Expert Insight
Samantha Cusick is one of the UK’s leading hair stylists. She takes a science based approach to hair care, helping clients understand how daily factors like water quality impact their colour and hair health.

When your water interferes, your colour pays the price.

When minerals bind to the hair shaft, they form a layer that blocks out moisture. Over time, this film prevents conditioners, masks, and treatments from working properly. “Once it’s there, everything from colour to styling becomes harder to manage.”

Samantha Cusick on Hard Water and Product Performance (2025)

For lasting colour, start with your water.

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Chlorine dehydrates and dulls colour

“Chlorine can cause everything from premature fading and brassiness to a rough, almost straw-like texture.”

Even small amounts of metals can weaken the hair cortex

“When you’re dealing with hard water, it’s not just a case of colour fading a bit faster.” Metals like copper and iron accumulate inside the fibre, creating tiny weak points that make hair more porous and brittle. This hidden stress reduces elasticity and makes strands more prone to breakage over time.

Samantha Cusick on Metal Stress in Hair (2025)

“The easiest way to protect your colour starts with your shower.”

Filter
Hair

Ask Samantha Cusick

Swapping to a filtering shower head is one of the best things you can do, it’s such a simple change but makes a huge difference. That’s why I love Hello Klean. I recommend their filters to so many of my clients, especially those who invest in their colour. Pair it with a gentle detox once a week using the Break Down Anti-Flake Scalp Soak to reset your scalp and remove mineral buildup. Keeping your water clean and your routine balanced means your colour stays vibrant and your hair feels soft and healthy.

You can spot hard water damage straight away when you’re working with colour. The tone fades faster, blondes turn dull or slightly green, and the hair starts to feel rough or flat. That’s mineral buildup sitting on the hair, stopping it from behaving the way it should.

Colour fading too fast, dull or uneven tones, and a rough, coated texture are usually the giveaways. The hair loses shine and feels like there’s a layer stopping it from absorbing moisture or colour properly.

Always detox before you colour. Buildup can cause patchy or uneven results. I use a clarifying or chelating treatment in-salon, but at home, I recommend using Hello Klean’s Shampoo, Conditioner, or Scalp Soak. Think of it as prepping your canvas before painting. Clean surface, better results.

Definitely. I can often tell where someone’s from just by how their hair feels. In places like central London, where the water’s hard, hair tends to feel drier and colours fade faster. In softer water areas, hair keeps its shine and tone much longer.

Yes, 100%. Hard water can double your upkeep. It leads to more frequent toners, treatments, and full-colour appointments. Protecting your hair with a shower filter means fewer salon visits and better results that last.

I always start with a Hello Klean Shower Filter. It’s my non-negotiable. Then I use the Full Cover Shampoo and Smooth Talk Conditioner to keep hair soft and glossy. Every two weeks, I do a reset with the Scalp Soak to lift build-up and rebalance the scalp. It keeps colour bright and hair feeling light.

Minerals like calcium and magnesium cling to your hair, making it rough and brittle over time. It stops moisture from getting in, weakens the cuticle, and leads to snapping and frizz. Filtering your water helps stop that damage before it starts.

Shedding happens from the root. You’ll see the full strand, sometimes with a bulb. Breakage is shorter, snapped pieces that leave hair uneven or frizzy. If you’re seeing lots of tiny bits, that’s breakage.

Travel with a shower filter, seriously, it fits any shower and makes a big difference abroad. Always wet your hair with clean water before swimming to stop chlorine or salt from soaking in, and use a leave-in conditioner to keep moisture locked in. Hats are your friend too.

Salon approved solution to reduce chlorine, reduce heavy metals, and impurities.
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