well water woes...
Printed From: HairBoutique.com
Category: Curly Hair Talk
Forum Name: Curly Hair
Forum Description: Curly Heads Unite & Talk About Curls
URL: https://talk.hairboutique.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=58259
Printed Date: April 14 2025 at 7:48am
Topic: well water woes...
Posted By: piper777
Subject: well water woes...
Date Posted: December 11 2007 at 12:24pm
| Hi all ! I am new here and I want to cry! I have been living with well water for 5 years now and never, ever thought my hair could look so horrible. There was a water conditioning / softening system in the basement when I bought the place and figured that it would do what it was supposed to do. My hair slowly went from curly, shiny, bouncy and beautiful to lackluster, broken, frizzy and miserable. I tried everything from hard water shampoos to having the water treatment system updated, serviced, etc. I spent hundreds of dollars and my hair was looking worse than ever. I have had my water analyzed several times and the results are: slightly hard water, pH slightly acidic. My sister is a hairdresser and was giving me advice but nothing worked. I finally got sick of spending $$$ on salt for the water softener and realized that the processed water was part of the problem. My hair was better this summer ( maybe the humidity helped ?) but now my hair won't curl, it is just miserable and limp and looks horrible. When I am away from home and wash my hair ( at a hotel or a relative's house ) it looks fantastic. The only place I can't wash it and have it look good is at home. I am so depressed about going to work as a health teacher ( and looking like I didn't wash my hair ) that I want to move to a house that has town water. Any suggestions? It doesn't seem to matter which shampoo and conditioner I use, in fact the salon brands seem to be worse than Pantene ( which worked over the summer but not now ). I recently tried baking soda mixed with my shampoo and conditioner to correct the pH and to remove the mineral buildup but I think that will eventually strip the color out of my hair. Even gels for curls do no good?!?!?!? I read Cher's stories and only hope that my sturggle will not take as long as hers ( thanks for the info Cher! ). I used to use Aveda and loved it but since moving to this house it seems nothing works. |
Replies:
Posted By: hairbraider
Date Posted: December 18 2007 at 9:36pm
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Piper, I'm sorry to hear about the trouble you're having. I grew up with well water. Sometimes it was good, sometimes not so good. Several years ago I started using apple cider vinegar as a final rinse after washing my hair. It helps restore the pH balance and also rinses away any clinging minerals that would build up. I use about 1 tablespoon in a glass of water, and pour it over my scalp and through my hair after I get out of the shower. I can tell a big difference when I go several washes without using it. Yeah, using baking soda on the hair is like exfoliating your skin. I have no doubt that it stripped some of your color. But using the greatest conditioner in the world won't help if build-up is blocking it out.
edited to add:
I also meant to say - If you can wash it in a sink or bathtub, you could use purified or distilled water to rinse your hair. I know someone who buys it by the gallon at walmart just for that purpose. Depending on how much you use and how often, it's probably cheaper than buying filters. ------------- sarah 40 inches did henna for the first time http://hairbraider.spaces.live.com - click here to go to My Hair Space 
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Posted By: piper777
Date Posted: December 19 2007 at 12:01pm
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Hi - Thanks so much for sharing your story. I will try the apple cider vinegar tonight. I am hopeful that something will work. I am 36 but I know I look much older when my hair looks like this. I am willing to try anything and everything. Thanks again!
Piper |
Posted By: jesseann
Date Posted: December 28 2007 at 7:57pm
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hi, i wanted to say I also have well water and I have the same problem, I just found this new shampoo called mixed chicks it is fantastic, I have also spent lots of money on products with no success. Mixed chicks has a website that you caan request free samples before you purchase. I am sure you will not be disapointed ------------- jesseann |