Swansea is revealed as the best location for hair and scalp health, according to a new study.
Capital Hair and Beauty, the UK’s largest independent supplier to hair and beauty professionals, analysed the most recent water reports from 47 towns and cities across the UK looking at elements such as water hardness, pH levels as well as amounts of fluoride, chloride, nickel and lead.
The Welsh city is a reportedly a soft water area, with below 60 particles of hardness dissolved in per million particles of water (PPM),and has low levels of all the key minerals and metals compared as part of the study, meaning residents can enjoy the best water when washing their hair.
With soft water, a 7.37 pH, and low levels of metals, Manchester came in second in the rankings. Joining them at the top was Liverpool, Bradford, and Warrington.
Best water for hair care:
Swansea
Manchester
Liverpool
Bradford
Warrington
Sheffield
Glasgow
Blackpool
Durham
Edinburgh
When it comes to the worst water for hair and scalp health, the study found that Chelmsford came in at the bottom of the rankings.
Due to its hard water qualities and high levels of chloride (66.12 mg per litre), Chelmsford residents may be more likely to struggle with their hair due to their local water.
Worst water for hair care:
Chelmsford
Norwich
London
Bristol
Northampton
Bath
Plymouth
Leicester
Newcastle
Southampton
When washing your hair, the level of water hardness, minerals and metals in the water can affect your hair’s health in a variety of ways, the hair and beauty experts revealed.
Karen Hicks, Capital Hair and Beauty, revealed the various ways your water can impact your hair and scalp: “Hard water contains a high proportion of magnesium, calcium, copper and iron. These minerals can create a film on your hair, making it harder for your hair to gain moisture and thus leaving your locks dehydrated and lacking shine. It can also make your hair fizzy and brittle with more split ends and even cause further problems such as thinning hair or scalp conditions. Hardwater can also affect your hair colour, causing dyes to fade quicker and adding brassiness to your hair.
“Other elements such as chloride, fluoride and heavy metals like nickel and lead can also dry out your hair, take away shine and leave residue on the scalp. Large amounts of sodium fluoride can also inflame our scalp, making it more prone to flakiness and irritation.
“Soft water contains fewer minerals and more sodium than hard water and causes less damage to your hair and scalp. It’s worth noting that soft water may leave fine hair in particular feeling slightly limp after a wash but this can be improved when styling your hair after washing.
“If you find yourself in a hard water area, there are certain products that work better at cleaning the hair and scalp and will help you remove any film or mineral build up. For example, L’Oreal’s Metal Detox range is specially formulated to remove the build-up of minerals and chlorine from hair, making it an ideal solution for those have been experiencing the negative effects of hard water on their hair.”
