Hard water, with its high calcium content, can cause hair breakage especially if it's already damaged, bleached, or processed. Often underestimated for its potential harm, hard water can be a silent assailant to your strands, weakening and dulling them.
The key to saving your hair fibres from this hard water is hair decalcification. In this article, we’ll dive into the science behind why hard water is detrimental to your hair and the practical tips you need − including how to decalcify – in order to protect your hair from the dangers of hard water.
Why Water Damages Your Hair?
Water is life, and it plays a crucial role in maintaining our overall well-being. However, when it comes to your hair, the type of water you expose it to can either be a blessing or a curse. Hard water is water that is rich in minerals, predominantly calcium and magnesium.
When we think of hard water, we often think about limescale - that chalky deposit that builds-up around taps and in the depths of your kettle - but when it comes to hair, it’s the calcium that is the real issue. Strange, right? Because when we think of calcium, we often link it to strong, healthy bones and teeth but when it comes to hair, calcium buildup is not your friend - it can, in fact, lead to a range of problems, including hair weakening and breakage. These hair concerns can be signs of hard water on hair causing damage.
What Type of Damage Can Calcium Cause to Your Hair?
Now that we know why calcium is good for our bodies but bad for our hair when exposed regularly,
here are 3 types of damage that calcium can cause to your hair:
STIFFNESS
Calcium reacts with the proteins in your hair fibres causing them to stiffen. This stiffness can make your hair feel coarse and difficult to manage, leading to more breakage during styling or brushing.
DULLNESS
Calcium can form a coating on your hair, making it look dull and lacking luster. This layer can prevent moisture on the hair shaft, leaving it dry and lifeless.
WEAKENED STRUCTURE
Calcium can weaken the protein structure of your hair, making it more prone to breakage. This is especially concerning for those with already damaged or porous hair, as it exacerbates the problem.
How to Decalcify your Hair and Protect it from Hard Water?
Hair decalcification is the process of removing the damaging calcium buildup from your hair. This procedure is essential for maintaining healthy, lustrous hair, particularly if you live in an area with hard water.
There are several methods for hair decalcification, including specialized shampoos, conditioners, and treatments designed to dissolve and remove excess calcium. Regular use of these products can help restore the natural balance of your hair and prevent further damage. Here are 4 hard water hair treatment ideas:
Use a Water Softener
Installing a water softener in your home, especifically on your shower head, can be a game changer. These devices work to remove the excess minerals from your water, leaving it softer and gentler on your hair. You can also educate yourself about the calcium concentration in the water supply of your city to determine if it's high or not.
Deep Conditioning your Hair
Adding a deep conditioner to your hair care routine will help restore moisture and counteract the damaging effects of calcium. Choose a conditioner that is enriched with amino acids, lipids and hydrating ingredients like our new Première Repairing Conditioner.
Shampoo (With Water) Less:
Avoid excess hard water exposure by helping your hair last longer between washes with our best dry shampoo Fresh Affair.
Opt for Professional Hair Treatments
Treat yourself to a professional hair decalcification treatment! In our hair salons, our hairdressers can advise you on what your hair needs and create a personalized plan to achieve your hair goals.
These Products Could be for You!
To keep your hair looking its best, implement hair decalcification into your routine and use products designed to combat the hard water effects on hair. With the right hair care routine and a little extra attention, you can keep your hair strong and healthy, even in areas with notoriously hard water.
CONCENTRÉ DÉCALCIFIANT ULTRA-RÉPARATEUR HAIR TREATMENT
A dual-action decalcifying and repairing pre-shampoo hair treatment for damaged hair. Removes calcium and reinforces hair strength, leaving it stronger, smoother, and shinier.
BAIN DÉCALCIFIANT RÉPARATEUR SHAMPOO
Decalcifying repairing shampoo for damaged hair. A rich double-action shampoo that works inside and out to remove calcium and strengthen and repair damaged hair.
MASQUE FILLER RÉPARATEUR HAIR MASK
An anti-breakage repairing resurfacing hair mask that restores moisture and strengthens all types of damaged hair.
