Hey you guys. I just wanted to share my solution to hard water hair. If you use hard water (like about 85% of the national population), your hair currently has mineral buildup you may not even be aware of. Like about the hard, crusty calcium deposits on the faucets, the dark, rusty stains in the toilet, and the white, powdery film on your tub walls and shower doors. That's what's on your hair, clinging to every cuticle preventing beneficial conditioners and the like from entering.
Enter chelating shampoo. Special shampoo, much like a clarifier, that is made to not only remove residual buildup, but also goes a little deeper into the hair to remove mineral and metal deposits. If you have hard water, you have these. Also if you use box relaxers, no or low lye relaxers, or really, any relaxer really, you have some mineral buildup as well. Chelating shampoos are strong, so their use must always be followed up with a very moisturizing deep conditioner.
The chelating shampoo I use was Quantum Clarifying Shampoo (around $11 at Sally's Beauty Supply). I wet my hair first under the shower stream as normal, then lathered with the shampoo once lightly, then letting the second lather stay in my hair for a short time as per the instructions. This is the last time I let tap water touch my hair, ever again. I rinsed the shampoo using 2 gallons of distilled water (soft water). Next I deep conditioned with matrix biolage hydratherapie conditioning balm, design essentials express instant conditioner, honey, glycerin, and olive oil (DC formula has since improved) for 40 minutes with steam. I then rinsed out DC with 1 gallon distilled water with ACV added, then a final rinse with super cold distilled water.
Hair felt unbelievably soft and light. You won't believe how much stuff your hair had it in until you take it all out. From this moment on, I use distilled water exclusively for all my hair needs from cowashing, to shampooing, to spritzing. This way, I don't foresee a need to use the chelating shampoo until after my next relaxer (relax every 6 months) or until I slip up and use tap water on my hair (not likely). Thank you all for bearing with me so long. Just wanted to share a tip and hear some feedback if anyone tries or has tried this.
Enter chelating shampoo. Special shampoo, much like a clarifier, that is made to not only remove residual buildup, but also goes a little deeper into the hair to remove mineral and metal deposits. If you have hard water, you have these. Also if you use box relaxers, no or low lye relaxers, or really, any relaxer really, you have some mineral buildup as well. Chelating shampoos are strong, so their use must always be followed up with a very moisturizing deep conditioner.
The chelating shampoo I use was Quantum Clarifying Shampoo (around $11 at Sally's Beauty Supply). I wet my hair first under the shower stream as normal, then lathered with the shampoo once lightly, then letting the second lather stay in my hair for a short time as per the instructions. This is the last time I let tap water touch my hair, ever again. I rinsed the shampoo using 2 gallons of distilled water (soft water). Next I deep conditioned with matrix biolage hydratherapie conditioning balm, design essentials express instant conditioner, honey, glycerin, and olive oil (DC formula has since improved) for 40 minutes with steam. I then rinsed out DC with 1 gallon distilled water with ACV added, then a final rinse with super cold distilled water.
Hair felt unbelievably soft and light. You won't believe how much stuff your hair had it in until you take it all out. From this moment on, I use distilled water exclusively for all my hair needs from cowashing, to shampooing, to spritzing. This way, I don't foresee a need to use the chelating shampoo until after my next relaxer (relax every 6 months) or until I slip up and use tap water on my hair (not likely). Thank you all for bearing with me so long. Just wanted to share a tip and hear some feedback if anyone tries or has tried this.
