How to Protect Your Hair in the Shower

If you’ve noticed that your hair feels damaged, dry or tangled after showering, your showers may be too hot, too long, or using hard water. Our guide outlines how to care for your hair in the shower, from picking the right showerhead to choosing the right temperature.

Showering helps clean away dirt and sweat, and there are many benefits of showering and bathing to de-stress. However, showering can also strip our hair of the natural oils and moisture that help keep it healthy. Showering without a proper routine can lead to dry, brittle, and broken hair. 

Keep reading for some of the ways that showering can damage your hair.

Yes, hard water can have unwanted effects on your hair and scalp. Hard water has a high concentration of minerals like calcium carbonate and magnesium sulphate, which can damage hair. Because of its excess salts, hard water clings to your hair. When this happens, it leaves a film that can prevent hydration and haircare products from penetrating the hair and scalp. 

The effects of hard water hair damage can include:

• Dry and itchy scalp

• Coarse or dull-looking hair

• Frizz

• Breakage

• Thinning 

Hot water raises the hair cuticle (its protective layer, made of overlapping cells), loosening oil and dirt and making it easier to clean away sweat and hair products. But it can also strip your hair of essential natural oils that keep it healthy. Have you ever noticed your skin feeling dry, tight or itchy after exposure to hot water? That’s because hot temperatures can cause inflammation and irritation. 

On the other hand, cold water reduces inflammation and irritation and helps smooth and seal the hair cuticle. This is also one of the benefits of conditioner, formulated to lock in moisture while preventing dirt and residue from penetrating the scalp, which is essential for healthy hair.

Discover the benefits of hot vs cold showers here.

From hair masks to shower caps, here’s what you can do to enhance your everyday routine and protect your hair in the shower.

Using a shower head water filter can prevent hard water hair damage. Water filters use carbon cartridges to reduce or eliminate chemicals like chlorine and protect your hair from harmful minerals.

You should also introduce a hair mask once or twice weekly to revive water-damaged hair, moisturising and strengthening your strands. A clarifying shampoo every couple of weeks can also help strip hair of hard water residue, letting your conditioner and products penetrate the cuticle.

Short showers can help save on energy and water (better for the planet! )and are also better for your hair. When hair is wet, it has high elasticity (stretchiness) and can break or split more easily than when it’s dry. The less your hair is in this fragile state, the less susceptible you are to breakage.

Excessively hot water can irritate the skin and strip your hair of natural oils. Wash your hair in lukewarm water to cleanse the scalp while protecting natural oils and preventing itchiness and inflammation. 

It’s not for everyone, but finishing your hair-washing routine with a cold water rinse closes the hair cuticle, locking in hydration and keeping out dirt. Cold water showers can also benefit your health, mood and well-being; try it at the end of your next wash routine to feel the benefits for yourself.

Choosing the right shower is key to a proper haircare routine. Mira digital showers use smart technology, including customisable temperature presets and a warm-up mode. You can create your ideal temperature for washing your hair using your smartphone app control and precise temperature settings. Explore our digital shower buying guide to learn more.