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Stylists Love These Shampoos For Hard Water To Revitalize Lifeless Hair

 

When I moved from Florida to New York, I noticed my hair turned dull and my scalp was easily irritated. I thought it was due to testing dozens of beauty products monthly, but after consulting with experts, I realized that hard water may be to blame.

Hard water refers to the H20 found in most U.S. shower pipes that contain hair-coating minerals. These minerals can leave your strands frizzy, dry and brittle, says dermatologist Dr. Brendan Camp, MD. But experts I spoke with say shampoos for hard water can help fight these effects. That's because these shampoos feature deep-cleaning ingredients that help remove mineral buildup.

Ready for more hydrated hair? Ahead, is a rundown of the best shampoos for hard water vetted by hairstylists and Women's Health's Beauty Editors.

What To Consider

If you're wondering how to buy the best shampoos to remove hard water, there's a few things to look for. Here goes:

Ingredients

When you're looking for a hair product that's really going to be able to stand its ground against hard water, there are a few keywords to look out for on the label. According to Faulk, buy a shampoo that describes itself as a "buildup remover"—which should dispatch chemical oxidizers, have a cleansing detox formula, or is pH-balanced. You should also look out for “clarifying” and “chelating” shampoos with vitamin C, apple cider vinegar, and EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) on your shampoo labels. This will help you ensure the hair product has the right ingredients to remove minerals found in hard water.

How We Selected

For this story, I interviewed eight hair experts on what factors to consider when buying shampoos for hard water. Their guidance includes using shampoos made with cleansing agents and moisturizing properties to help rebalance the scalp and without drying strands. I also prioritized color-safe picks because I know how costly it is to maintain chemically treated hair. After testing ten different shampoos over six weeks, I narrowed it down to five I absolutely love. As for the other two recommendations, they earned snaps from a hairstylist and Women's Health Associate Fashion & Commerce editor, Lily Wohlner.

After several months of testing these formulas, I noticed my hair became shiny, flake-free, and soft even before applying a conditioner.

Best Overall

Joico Defy Damage Detox Shampoo

Pros

• Helps remove stubborn hard water deposits and metal buildup
• Removes green tones in hair caused by chlorinated water
• Paraben- and mineral oil-free

Cons

• You shouldn't use it more than twice monthly or you will likely strip your hair of hydration

The Defy Damage Shampoo has been in my rotation since 2019, and when I saw Joico created a Detox version I immediately had to try it. The Detox Shampoo does just that—it combines a proprietary chelating agent and activated charcoal to remove product buildup and hard water deposits. It’s enriched with moringa seed oil that helps prevent any dryness, while veggie proteins help strengthen weak hair bonds, leaving me with a noticeably cleaner scalp and healthy-looking hair.

Although I like all of the products I tested, I keep coming back to Defy Damage because it’s really that good. Whenever I use this, my hair feels super clean, but still hydrated. With each wash—typically every two weeks—my hair is noticeably bouncier, giving me a fresh-from-the-salon look. My fellow swimmers (or those with color-treated strands) will also appreciate that Joico helps remove chlorine that turns hair brassy after dips in the pool.

I also appreciate that this shampoo is compatible with all hair types. My hair is thick and coily, while my mom has fine, color-treated straight hair. This formula worked on both of us, and it recently became a must-have for her since moving to a new city with hard water.

Read more: Best Clarifying Shampoos

Hair types All
Color-safe Yes
Cruelty-free Yes
Size 10.1 fl. oz
Key ingredients A proprietary chelator, moringa seed oil, activated charcoal, and veggie proteins

Best Budget Buy

Design Essentials Oat Protein and Henna Deep Cleansing Shampoo

Pros

• Provides a great lather
• It’s very moisturizing, so those with dry hair will love it

Cons

• Might be too moisturizing for those with an oily scalp

Hair stylist Courtney Foster considers Design Essentials her all-time favorite clarifying shampoo—and it’ll only set you back just under-$15. She says it lives up to its namesake of deep cleansing by removing build up (including hard water minerals) without dehydrating hair. While Foster splurges on other hair products like hot tools for her salon, she finds this budget-friendly shampoo performs just as well as more expensive alternatives. Plus, it adds incredible shine and strengthens weak hair. That's because it has hydrolyzed oat protein and glycerin to boost hydration, while henna volumizes flat strands and prevents breakage.

Given its efficacy of cleansing the scalp and hair, Foster also relies on this “perfect” sulfate-free shampoo as an essential step in her salon’s silk press routine and for creating other sleek hairstyles.

