Cold water or hot: What is better for your hair wash? – Times of India

Winter season brings with it the joy of enjoying cosy bonfires with friends, hot coffees and some great food. But it also brings with it an array of skin and hair problems. Most of skin problems can be solved by keeping the skin moisturised with creams and hydrated with enough water. However, our hair needs more care in winters as they tend to become dry, brittle and also more susceptible to breakage and dandruff. Let us try and understand the problems that we face during winters when it comes to haircare. It has been seen that most of us love to take long baths with hot water that relaxes us and also helps us to beat the chill. While taking bath, we tend to wash our hair with that same hot water and it has been observed that continuous usage of hot water leads to dry scalp, that leads to itchy scalp and increased dandruff, that does not go away easily.

This happens because the hot water breaks the hydrogen bond that swells the hair by about 18%. It dries the scalp further, making the roots weaker and hair become frizzy and unmanageable. A lot of us complain about the texture of the hair worsening during winters, this is also because of the usage of hot water. Furthermore, hot water makes the hair porous, worsening the hair breakage and flyaways that we are dealing with. The accumulated scalp build-up too depletes the natural oil from the scalp.

With so many harmful effects of hot water it is natural to think that cold water is a better alternative. Infact, it has become one of those myths blindly followed by users without going to the roots of the problem. The cold water can preserve the natural oils and keeps your tresses manageable and also give it a healthy shine. Moreover, it locks the moisture of the hair and scalp leading to smooth and shiny hair. It is possible because cold water closes the cuticles which lead to smoother texture of the hair.

However, using cold water during winters has its own set of problems. It makes the hair flat and looks like the overall volume has decreased as the cuticles tend to lock in excessive moisture. That is why most of us are complaining about lifeless and non-bouncy hair during winters.

So, what’s the solution? First of all, always wash your hair with distilled water. Hard water contains minerals like magnesium and calcium that can build up on the scalp and hair and harm them in the long. Secondly, wash your hair every two to three days as per your need. How do we know that it is time to shampoo the hair? Simple, if your hair become visibly oily or you can see flakes due to dirt or feel itchy, it is time to wash your tresses. Using a gentle shampoo for washing your hair is a great way to treat your hair the right way. A natural, vegan and organic shampoo followed by a similar conditioner- cleanses, moisturises and protects the hair from the harmful effects of harsh winters.

Hard water contains minerals such as magnesium and calcium, which raise the pH of the water, making it higher than the pH of the hair. The change in the pH of the hair leaves it dull, dry, and tangled. The excess of minerals also dries out the scalp, causing flaking. In addition, it impairs washing by not producing much foam and leaving a lot of residues on the hair, which can accumulate on the scalp and hair and damage them for a long time. It is necessary to always keep them well moisturized, either before or after a wash.

Secondly, wash your hair every two or three days according to your need. How do you know it is time to wash your hair? Simple, if your hair becomes noticeably greasy or you can see flakes due to dirt or feel itchy, it is time to wash your tresses. Using a mild shampoo to wash your hair is a great way to treat your hair the right way. A natural, vegan and organic shampoo, free of sulfates, parabens, dyes, enriched with plant extracts of herbs and fruits from the biodiversity of India and Brazil. Followed by a conditioner rich in Amazonian vegetable oils and butters, free of mineral oil, silicones and synthetic fragrances. The union of these will promote a soft cleansing, hydration and nutrition to the threads. Protecting the hair from the harmful effects of harsh winters.

So that during these periods, your hair will always remain beautiful and with uniform color. It is important to seek more vegetalized colorations, enriched with extracts and vegetal oils, without PPD, resorcinol, ammonia, oxygenated water, and heavy metals. These dyes are ideal because they color without damaging the hair and treat the hair from root to tip.

Coming back to the debate between hot and cold water, the best way is to use lukewarm water to shampoo your hair as this water helps to cut out the dirt and grime leaving your scalp clean. Rinse off the shampoo and conditioner using cold water since this will keep the moisture intact. Instead of using heating products to dry them, wrap your hair in a towel and once the extra water is absorbed, let them air dry. This will lead to healthier and shinier hair.

Another pro-tip, you can use a hair mask enriched with henna mask once a week or every 15 days. It replenishes your hair with nutrients when you mix it with herbs like Jua, malva, guarana, babassu oil Jaborandi, Copaíba, Guarana, Cumaru, Açaí and Powder Oils of Olive and Coconut found in Amazonian rainforests. Nowadays, ready to use, pre mixed henna cream is available in the market that comes with easy-to-apply applicator. Moreover, these are free of Ammonia and its byproducts Ethalonamina, Diethalonamina and Triethalonamina. Thus, you can have the goodness of henna without the hard work and take care of your hair in the harsh winters, ensuring that your inner confidence and hair never lose their shine.