage your hair critically when used too often so stick to using it once a week as directed. It’s recommended for all hair types, even thin and color-treated hair since it’s great at boosting volume. Overall, it’s a top-quality and affordable product designed to eliminate all your bad hair days.
Grapefruit Detox Re-Nutrient Shine Repair Shampoo
Here’s another high-quality product great at revitalizing hair that’s been damaged by hard water. This Grapefruit Detox Re-Nutrient Shine Repair Shampoo is a gentle, sulfate-free formula that’s effective at counteracting the dullness of hair caused by hard water deposits, styling products and pollutants.
It’s safe for all types of hair, especially color-treated, restoring and enhancing its vibrancy. The result is soft, hydrated, healthy looking hair with a gorgeous, glossy shine.
This product is perfectly safe to use and contains no synthetic dyes, fragrances or colors and the best part is it’s 100% cruelty free. It feels great and also smells great, with its energizing grapefruit scent but it tends to dry out hair after months of constant use so make sure you don’t overuse this one.
Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Triple Detox
This Triple Detox shampoo is packed with ingredients that remove product, particle and hard water mineral buildup. If you struggle with greasy hair, it could be the perfect choice for you since the activated charcoal ingredient absorbs oil from the scalp and hair.
With all its natural ingredients, this shampoo gives you a thorough cleanse, leaving your hair feeling bouncy, soft and healthy. It even smells refreshing and is completely free of parabens, silicones, sulfates and phthalates and it’s completely safe to use even on chemically treated hair.
The patented Healthy Hair Molecule in this product effectively repels dirt, protects hair stands, resists humidity, polishes and smoothes hair without weighing it down. Overall, it’s a great non-stripping, color safe shampoo that gently works on any type of hair to make it salon-perfect.
Things to Consider When Buying a Hard Water Shampoo
The list above should make it easy for you to narrow down your choices and pick the right shampoo for you. However, there are a couple of things to know when using or selecting a hard water shampoo.
- Hard water shampoos can be harsh on your hair, drying your hair out because it needs to strip away damaging minerals from your hair. This isn’t an issue if you ensure that you follow up the shampooing with a high-quality conditioner or a nourishing and hydrating hair mask.
- There are two main types of hard water shampoos – chelating and clarifying. They’re often used interchangeably but there’s a slight difference between the two.
- Chelating shampoos – these are stronger and a little harsher. They work to remove minerals by attaching to them and washing them away.
- Clarifying shampoos – these work by breaking down residue on your hair, either from minerals or other products, and then washing these away.
Both these types of shampoos are perfect options for hard water.
If you don’t like the idea of a shampoo for hard water or you don’t want to fork out a few extra dollars for it, an excellent DIY option is to wash your hair with apple cider vinegar. This is great at rejuvenating your hair and achieving natural bounce and life to your hair without using chemicals.
Another excellent and permanent option is to soften your water either with a water softening system or with a shower water filter.
