Wondering how hard water affects you?

5 benefits of Hello Klean.

Why: better to prevent than to cure.

Here's why we exist:

  • If you're feeling like your products haven't quite done the job, the water you are washing in could be to blame.
  • There’s no magic cure for baldness, psoriasis and eczema. But you can prevent them from getting worse.
  • Water affects your skin and hair just as much as the products you use. The earlier you take action, the less you'll spend on fixing issues later.

Skin: reduced dryness & irritation.

Hello Klean products rescues skin and hair from the drying effects of hard water.

Our customers notice:

  • Reduced flareups & irritation.
  • No 'tight-feeling' after showers.
  • No rashes (hives) after showers.
  • Improvement on KP.
  • Reduced breakouts.

Hair: restored to its natural state.

Your hair isn't 'just like that.' After using Hello Klean, our customers notice:

  • Reduced flakes and dandruff.
  • More bounce and shine.
  • Hair feels less weighed down.
  • Restored curls that aren't limp.

Wellbeing: reduced contaminants.

The Hello Klean range is:

  • Cruelty free & vegan.
  • Free from sulphates, silicones, fragrance, parabens, EDTA, mineral oil and 1,600 ingredients banned by the EU.
  • Dermatologist tested and approved.
  • Clinically proven(lab tested to prove their efficacy).
  • Formulated for hard water.

Eco: a conscious shower ecosystem.

We're conscious of our environmental footprint:

  • Shower Filters are recyclable and refillable.
  • All bottles are made from 100% post consumer recycled plastic.
  • Plastic free exterior packaging & FSC certified boxes.
  • Carbon conscious shipping.

+60% of Europe suffers from hard water.

What is hard water?

Hard water contains minerals, heavy metals, chlorine and other contaminants.

What are the signs? Soap not lathering sufficiently, clothes feeling rough to the touch, buildup of limescale, hair and skin issues.

What causes hard water?

Water dissolves chemical compounds. When rain falls onto sedimentary rock, it dissolves small amounts Calcium, Magnesium, Iron, Lead, Copper and more.

From there, the water(containing minerals) travels through the ground, into rivers, lakes and reservoirs eventually coming through our pipes at home to be used for drinking, cooking, washing and heating.

What is chlorinated water?

To prevent contamination, water companies add a disinfectant, such as Chlorine or Chloramine, to kill germs such as Salmonella, Campylobacter and Norovirus.

While helpful in destroying harmful bacteria, chlorinated water is drying to our skin and hair.

Chlorine byproducts gets released as a gas in hot water, prolonged exposure can also lead to health risks.

What about heavy metals and other contaminants?

Shower water can contain heavy metals such as copper, lead, arsenic and more. These are a result of human-led processes — such as pesticides that enter the water supply through chemical waste from factories, city sewage, or rusty old pipes.

Is hard water dangerous?

Minerals such as calcium and magnesium do not pose a threat to human health.

Unfortunately, hard water can contain unwanted contaminants such as radon, arsenic, pesticides and lead.

Additionally, when chlorine mixes with even minute amounts of organic compounds, found in water, they produce harmful by-products, called Trihalomethanes (THMs). These by-products produce free radicals in the body, which trigger cell damage.

  • Minerals penetrate the hair and crystallises as it dries, this causes crispy feeling hair prone to breakage.

  • Hard water creates soap scum that settle on the skin. It saps away moisture, leaving you with congested, bumpy skin.

  • Hard water reduces lather and leaves behind a buildup of product residue and minerals which causes itchiness and flakes.

Skin: hard water symptoms

Body acne

Body acne are breakouts, which show up on the back, chest, butt, and arms.

Hard water can alter our skin's oil from a liquid to a wax-like texture. Causing clogged pores and issues ranging from blackheads and larger pimples to rosacea.

Also, calcium in hard water may irritate your skin, causing dry, scaly, pinkish patches. If you find your soap products don't thoroughly lather and leave a filmy residue after rinse off, you are most likely bathing with hard water.

Dry skin

Dry skin happens when your skin barrier loses water and oil. Symptoms can include scaling, flaking, peeling skin, skin that feels rough, tight-feeling skin after showers, itchiness, and cracks.

When water contains high amounts of calcium, it doesn't fully dissolve soap, meaning some residue is left behind. This can contribute to sensitive, irritable, and blemish-prone skin.

Many local cities add chlorine to tap water during the processing stage to kill microbes. This research suggests that exposure to chlorinated water causes dryness and increase sensitivity.

People with dermatitis-type conditions may suffer more if they live in an area with either chlorinated or hard water as the minerals and chemicals can act as an irritant for some, leading to potential flareups.