FONDANT FLUIDITÉ RÉPARATEUR CONDITIONER
A repairing, decalcifying, softening conditioner for damaged hair. It removes the calcium overdose that attacks treated hair, and then repairs the damage in a dual-action effect, restoring softness, moisture, and strength.
SÉRUM FILLER FONDAMENTAL HAIR SERUM
A leave-in repairing anti-breakage filler hair serum. This anti-frizz serum works to seal and fill hair strands, and protect them from the heat of styling tools, leaving hair shiny and strong.
HUILE GLOSS RÉPARATRICE HAIR OIL
Shine intensifying repairing oil for damaged hair.
What Products to Use to Avoid Hard Water Damage?
Did you know, damaged hair absorbs 3x more calcium than healthy hair?
That’s where the new hair strengthening range, Première, comes in, as it has been specifically formulated to decalcify your hair fibres using citric acid and glycine – giving your hair a mineral detox.
The Kérastase Première Concentré Décalcifiant Ultra Réparateur boasts the highest percentages of each ingredient: 3% citric acid to eliminate the calcium
buildup, neutralizing dullness and stiffness. Added to that is 5% glycine, an amino acid, that penetrates the hair to reconnect broken keratin links (caused by the calcium) to reduce breakage.
The dual action repair, both outer and inner repair, can recreate 99%* of your hair’s original strength.
Sounds too good to be true - we know - but it’s not magic, it’s science. Find out how the Kérastase Première Concentré traps and eliminates the excess calcium with this experiment done by Edine Ahbich, Kérastase
Scientific Director.
At-Home Decalcification Ritual
The key to the Première range is the power of layering (a hot new hair trend, you can read more about hair layering here) to remove the calcium deposits from the outside and inside of your hair fibre. By layering our powerful Première clarifying pre-shampoo concentré with the shampoo, the active ingredients are able to penetrate the different layers of your hair for optimal decalcification and mineral detox.
LAYER 1 - ACTIVATE
Start with the Kérastase Première Concentré Décalcifiant Ultra Réparateur, a pre-shampoo concentrate that is the
clarifying hero of the collection. Use on slightly wet/damp hair and should not be rinsed before applying the shampoo (layer 2).
With 3% citric acid and 5% glycine, it decalcifies your hair reducing stiffness, boosting shine, recreating 99%* of hair’s original strength and reducing breakage by 93%*.
LAYER 2 - CLEANSE
Our Kérastase Première Bain Décalcifiant Réparateur should be applied directly on top of the Concentré (you can
add a little water to emulsify, if needed).
Its creamy texture and voluptuous foam gently cleanses away calcium overload and neutralizes dullness and breakage. Hair is left healthier, shinier and renewed.
STEP 3 - TREAT
Once hair is towel dried you can layer on the Kérastase Première Fondant Fluidité Réparateur, or the
Masque Filler Réparateur.
The lightweight formula of the conditioner quickly gets to work to restore moisture and fluidity. In fact, hair is left 7x smoother, * 82% shinier* and with 86% more moisture. *
The rich, creamy mask should be left on towel-dried hair for 5 minutes in order to penetrate fibres to repair and rebuild inner strength.
STEP 4- FINISH
Calcium doesn’t just cause breakage, it enhances damage and dryness leading to frizz, so our Kérastase Première
Sérum Filler Fondamental is designed to repel humidity and protect against heat up to 230 ºC.
Huile Gloss Réparatrice is a nourishing oil that seals spit ends and boosts shine. It’s the perfect addition to polish
hair after heat styling or to tame flyaways if you tend to leave you hair to air dry.
In-Salon Decalcification Ritual
For the ultimate hair decalcification in salon, your hairdresser can offer our salon-exclusive clarifying Concentré Liquide Resurfaçant.
After your hairdresser layers the Concentré with the Bain, they will rinse. Then they will apply the Kérastase Concentré Liquide Resurfaçant with the Masque, before rinsing again.
This double layering technique offers the highest exposure to citric acid and glycine in one hit to intensely decalcify - removing calcium - to reverse persistent stiffness and to seal in shine and suppleness. Expect hair that is stronger, healthier and shinier.
