Two years ago, I moved out into the country so now have well water. Our water is exceptionally hard. Yes, I know a water softner is an ideal option, but not feasible at present.
So. These days, I’m getting snarls upon tangles upon mess in my very long, thick hair.
I’ve tried wide variety of stuff, nothing seems to consistently work. Note that when I was in the city, I didn’t have the same level of problem with snarls.
any suggestions??? (other than moving and getting a water softener)
Try adding a teaspoon of Borax powder to a couple of gallons of your hard water before washing your hair with it. The borax will chelate (bind to) the Calcium, Iron, or whatever other ions are making your water hard.
What about “No More Tangles?” I think it comes in both shampoo and a leave on conditioner/spray type thing. It may also come in conditioner.
I have thick curly hair that tangles almost instantly when it is long (even in soft water). I find that the spray on conditioners/detanglers work very well for me. This may not be an ideal solution if you have oily hair.
thanks,** Squink** but tough to do in the shower.
and my hair’s too long to wash at the sink or by kneeling in front of the tub (it’s down to my waist).
Tevya (love the name by the way), is that the stuff that’s sold as a child’s product like “no more tears”??? I’ll give it a try. thanks.
Wring,
Yes. I think it is a child’s product. I beleive that many of the adult spray on/leave on conditioners are basically the same thing, though. So if you have trouble finding that specific product, look in the adult hair care product aisle.
Several that spring immediately to mind are Aussie Spray On Conditioner and Pantene Spray On Conditioner. I’ve used both. You may have to try a few different brands before you find the right one for you.
As a veteran of the hard-water wars, I must chime in with my favorite shampoo. It used to be produced by Malibu 2000 and was called “well-water shampoo”. I bought a huge bottle and was completely happy with it for a long time. Then I got depressed because Malibu 2000 cancelled their entire line. Just recently I found out they decided to go mainstream (I had to buy the shampoo at a hairdressers) and it has been revamped and offered at discount beauty supply stores like Sally’s. Anyway, it comes in a green bottle and says “Well-water action” on the label. If you can find it, it will probably make a world of difference.
Good Luck
Night-N-Day Shampoo and Conditioner is good. It even works in salt water. Try asking at camping supply places for Shampoo. They should have lots of products that work in hard water, that you could try and see what is suitable for your hair type.
I have hard water too, though it doesn’t sound as bad as where you live, wring. I also have very long, very thick hair. Fun, isn’t it?
Have you ever tried Infusium Leave-In Conditioner? One of my friends, who is a hairstylist, recommended it for me and I absolutely love it. I usually get the largest size (about 33 ounces) and pour it into a spray bottle, then spray it in my hair while it’s still wet after I wash it. My hair feels much softer than it used to, and I only get tangles occasionally.
One other thing I noticed about hard water is that my hair looks a few shades darker after I wash it a few times. My parents don’t have hard water at their house, and whenever I go home to visit it looks like I dyed my hair.
If you don’t mind spending a bit of money, try Sebastien’s Potion 9. It’s a leave-in, but the great thing is that you don’t have to use it every day. It lasts a week for me.