Eczema

Eczema is an inflammatory skin condition that causes dry skin, itchy skin, rashes, scaly patches, blisters, and infections. Itchy skin is the most common symptom of eczema.

Bathing in hard water raises the pH of the skin, which can affect the skin barrier's repairing abilities.

Studies suggest that hard water reduces skin hydration, increases skin redness, increases the level of cytokines, which are proteins that drive inflammation. 

The lead author of the study, Dr. Simon Danby from the University of Sheffield's Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, said: "Patients with eczema are much more sensitive to the effects of hard water than people with healthy skin. This increase in sensitivity is associated with a genetic predisposition to a skin barrier defect brought about by mutations in the gene encoding filaggrin. Filaggrin is a structural protein important for forming our skin's barrier to the outside environment. Up to half of all people with eczema carry a filaggrin gene."

Shower rash

A shower rash can look like splotchy, red, irritated patches of skin that crop up on various parts of the body and may feel sensitive to the touch.

Hard water may contribute to skin dryness and aggravate existing conditions. If the skin barrier is compromised, mineral deposits in hard water can make it more prone to reactions and irritation.

Chlorine is an element that some cities use to disinfect tap water. For some, the chemical can even cause a 'chlorine rash' after a hot shower.

Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune skin disease with raised, inflamed patches of skin that appear red on light skin and brown or purple on dark skin, and feel sore to the touch.

While there is no evidence that hard water causes psoriasis, the minerals in hard water have a drying effect on the skin and can worsen psoriasis and other issues.

Scalp & hair: hard water symptoms

Dry hair

Dry hair develops when your hair doesn't get or retain enough moisture. This reduces shine and can make it look frizzy and dull. Sheen and lustre are two vital signs of healthy hair. When your hair is dry, the outer layer breaks down, causing it to appear dull and unhealthy.

Hard water can coat your hair with a film ofmineral buildup. This leaves your hair feeling filmy, straw-like, and weighs down curls, causing them to look 'limp.' Hard water erodes the hair's elasticity as it lifts the cuticle, leading to easier accumulation of buildup.

Discolouration

Hair discolouration can be affected by the colour's chemistry, hard water, chlorine, and overall hair health and dyeing history. 

In hard water, chlorine and copper can bond together to form a film that sticks to the proteins in each strand of hair, causing hair to turn green. Additionally, copper can be found on some pipes as well. 

Iron and manganese content in hard water are oxidisers that cause lighter hair to look orange and create a coppery red hue for darker hair

Dandruff & flakes

An itchy scalp feels tingly and sensitive. Symptoms may include bald patches, dry flakes, irritated skin, redness, scales, dry patches, swelling, and sores.

The hair's porosity creates a physical barrier for your scalp, which can trap calcium and magnesium deposits from hard water. 

Hard water can upset the oil balance on your scalp. For fine, straight hair prone to grease, hard water can dry the scalp where it becomes dehydrated and oily, as sebaceous glands tend to produce more oil to make up for the 'lack of it.' If your scalp is on the dry side, hard water can dehydrate it further and cause flakes. 

Hard water reduces lather and leaves behind a white substance called soap scum, which is insoluble in water, making shampoo harder to rinse off. In turn, this leaves behind buildup on your scalp, which can block follicles and affect the hair's integrity. A study found that hard water areas increase surfactant deposits, and this residue increased transepidermal water loss and increased irritation for patients with Atopic Dermatitis conditions. 

Additionally, alkalinity in hard water (pH7.5+) can disrupt the scalp's naturally acidic pH, making it prone to irritation.

Pomade acne

A shower rash can look like splotchy, red, irritated patches of skin that crop up on various parts of the body and may feel sensitive to the touch.

Hard water may contribute to skin dryness and aggravate existing conditions. If the skin barrier is compromised, mineral deposits in hard water can make it more prone to reactions and irritation.

Chlorine is an element that some cities use to disinfect tap water. For some, the chemical can even cause a 'chlorine rash' after a hot shower.

  • Shower Filter

    Heavy metals & chlorine in hard water bond with ingredients in our filter, creating new elements. Chlorine, for instance, shifts into harmless chloride.

  • Clarifying Scalp Soak

    Apple Cider Vinegar and Phytic Acid gently melts away hard water buildup. The hydrating blend of Fermented Rice Water and Sweet Almond Extract soothes scalp irritation.

  • Nourishing Micronutrient Wash

    The chelating complex binds to calcium and magnesium deposits in hard water. This process deactivates the minerals, thus preventing them from settling on the skin.

Time to take action

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