When it comes to washing your hair, many of us focus on choosing the right shampoo and conditioner, but there's another crucial factor that often gets overlooked: water temperature. The temperature of the water you use can significantly impact the health, shine, and overall appearance of your hair. Whether you prefer a steamy hot shower or a refreshing cold rinse, understanding how different temperatures affect your hair can help you achieve the best results.
The Difference Between Hot and Cold
Both hot and cold water impacts hair health in unique ways, so it is important to find a healthy balance. Hot water is able to provide a deep cleanse, disintegrating dirt and oil, while cold water smooths hair cuticles and helps your hair retain moisture.
So obviously, both have a place when it comes to hair care.
The secret to water temperature is moderation.
According to experts, the best water temperature for your hair is around 100°F or about 37°C. This is just above our normal body temperature. This is the perfect temperature for getting a cleansing wash, without compromising your hair and scalp.
If your water temperature is too high, you run the risk of destroying the keratin and lipid bonds on your hair cuticles. In other words, you get frizz. Although, if the water temperature is too low, you will have a harder time getting your hair and scalp clean, because cold water is not able to thoroughly break down the product buildup and oils on your hair.
Love a Hot Shower?
Honestly, so do we! Taking a hot shower has a lot of health benefits and overall it's incredibly relaxing.
Although, when it comes to your hair’s health, a too hot shower can irritate or even damage your scalp. With a damaged scalp, you become more vulnerable to factors that can irritate it, such as styling products and dandruff causing microbes.
Your scalp isn’t the only thing that can become damaged in a hot shower. In water temperatures above 100°F, you run the risk of stripping your hair of its natural oils and in turn leaving your hair looking dull, lifeless and frizzy.
What about a Cold Shower?
Just like hot showers, cold showers are known to have a lot of health benefits as well.
While there are many pros to taking cold showers, there are also some cons when it comes to your hair.
Cold showers are known to decrease your hair volume. The temperature is great for helping your hair retain moisture, but an excess amount of moisture can make your hair look flat and sometimes oily. This is because the cold water is not able to break down the sebum and product buildup in our hair. Instead of the oils liquifying and washing away, like they do in hot water, cold water keeps the oils in a solidified state, making it harder to clean.
So What Do We Recommend?
If you’re anything like us, you don’t want to just stop taking hot showers all together and that’s understandable.
So to get that relaxing, hot shower while also keeping your hair safe, we recommend creating a hair washing routine that uses both hot and cold water.
So wash your hair like you normally would, starting with warm or hot water. This is what will get your scalp and hair squeaky clean, melting away buildup and oils. Once your hair is clean, you can apply your conditioner treatment(s) and rinse those using cold water. This will ensure that your hair soaks up and retains that moisture by smoothing the hair cuticles, and in turn, reducing frizz.
A Tid-Bit On Water Quality
I’m sure you’ve heard it before, but water quality has a big impact on our hair’s health. If you live in an environment that has hard water, you should be aware of the damage it can cause to your hair.
Hard water has a tendency to leave a film on your hair, causing dry and brittle hair over time. It is also known to increase hair shedding, leaving your hair looking thin and dull or even brassy.
A quick solution to prevent hair exposure to hard water, consider buying a shower head filter. You can also look into buying clarifying hair products, such as shampoos, conditioners, rinses, etc.
Just Remember…
Like anything else, moderation is key. You don’t have to take cold showers for the rest of your life for healthy hair. Find what works best for you and your hair. Everyone’s hair is different and has different needs, so if you are unsure how to best protect your hair when showering, reach out to a trusted stylist and seek their advice.
Much love!
🖤 TYME