My fellow naturalistas already know Design Essentials is for us, by us—and we can expect some major hydration for our coils and curls. The incredibly moisturizing ingredients found in this shampoo makes it ideal for someone with dry to very dry hair. Those with an oily scalp should probably skip using this shampoo or you may find your scalp is a little too hydrated and you’ll want to shampoo more frequently. If your budget is tight and still want to use this shampoo even though you have an oily scalp, consider only using it throughout the winter season when the cold weather and your radiator will zap the natural oils from your hair.

Hair types All hair types, ranging from 1A—4C
Sulfate-free No
Size 12 fl. oz
Cruelty-free N/A
Key Ingredients Hydrolyzed oat protein and henna

Best Splurge

Oribe The Cleanse Clarifying Shampoo

Pros

• Doesn't deplete our natural oils, including for dry hair types
• You only need a single pump of water

Cons

• Skip if you prefer a traditional liquid shampoo

Yes, spending nearly $50 on a shampoo is a bit much, but if you’ve got the budget then you won’t be disappointed with one from Oribe. This is the only pick that comes in an aerosol container, and emits shampoo in a whipped mousse-like consistency that turns into a creamy lather when I rub my palms together. Combined with its impressive ingredients and luxurious smell, Oribe's Clarifying Shampoo brings a salon-like vibe to my shower routine.

Full stop: it does an excellent job of removing excess oil, dirt, product and mineral buildup without stripping my hair. Since it offers a beautiful lather, I only need a little bit of product, and the volcanic ash powder leaves my scalp ultra clean. It also contains eucalyptus, which leaves behind a lightly invigorating feeling to my scalp. But my favorite ingredient in the shampoo is the brand’s signature proprietary formula, which combines watermelon, lychee, and edelweiss flower to help prevent dryness and damage. Plus, it smells fresh and light and has earned me compliments from friends.

Hair type All hair types
Sulfate-free Yes
Cruelty-free Yes
Size 7.1 fl. oz
Key Ingredients Sea kelp extract, green tea extract, and the Oribe Signature Complex of watermelon, lychee, and edelweiss flower

Best Apple Cider Shampoo

Ouai Detox Shampoo

Pros

• Incredibly cleansing

Cons

• It’s good for oily scalps, so someone with very dry hair might not love it

Dr. Camp recommends this shampoo because it contains apple cider vinegar (ACV), a hero agent that removes hard water, debris, and buildup. ACV is also anti-inflammatory, and my itchy, sometimes pink scalp is noticeably calmer whenever I use this shampoo. It’s also made with other chelating agents that bind to the minerals and metals in hard water and help break them down so we’re left with softer, more manageable strands. This shampoo even contains hydrolyzed keratin to soften, smooth, and enhance shine. After using this product consistently, my typically dry strands have more luster, but not in an overly shiny way. More like, I have healthy and happy hair—and for that I am thankful.

I like to wet my hair, apply this shampoo, massage it in for about a minute or two before rinsing. Ouai Detox Shampoo refreshes my scalp and I noticed a bit more volume at my roots. It’s a little drying on my natural hair, but I always follow up with my favorite Oribe hair mask and I’m always satisfied with how my strands look and feel with this combination.

Hair type All hair texture, including coily tresses
Sulfate-free Yes
Size 10 fl. oz
Cruelty-free Yes
Key Ingredients Apple cider vinegar and hydrolyzed keratin

Best Hard Water Shampoo For Chemically-Treated Hair

K18 Peptide Prep Color-Safe Detox Clarifying Shampoo

Pros

• Removes metals
• Color-safe

Cons

• Skip if you’ve got a dry scalp as it’s likely too detoxifying for you

If you're looking to splurge on a shampoo that will keep your color without stripping your hair of moisture, you'll love the Peptide Prep Color-Safe Detox Clarifying Shampoo from K18.

Hairstylist and trichologist Jill Lee adores this shampoo because it does a fantastic job at removing hard water buildup, minerals, and even heavy metals. She often recommends this shampoo to clients with chemically-treated or damaged hair to ensure their locks remain healthy and strong. So if you’ve got a relaxer or color-treated hair, this would be an excellent addition to your wash day routine. It’s also made with salicylic acid, which gently exfoliates and removes excess scalp oil.

After using this shampoo, I experienced less flaking and less product buildup from heat protectants and scalp oils. My hair feels lighter and bouncier, plus I can get away with shampooing once a week instead of twice weekly since using this product.

