Hard water is the silent saboteur of the curly world—a technical failure that coats your hair in minerals and leaves your profile blank and spooky.
As dumb luck would have it, you can have the perfect routine and still end up with a ruddy mess if your water is working against you. Mineral deposits from hard water create a “slick lip coat” of film that makes hair feel coated, dull, and increasingly difficult to style. It’s like orthochromatic film that has been exposed to the wrong chemicals—it loses its sensitivity and definition. You need a technical shift—a personalized approach that uses chelating insurance to assuage the insecurities of mineral buildup.
The prep is about the reset. Use a chelating shampoo to clear the “gold dust” of minerals that weigh down your studio-endorsed curls. Mind the resistance when you style; if your hair feels like it has a permanent film even after washing, hard water is the Academy Award winner of your workday habits. Switch to a filtered shower head to capture the glow and maintain a profile that captures the light from lash line to socket. By removing the mineral barriers, you can ensure your curls stay soft and responsive. Something I think we’re all still kind of into.
—Lauren Maas