back of a woman's head in the shower with her hands clasped behind her neck

Hard Water Effects on Skin: Do Shower Head Filters Work?

Struggling with using excessive shampoo and body wash just to get a decent lather, and still dealing with dry, coarse hair and skin? You’re not alone. If your hair and skin are feeling lackluster, you might be dealing with hard water, something that impacts 85% of Americans. Hard water is loaded with minerals, metals, and other contaminants that can wreak havoc on hair and skin, exacerbating conditions like eczema, dandruff, and dermatitis.


From dryness and irritation to dull appearance and sensitivity, the effects of hard water are all too real. Let’s look at how hard water affects our skin and hair and answer a burning question: are filtered shower heads worth it?

What’s the difference between hard and soft water?

The difference between hard and soft water isn’t just about how it feels; it’s about how it treats your skin and hair. Here’s how hard and soft water impact your daily bathing experience.

Hard water

Imagine water flowing through natural mineral deposits like limestone and chalk, picking up calcium and magnesium along the way – that’s hard water. It’s rich in these minerals, which can leave behind scale deposits and make it tough for soap to lather effectively. When you shower with hard water, you might notice that your hair feels dry and your skin might feel a bit squeaky-clean (maybe a little too squeaky). Learn more about which filters are best for hard water.

A woman brushing her hair in the bathroom

Soft water

Now, picture water that’s been treated to remove those minerals, giving you a gentler, soap-friendly bathing experience. Soft water lathers up beautifully with soap, making it easier to rinse away dirt and grime without leaving residue behind. Your skin feels softer and your hair feels smoother after a shower with soft water – no more battling with dryness or dealing with mineral buildup.

What are the effects of hard water on skin and hair?

If you’ve been struggling to maintain healthy-looking skin and hair, consider checking your water quality – it could be the missing piece of the puzzle. Here are some of the effects of hard water on your skin, hair and even your nails. 

Dry skin and broken nails

When hard water meets your skin, it can strip away natural oils, leaving your skin feeling dry, tight, and sometimes even itchy. The minerals in hard water can also clog pores, leading to breakouts and irritation. If you’ve been dealing with stubborn dry patches or sensitivity, hard water might be the culprit. It can also wreak havoc on your nails, leaving them brittle and prone to breakage.

Dry skin and broken nails



Lifeless, coarse locks

Hard water can be a real buzzkill for your hair. The minerals in hard water can build up on your strands, leaving them looking dull and lifeless. It can also make your hair more prone to breakage and split ends, which is definitely not the look anyone wants. If your hair feels straw-like or lacks its usual bounce, hard water might be to blame.


The good news? There are solutions out there, like shower filters, that can help soften hard water and give your skin and hair the love they deserve. 

What are shower filters?

Shower filters keep your bathing experience clean and safe by tackling impurities and contaminants that lurk in our water supply. They’re designed with a specific mission: 

  • to target substances like chlorine, heavy metals such as lead and mercury, and cloudy sediments that can make our water look less than appealing
  • to infuse your water with healthy minerals

The Brio 17-Stage High Output Shower Filter attached to a shower


But do filtered shower heads work? Well, they elevate the quality of your bathing water to make it gentler and kinder to your body. By reducing chlorine levels – commonly added to municipal water for disinfection purposes but not so friendly to our skin and hair – shower filters help offset the downsides of chlorinated water exposure. Plus, they’re on duty to minimize the risk of encountering heavy metals that might sneak into our water due to environmental factors or aging infrastructure.


In a nutshell, shower filters are the frontline defenders against water contaminants, acting as a protective shield between you and potentially harmful substances. They offer a straightforward yet effective way to elevate our bathing experience and ensure cleaner, safer water for your daily showers.

Do shower filters work for hard water?

If you’ve been googling ‘do hard water shower filters work?’, we’re here to tell you shower filters do a great job of lessening the negative effects of hard water.


Let’s break it down. 

