I’ve been living in Delhi-NCR for as long as I can remember. Last year, I took a break from the lack of fun places and dreary weather in Noida and went to Mumbai to see what the world had in store for me. Turns out, humid weather is curly hair’s best friend and the change in water made my skin glow from the inside out.
But now that I’m back to where I started, the difference in my skin and hair is palpable all thanks to hard water. As a beauty writer, I have an emergency SOS skin + hair care kit for every possible situation – so trust me, you’re in good hands.
What Is Hard Water?
Okay, let’s start with the basics. All water has a certain amount of mineral content in it, mostly magnesium, calcium, and potassium. So, hard water is basically water that has an extremely high, more than average amount of mineral content. This usually happens when water travels through deposits of limestone or chalk. Where does the hard water in Noida come from? Well, according to India Today, “Two common minerals in the Noida soil – magnesium and calcium – dissolve in the water to create hard water in Noida.”
What Are The Effects Of Hard Water On Skin & Hair?
As someone who has been suffering from hard water syndrome for so long, I have personally experienced a series of random and unwelcome side effects. Let’s start with skin; it’s drier, more flaky, and rough to the touch. If you’re not moisturising every five seconds, you best believe you’re going to find flakes of dead skin on your pillows and floors. My lips are always chapped and so are my heels, plus the corners of my eyes are so dry it’s painful to open your eyes after a night’s sleep.
Now hair. Usually, my hair makes or breaks my look – I take care of it, and it responds to the love and care I shower upon it. But in Noida, my hair has lost its Mumbai glow and my scalp is the itchiest it has ever been. No type of anti-dandruff shampoo is enough to stop that flakiness and mineral accumulation that happens on the scalp. My strands are visibly thinner, they refuse to hold any type of conditioning or curling product without getting greasy AND the hairfall….it’s so bad, I don’t even want to talk about it.
How Do I Combat This?
Where there’s a will, there’s a way. It’s all about adding a few extra measures to your daily lifestyle. While there maybe no absolute way to stop this, here are a few products that can make your life a little bit easier.
Products For Your Skin
Something I’ve been absolutely loving this summer is the Skinvest Smoothie. You use this in the shower after your body wash as an extra step for added hydration. It’s stopped my skin from flaking from the very first use and washes away to a smooth, non-greasy finish. Highly recommend if you’re not a fan of post shower moisturising.
After washing your face, your skin can feel stripped of its natural oils or too cakey – mainly because of the minerals present in the water. A pH-balancing toner can really change the way your skin absorbs the rest of your products and the Tejal Balancing Water by Forest Essentials is a great, natural option to try.
Next, in my emergency skincare kit is a very heavy, super hydrating moisturiser. I like to switch between the Dot & Key Ceramide one as well as the Youthburst – Water Based Moisturiser / Cream. The first one is for overnight hydration and the second one is for daily wear. Since I do have sensitive skin, I love a water-based moisturiser.
Last, a good eye patch. Usually, I’m against eye creams, but the corners of my eyes have been cracking and flaking like nobody’s business. So I use any eye cream or hyaluronic acid under and on the corner of my eyes and apply this reusable patch to keep the hydration in. The mechanics seem suspicious, sure, but it really works wonders!
Products For Your Hair
Okay, the first thing you need is a good oil. The Champi Hair Massage Oil For Scalp & Hair Growth is not too thick but has a series of herbs that will increase the hydration and shine of your hair.
Second, dry hair means frizz. If there’s one product that has worked for me my whole life, it’s Livon. Just add a little bit to your hair either when it’s wet, or dry. I personally love using it for frizz control and putting it on my curls once they are thoroughly dry.
Third, a good clarifying shampoo. The thing with hard water is that it accumulates on your scalp if you’re not careful. This can cause a flaky scalp, blockage of your hair ducts, and thinning of hair. A clarifying shampoo will dry your hair out tremendously, but you can use it once a week to make sure you’re not at risk of losing all your hair!
Products For Your Water
The first and most useful thing you can get for your home is a water filter. You can attach these to your taps and showers, but they can be quite expensive.
If you don’t want to spend 2k per bathroom, there are a few products that you can simply put into your buckets before you take a bath to balance the mineral levels. Avimee Herbals has an Instant Water Softener and so does Be Bodywise.
And there you have it, a set of products that will help you fight the negative effects of hard water without being too much of a burden on your pocket!
Featured Image: Pixels
