One of the few downsides of growing up in Los Angeles is dealing with the city’s very hard water. Thanks to the mineral buildup, my teenage and college years were spent trying different hair products to make my thick, long hair feel less dry (and oh, it was dry) and look less dull. It all changed when I learned the key to washing hair in hard water is in my shampoo.
Vogue’s Favorite Shampoos for Hard Water:
- Best Detox: L’Oreal Professional Metal Detox Shampoo, $40
- Best for Scalp: Cécred Clarifying Shampoo & Scalp Scrub, $19
- Best for Buildup: Chris McMillan The Clarifying Shampoo, $38
- Best Multitasking: OUAI Detox Clarifying Shampoo, $34
- Best for Color-Treated Hair: Olaplex N. 4C Bond Maintenance Clarifying Shampoo, $34
As Morgan Rabach, MD, board-certified dermatologist at LM Medical NYC, explains, certain shampoos, also known as chelating shampoos, are designed specifically to bind to minerals so that they can be rinsed away easily. When incorporating it into your routine, a shampoo for hard water sets up a good base for your hair to stay healthy and mineral-free.
“The biggest thing is preventing mineral buildup,” says Corinne Erickson, MD, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Georgia Skin Specialists. “Hard water contains minerals like calcium and magnesium that can accumulate on your hair, leaving it feeling dry, dull, stiff, and harder to manage.”
So if you’re dealing with hard water and looking for a shampoo to help revive your hair from all that debris and buildup, consider these seven recs below.
Best Detox: L’Oreal Professional Metal Detox Shampoo
L'Oréal Professionnel
Metal Detox Shampoo
- Why We Love It: Arguably the ultimate detox shampoo, this sulfate-free option is designed to remove the metal particles and buildup that come with washing your hair with hard water (via a patented technology called Glicoamine). You’ll find your hair feels softer and looks smoother (fly aways and frizz be damned) after one use, and it doesn’t get better than that.
- Editor’s Experience: This shampoo has saved my hair multiple times whenever I travel to a place that has hard water. It’s rich lather that’s super nourishing and thoroughly cleanses my hair without it feeling overly stripped and dry. I’m left with super soft hair that I can style easily and I no longer worry about my hair being a matted mess. I’ll forever sing this shampoo’s praises. — Audrey Noble, contributor
- Key Ingredients: Glicoamine
- Size: 10.1 fl oz.
