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Water hardness refers to the level of calcium and/or magnesium minerals that water contains. The higher the mineral content, the harder the water. If it contains few or no minerals, it is referred to as soft water. When soap and shampoo is used with soft water, it lathers and cleans more effectively. However, soft water also has its disadvantages as it can cause oily hair and skin. In this post I’ve detailed how you can counteract these negative side effects of soft water.
Find out Your Water Hardness
First order of business is to find out what kind of water you have. You can get this information by contacting your local council or water provider (these days this information is usually published online). Signs of hard water are usually quite obvious around the house, such as:
- Soap scum ring around the bath
- White residue on the taps, showerhead and inside the kettle.
If you have soft water, you are not likely to have this residue around the house. However, if you are still unsure, then you can purchase water testing strips or try this simple test outlined in the video below.
Do you have hard water? Then read my post on how to get great hair and skin with hard water.
The Effects of Soft Water on Skin
For some of us, soft water can clear up acne, but for others, it may make it worse. Soap likes to be used with soft water and it will foam up nicely, but it may feel like it does not rinse off properly. That’s because soft water leaves your skin feeling soft and “slippery”, almost as if you have already applied skin lotion. Many of us believe that clean skin should feel taut and “squeaky clean”, but this is not the case. You don’t want to completely strip your skin of its natural oils as this can lead to irritation.
How to Resolve the Effects of Soft Water on Skin
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- If you feel that your skin is not clean enough, use an alcohol free cleansing toner to help wipe away any excess residue.
- Regularly use a face brush to remove residue. Use either a dry face brush or an electric face brush.
- Regularly use a face scrub to remove residue. I prefer not to use granular scrubs as they are too harsh and scratch at your skin. Instead use a chemical exfoliator containing glycolic acid or salicylic acid. Try these Glycolic Acid Peel Pads. The glycolic acid unclogs and diminishes enlarged pores, blackheads and acne breakouts.
- Use a clay based mask once or twice a week to remove excess oil and clear pores. Packed with beneficial vitamins and minerals, as the mask dries it pulls out toxins and excess oils and gets rid of pimples, blackheads, and breakouts. It’s also great for blemishes on the chest and back. Try this Detox clarifying Face Powder Mask which uses charcoal and French clay designed for pore cleansing.
- You may find your usual moisturiser too heavy. In that case, either try going without moisturiser or switch to a lighter one such as a lotion rather than a cream that won’t overload your skin and cause breakouts.
The Effects of Soft Water on Hair
I have curly, dry, frizzy hair and love what soft water does for my hair. But we all have such different hair types and also ideas about what we consider to be “great hair”. What you need to workout through trial and error is what level of water hardness is best for you. Some people love the soft bounciness that soft water produces, but others find it a nuisance to style. Those with dry hair usually find soft water a god send, but those with greasy hair find it makes their hair even oilier.
When washing your hair with soft water the shampoo will bubble and lather more easily than in hard water. Because of this, you won’t need to use as much. Soft water is considered to be much gentler on coloured hair. It can leave hair feeling silky, but can also make it feel almost slimy, as if the product has not been properly been rinsed out.
For some, soft water can make hair feel soft and bouncy. But those with fine hair and/or prone to greasiness may find that it makes their hair limp and oily.
How to Resolve the Effects of Soft Water on Hair
If you find that soft water makes your hair too soft or lank and greasy, try the following solutions:
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- Give soft hair some texture by using sea salt spray. On a budget? Then try making your own by mixing two teaspoons of salt and two cups of warm water in an empty spray bottle. Shake well and let the salt dissolve. Easy!
- Get more volume in your hair by blow drying with a round brush.
- Use specialised volumizing shampoo, conditioner and styling products.
- Don’t apply styling creams to the roots of your hair. It will make it too greasy and won’t allow you to achieve volume from the root. Instead, try using a dry shampoo for greasy hair emergencies. Dry shampoo is also an excellent volumizing product and adds more texture or ‘grip’ for easier styling. To give hair lift, spray the underside of the hair roots. This also hides any remaining traces of the product.
- Swap your heavy conditioner for a light one. If greasy scalp is still a problem, then only apply conditioner to the ends of your hair, or not at all.
- Lemon juice is an astringent which helps to shrink your pores and reduce oiliness. Rinse hair with ¼ cup of lemon juice mixed with 1 cup of warm water. Be aware that it can lighten your hair, which is great for those of wanting to create natural highlights.
