Here's Why TikTok Users Love Shower Water Filters for Better Skin and Hair
Trends come and go on quickly TikTok, especially beauty- and hair-related tips and tricks. Recently, water filters (of all things) are getting a lot of attention. If your hair is super soft when it’s wet yet brittle when it’s dry and your skin is also feeling dry, you may have hard water that needs filtering. But will these consumer-tested TikTok water filters really help your hair and skin?
VEGAMOUR spoke to an expert and took a closer look at the research. Plus, discover the all-natural products that will keep all hair types feeling healthy and looking glossy.
What Does Water Filtering Do?
VEGAMOUR spoke with board-certified dermatologist Dr. Anna Chacon with My Psoriasis Team, who explained that "Water filtering eliminates impurities and potentially hazardous toxins including chlorine, disinfection byproducts and heavy metals like mercury, lead and arsenic. On the other hand, water filters effectively preserve vital minerals like magnesium, fluoride, calcium and zinc."
A water filtration system helps to remove mineral deposits and sediments from your water. Hard water is determined by the mineral content of your tap water, which is essentially groundwater combined with the natural minerals found in the ground where you live. As the water flow moves through rocks that contain minerals such as calcium salts, magnesium and carbonate, the water supply gets harder. The water can also pick up minerals, like brushed nickel, from your home's piping or an existing faucet.
States with the softest water include:
- New York
- North Carolina
- New Hampshire
- Oregon
- Hawaii
States with the hardest water include:
- Indiana
- Nevada
- Minnesota
- Texas
- California
Also, note that "water pressure" is a completely different matter. That simply refers to the flow rate of your water from the faucet. Low water pressure can be annoying but isn't related to the quality of the water. A water filter for sink faucets may also aerate to conserve water. All of these — hard water, water pressure and water conservation — may be addressed by a shower or faucet water filtration system.
@sarahpalmyra This has been a hair game changer #hairtok #amazonfinds #showerfilter #hardwater #healthyhair ♬ Apple bitten jeans beach boys 1964 - done4dayz
Removing Contaminants
Having hard water doesn't mean you're living with toxins in your water. Hard water, therefore, isn't necessarily unhealthy for your family to drink but may wreak havoc on your hair and skin. That said, another important job of these water filtration systems is to remove any toxins or harmful chemicals from your drinking water. An analysis of up to 20 million typical household tap water showed that there were 316 different contaminants in U.S. tap water.
Signs Your Water Is Hard
If you live in a hard water area, your soap or shower gel may not lather well. Your clothes may feel rough after laundering. You may notice a limescale buildup or 'film' around your taps.
Hard water can also affect your hair and scalp. Hard water can irritate the scalp and leave your hair looking dehydrated and dry. A buildup of calcium, magnesium, silica, chlorine and other contaminants on the scalp can make hair so dry it becomes frizzy and breaks easily. The more contaminants make it into your water and onto your scalp — the more you may experience scalp dryness or irritation or have difficulty getting your hair and skin clean.
Quick tip: GRO Scalp Detoxifying Serum helps to optimize scalp health and gently remove persistent buildup. Soothing ingredients help to relieve scalp damage and protect the scalp from any pollutants it encounters. Use this clarifying serum weekly for optimum results.
Benefits of a Water Filteration System
A good water filtration system removes impurities and potentially toxic contaminants from your water. By doing this, you'll see some nice benefits:
- Better-tasting water: Without all those impurities your filtered water will taste and smell more like crisp, clean water without the hint of chlorine.
- Reduced hair loss: One study that looked at the experience of 70 men found that hair could lose strength when exposed to hard water. This lead to breakage and hair loss. Help protect your strands from hard water and keep hair growth consistent by using a daily, vegan non-greasy serum.
- Hair feels cleaner and is easier to manage.
- Skin is less dry and irritated.
Choosing the Right Water Filtration System
Thankfully, you don't need to rely on bottled water to wash your hair and skin. "Toxins, chemicals and impurities that might harm your hair and skin are removed by filtering the water," said Chacon. Choose a system and price point that works best for you.
Under Sink Filtration System
Most under-sink water filters, though expensive, are relatively simple to install and have replacement filters that are a breeze to switch out. An under-the-sink water filtration system can be attached to an existing cold water line and main faucet.
Most of these systems work by reverse osmosis, allowing only water molecules to pass through a semipermeable membrane. RO systems remove most contaminants from the water. The system has a porous membrane that water molecules pass through but other molecules do not — like chloride, fluoride and heavy metals.
Though highly effective, this sink water filtration system is one of the larger systems that can take up a lot of space. It usually fits under the kitchen sink but can be a smaller system you attach to each separate faucet. Make sure to purchase a system that's been NSF certified.
Ultrafiltration
This filtration process uses a hollow fiber membrane to filter contaminants out of your water. It preserves healthy minerals in the water flow that other systems may eliminate. It is easy to install because it attaches to the main faucet.
Carbon Filters
This is a simple carbon-based filtration process that's often used for filtering in drinking water containers, like a water filtration pitcher. The activated carbon filter bonds to the contaminants and removes them as the water flows through. The effectiveness of a carbon filter can vary, so it's important you do your research first.
Shower Head Filter System
If you want to improve your beauty routine by filtering out the stuff that's bothering your skin, scalp and hair, then try a showerhead filtration system. TikTok beauty enthusiasts are raving about the difference these types of filters make for their hair and skin.
These also work well if you live in a rented property or have limited cabinet space. Simply clip onto your existing showerhead or get a filter that attaches directly to your shower pipes. With many systems, you can set up a filter replacement subscription service so the filters arrive just when you need to change filters. Changing these out won’t negatively impact the flow rate of your water.
Note: Water filtration systems may eliminate healthy minerals as well as toxins so be sure to eat a healthy diet to supply the minerals your body needs. Also, note that to truly treat the hardness of the water you may need a water-softening system.
Adjust Your Hair Care Routine to Fit Your Water Quality
If your only option is to shower and wash your strands in hard water, focus on your scalp and use a shampoo formulated without sulfates. This will help you remove oil and debris without stripping the hair. Rinse thoroughly before adding conditioner and if you can brave it, rinse with cold water to smooth down and seal the cuticle.
Filter Out the Bad
If you're struggling with lingering skin and hair issues, it might be worth finding out whether or not you're washing with hard water. The minerals in hard water will leave hair looking limp, dry and difficult to style but using a water filtering system will help. And if you are stuck with hard water, use clinically-proven products to soften dry, brittle hair to keep even the dullest strands looking and feeling fresh.
More From VEGAMOUR
- Shop: The Best Clean Hair Products
- Shea Whitney's Favorite Hair Products
- Hard Water & Hair Loss: What You Should Know
Photo credit: Ron Lach/Pexels