Smart Filtration 

Shower filters use a mix of smart filtration methods to tackle those pesky minerals and pollutants lurking in your water. Mechanical filtration kicks things off by physically trapping larger impurities and sediments, ensuring they don’t stand a chance in your shower. Layers like PP cotton and stainless steel come into play at this stage.

Activated Carbon 

Next up, activated carbon (made from sustainable coconut shell) filters swoop in to absorb organic compounds and dial down chlorine levels. This is crucial because chlorine can be a real culprit, causing dryness and irritation to your skin and hair.

A woman having a shower



Kinetic Degradation Fluxion

But wait, there’s more! Specialized filtration media like kinetic degradation fluxion (KDF) and calcium sulfate step onto the scene to target those specific minerals that make water hard, like calcium and magnesium ions. When used in a shower filter, KDF works its magic by transforming soluble heavy metals into forms that can be easily filtered out, reducing their concentration in your water and lessening the not-so-nice impact hard water gives. 


KDF, however, does not soften water and is not a substitute for a water softening system. Meanwhile, calcium sulfate helps to precipitate excess minerals, making your water softer and more skin friendly. 

Are filtered shower heads worth it?

Filtered shower heads are a game-changer when it comes to dealing with the effects of hard water. They bring a whole new level of goodness to your shower, making your skin and hair feel happier and healthier. They reduce the dryness and irritation caused by hard water, leaving you with silky smooth skin and hair that are easier to manage and look fabulous.

 

Softer skin and hair

Filtered shower heads work their magic by tackling excess minerals and impurities in hard water. This helps soften your skin and hair, making them more manageable and less prone to dryness and brittleness.


Layers of natural minerals and specialized filtration in shower filters create water that acts like a refreshing spa treatment for your skin and hair. These layers include: 


  • high-purity copper and zinc - for reducing contaminants 
  • alkaline balls - for boosting pH and adding traces of healthy minerals, such as magnesium, calcium, potassium and selenium, back into the water. (Discover more about the benefits of alkaline water). 
  • maifan stone - a special mineral rock used for centuries to treat various skin diseases
  • silver ion balls - a natural antibacterial agent

 

Good for sensitive skin

Grandmother Giving Her Grandson a Bath


Does anyone in your family have sensitive skin? Filtered shower heads are your new best friend. They deliver a calibrated balance of beneficial elements including vitamin C - soothing dry, itchy skin and breathing new life into dull hair.

 

Enhanced respiratory health

By reducing chlorine levels and filtering out those sneaky bacteria, Brio shower filters go beyond the call of duty to give you healthier water. Take a deep breath and enjoy that fresh, clean feeling. 


So, if you’re asking are shower filters worth it, take it from us – it’s like treating yourself to a spa-like experience every time you step into the shower. Your skin and hair will thank you!

 

Why choose a Brio shower filter?

The Brio 17-Stage High Output Shower Filter attached to a shower head



Hard water can have noticeable effects on skin and hair, but the
Brio 17-stage shower filter offers an effective solution. By helping to soften and purify water, it can restore moisture, vitality, and softness to skin and hair, making shower time a more enjoyable and beneficial experience for your overall well-being. 

 

Easy installation

Don't worry about a complicated setup – Brio shower filters are a breeze to install. They are compatible with all standard shower heads, whether you’re into handheld, wall-mounted, or rain showers. Plus, no tools required!

 

No drop in water pressure

Keep that water flowing freely! Brio shower filters are engineered to maintain a strong, abundant flow of water. No drop in pressure means you can enjoy your shower to the fullest.

 

Reduces scale build-up

Say goodbye to unsightly scale deposits that can clog up your shower. Brio shower filters keep things running smoothly.

 

Eco-friendly coconut shell

Opting for an eco-friendly water filtration system using sustainable coconut shell is a simple yet powerful way to support a greener planet. By reducing plastic waste, conserving water resources, and promoting sustainability, Brio’s sustainable water filtration systems offer a practical solution to the environmental challenges we face. 

Ready to say hello to softer, healthier skin and hair? It’s time to upgrade your shower game with a Brio shower filter. Your skin and hair will thank you!
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