- Consider your shampooing technique – are you making sure that you are cleaning your entire scalp? Don’t forget the back of your head which is often neglected and can become very greasy.
- Many people with greasy hair swear by replacing their usual shampoo and conditioner with baking soda and diluted vinegar. Baking soda is applied to the scalp and then rinsed away with either ACV or white vinegar diluted in water.
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Carolyn
I have the same issue as the others who have wrote in. Our new home has a water softener. ( wish I had not thought it was a good idea to have one installed). I have fine hair that always seems limp, no volume and gets greasy within a day or two. What can I do.
Katie
We just moved to a house with well water that has a water softener….so I’m not sure if this is considered hard or soft water? I’m 45 I’ve always suffered from acne prone skin but it calmed down the last 5 years and now I’m dealing with rosacea; a month into the new house my scalp started breaking out, my hair is dull and getting unmanageable and my skin is breaking out… do I treat this as a hard water problem or soft?
Colleen
Hi Katie,
If you have a working water softener, then you would have soft water. However, you may need to check whether your softener is working and how soft it is set at the right level. You can also buy water hardness test strips to check as well.
Bertie Alligood
Does a water filter help solve issues with soft water. Our water is soft without a softener.
Colleen
No sorry, it won’t help soft water issues since it won’t add e.g. calcium, iron, or magnesium. Not sure what issues you are having with your water, but it could be caused by other things such as your local treatment processing e.g. higher sodium levels or chlorine. In this case a water filter may help.
Sheri
Hi – I have wavy, med/high porosity, color treated hair. We recently moved from hard water to a home with a soft water treatment system. When my hair is dry it feels like silk. When it is wet it feels like straw. I shampoo with a volume shampoo. My all time favorite gel, along with all others, have been a fail. Curls just fall. I really don’t know what to do. I have worked very hard on this wavy hair journey for over two years and now I’m afraid I’ll have to go shorter and straighten. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thx!
Colleen
Do you have access to a tap that is not connected to the soft water treatment? Such as an outside tap? You could try filling a jug up and taking it into the bathroom with you to rinse your hair out with the untreated hard water. If that is too hard, then you could try mixing some of it with the treated soft water until you find the right blend.
K
Squatter put sodium chlorine in my water heater
I replaced the water heater but pipes need cleaning
Help!
Carolyn R
We just got a water softener, and I hate what it is doing to my hair. My hair feels dry and brittle, like the “swimmer’s hair” I had when I was a competitive swimmer. It feels like the salt in the water coats my hair and keeps it from absorbing any moisturizing products. My hair doesn’t feel greasy at all, but dry, stiff, and unable to hold a style, i.e., from round brushing during blow drying. I live in a very dry climate. Any suggestions?
Colleen
Hi Carolyn R,
Do you like the feel of non-softened water on your hair? In that case, is there anyway you can access the water before it goes through the system, e.g. an outside tap, that you can fill up a jug with and use that to rinse your hair? Make sure that the softener system has the correct level of salt it is using, because it should only add a very small amount to the water.
You could also try some of the chelating shampoo & conditioners outlined in my post on dealing with the effects of hard water on hair and skin. Or you could buy some distilled water to rinse your hair with.
Leah Olson
I’m having the same experience. I have curly hair but it was always silky Curls. Now it’s brittle and rough. It’s ruining my hair. I think the daily is drying it out.
brandie
I found this post because I feel the exact same!! Did you find a solution?
Barbara
I have curly hair that has been dyed. We have a water softener and I’m finding my hair is soft m, but far to frizzy! I’ve tried a number of hair products and nothing seems to help. Do you have any tips? Thanks
Colleen
If you hair responds better to harder water, perhaps you could mix some of your untreated hard water with your treated soft water in a jug and use that to rinse your hair? Some people also find washing their hair less helps (although for me that makes my frizz worse).
Aileen
Barbara,
I have curly hair too. To help keep the frizz down rinse with cold water. Also, I finally found a product that works, LUS – lusbrands.com This stuff is amazing!
Tracy Redcap
Lately my ha iui r feels greasy after a shower. What I want to know is what type of salt I use in the softner system. I’ve never had a softner before. Do I use the salt that helps remove iron or the one that doesn’t help with removing iron
Colleen
Hi Tracy Redcap,
You need to check the label on the softening system to identify the manufacturer, then get guidance directly from them. Water softening is rather complicated and there are a range of systems. I am not a water softener professional.