Combating hard water: basic shampooing technique for soft, healthy hair
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Some years ago, I noticed a difference in my hair texture depending on where I was living. My hair in its "default" state used to be of fair quality, given that I have very good health. My hair texture deteriorated when I was residing in London/Cambridge: it almost instantly became coarse and frizzy and, at the same time, a little greasy. While I was vacationing in Helsinki (Finland), it turned soft and babyish even though I forgot to bring shampoo and bought a random brand from the local supermarket, and hardly spent time on my hair after washing it. In cities like Hong Kong and Vancouver, my hair texture did seem to fluctuate a bit, due to reasons that I failed to find out at that time. My condition was at its worst during my stay in Waterloo/Ontario (Canada): it literally turned into one giant, sticky clump.
At one time, I thought my hair turned bad when I was too occupied with work and did not bother to rinse off the shampoo properly. Therefore, I decided to give it more time and patiently rinsed my hair in hot tap water. The result was an even stickier mess!
It took me some hours of research to find out that the fluctuating condition of my hair was due primarily to the water hardness, namely its mineral content, of the city where I was staying. Waterloo has the hardest water in the entire Canada, while Finland is known for its soft water. In Finland my hair was at its default condition, meaning I in fact had good hair. In places with hard water, the minerals (calcium/magnesium) in the water interacted with shampoo to form a stick mass that deprive the hair of its natural luster. I desperately bought apple cider shampoo while in Waterloo, which only helped a little in getting rid of its stickiness. During those critical moments, I discovered the proper method of washing hair that helps salvage its texture even with hard water.
I hereby introduce this very simple shampooing method that should help restore frizzy/coarse/greasy hair to its default, healthy--if not soft and silky--condition, even if one is stuck in a city with hard water and has neither money nor time for luxurious hair repair treatments. The technique is so easy that it would likely make you feel stupid if you, too, have encountered the same problem. After talking to some women, I reckon that not a few of them had similarly overlooked a simple procedure and as a result had suffered enough "bad hair days," typically when they were consumed by work and so had to rush. It was not because they did not rinse off the shampoo patiently and thoroughly: they missed one particular step in the shampooing process.
1. What shampoos to use ~
I currently use Schwarzkopf Gliss hair repair shampoo, which costs less than 3 Euros per bottle. It is nothing fancy. You can choose any brand of shampoo, even the "2-in-1" shampoo and conditioner. It is the shampooing method that truly matters.
2. The simply step that many might simply have missed ~
Wet the hair in warm/hot water. Massage the scalp with lathered shampoo and carefully apply the bubbled shampoo on the hair. Don't forget the ends, especially if no conditioner will be used. Now this is the most important step: allow the shampoo to sit in the hair (and on its ends) for at least 3 minutes. I typically allow the shampoo to sit for more than 3 minutes to ensure that the shampoo has time to work on the hair and dissolve the layer of dirt and minerals accumulated on it. In fact, this is what happened at salons. This is quite obvious: the regular hairdresser does not know magic: they can afford the time. However, many people neglect this step and rinse off the shampoo a little too soon. Rinse off the shampoo, and repeat this whole process during every wash (this is not mandatory for silky hair but hairdressers typically do it at salons.)
3. Slightly fizzy ends: one good tip to smoothen/soften them ~
The important 3-5 minute procedure that many who complain of frizzy/clumsy hair might have overlooked was sufficient to restore my clumpy hair to its default condition. What a surprise. After a long period of frustration, my hair felt so light and soft again.
As soft as my "repaired" hair was, the ends were still a little fizzy and slightly tangled. It was likely because hard water was used to rinse off the shampoo and some minerals stayed on the tips.
It would be expensive to use distilled water--devoid of all minerals--to do the entire hair wash. To smoothen the frizzy ends, you can soak the comb in a tiny cup of distilled water and comb through those ends. I did this: finally, even the ends became soft and babyish! :)
It is said that boiling hard water does not turn water soft. However, the minerals would sink to the bottom of the kettle/cooking pot. If you run out of distilled water, you can simply avoid touching the bottom of the kettle while scooping the water for use.
If you want to skip this step, take your time and apply the shampoo or conditioner to the ends with particular care while shampooing. Allow the conditioner to sit also for three minutes before rinsing it off.
4. Go for affordable DIY hair treatments regularly. One example is Kerastase, an excellent "hair mask" made in France. A small pot can provide 15-20 treatments. This mask can bestow that fabulous "waterfall" look and feel on hair that is already smooth and silky.
5. Either air dry or blow dry the hair.
If your hair is very difficult to manage and you can afford it, you should go visit a salon, or buy pricier expensive home treatment kits. Provided that you eat healthy and are in relatively good health, the above shampooing method (even without the hair mask treatment) should help you restore your hair to its default condition and maintain its natural luster.
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