Hair type All hair types
Sulfate-free Yes
Size 8.5 fl. oz
Cruelty-free Yes
Key Ingredients Charcoal, salicylic acid

Best Smelling Shampoo

Moroccanoil Clarifying Shampoo

Pros

• Safe for perms and color-treated hair
• Made with naturally-moisturizing oils

Cons

• Doesn't produce the best lather

Yes, all shampoos on this list smell good, but Moroccanoil’s warm blend of amber, musk, and sweet florals is so sublime, that I need this fragrance bottled into a separate perfume. And for those who also have sensitive noses like myself, the aroma is subtle, not irritating.

Moroccanoil shampoo relies on EDTA to help minimize hard water buildup. But what we love most is that the formula cleanses minerals without causing excessive dryness. That's because of its blend of moisturizing plant extracts, nourishing argan oil, and strengthening keratin. "Not only does this shampoo make your hair smell ~literally~ amazing, but it coats your hair in the most gorgeous shine and leaves it feeling so healthy," says Wohlner. "Once your strands are dry, they feel so clean, but never stripped."

Hair type All hair types
Sulfate-free Yes
Size 8.5 fl. oz
Cruelty-free Yes
Key Ingredients EDTA, argan oil, avocado oil, keratin, lavender, chamomile, jojoba oil

Best for Sensitive Scalps

Maria Nila Purifying Cleanse Shampoo

Pros

• Has a light fruity scent
• Vegan and cruelty-free

Cons

• Skip if you don’t like shampoos with a light cooling effect

Maria Nila is a Swedish hidden gem. I instantly loved the brand’s 10-minute Purifying Cleanse Exfoliating Serum, and when I saw there was a matching shampoo I needed to test it. My scalp becomes super flakey and irritated during the late-fall and winter seasons, and this shampoo removes pesky dandruff and hard water buildup while detoxifying my strands from hard water.

It combines alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) for a light chemical exfoliation on my scalp, while peppermint provides a refreshing tingling sensation that helps wake me up in the morning. Even though it’s a deep cleansing shampoo, Maria Nila doesn’t dry my head. That’s because it’s made with soothing aloe vera, which is great for sensitive scalps.

Since I have very dry coily hair I like to leave this on my scalp for about a minute before rinsing away. But don’t leave this on longer than that, as it can leave your scalp almost too squeaky clean. But in case your head feels a bit dry, I follow up with a moisturizing shampoo such as the Maria Nila Head & Hair Heal Shampoo and Conditioner or the brand’s Coils & Curls collection.

Hair type All hair types
Sulfate-free? Yes
Cruelty-free? Yes
Size 11.8 fl. oz
Key ingredients AHAs, aloe, and peppermint

Meet The Experts

• Dr. Brendan Camp, MD, is a double board-certified dermatologist practicing at MDCS Dermatology in New York.
• Hadley King, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and a clinical instructor of dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical College.
• Courtney Foster is a hairstylist and trichologist in New York.
• Shelly Aguirre is a hairstylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago.
• Todd Faulk is the senior cosmetology educator at the Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute Dallas.
• Jill Lee is a hairstylist and trichologist.
• Neera Nathan, MD, MSHS, is a board-certified dermatologist and consultant for Vegamour.
• Tiffany Young is a certified trichologist and founder of thinhairthick.com.

 

How can you protect your hair from hard water?

If your new shampoo routine isn't doing the trick, there are alternative measures to safeguard your hair from hard water. Consider installing a water filter at home; it can cover your entire house or, if you're in an apartment or on a budget, simply attach it to your showerhead.

Nathan compares these filters to a drinking water filter. The devices can help filter out salts before they affect your hair and skin, she explains.

What’s the difference between a hard water shampoo, clarifying shampoo, and a chelating shampoo?

There aren't really any shampoos marketed as "hard water shampoos." Instead, you'll see something that says either "clarifying shampoo" or "chelating shampoo." Foster says that understanding the difference between the two is key to knowing the solution to your hair care needs.

Clarifying shampoos are ideal for immediately removing product and mineral buildup, says Foster. Chelating shampoos with vitamin C, apple cider vinegar, and EDTA, are designed to remove metal buildup from inside the hair shaft and mineral buildup that has accumulated over time, adds Dr. Camp.

What shampoo for hard water is safe on color-treated hair?

Hard water is one of the worst enemies of color-treated hair, since it can cause your new shade to go dull or fade quicker than usual. Washing with a color-safe hard water shampoo will help protect its shine. But make sure to check your labels first and watch out for any of the usual color-fading suspects, like sulfates and parabens. If you're looking for an option that's safe for color-treated hair, try the L'Oreal shampoo on this list.