I'm paranoid about hard water~~
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free skin care · Tue Dec 26, 2006 11:42 am

Hello,

Somebody please quell my fears... I have recently moved to Paris and have noticed the following:

--my clothing has all faded and is looking worn
--my hair is becoming dry and brittle, especially on my lengths, and it is normally shiny and healthy (I never blow dry, only use kerastase)
--my skin is looking, well, 'stripped.' this is after two and a half months of living here.
I'm afraid the hard water here is RUINING my skin and hair!
I bought some Avene spray and from now on, I'm moistening my face with it and then applying cleanser, and then washing it off with it as well.
It's actually a very nice change to my regime, but am I just being paranoid? Does anyone else like to wash their face with expensive water mists?
I mean, when I use my masks and serums and TMs, my skin looks fine, but I've also been using Eluage under my eyes at night (the serum) and I've only noticed more lines creep up on me. someone please advise! I am very consistent about my routine and have only made changes with the eluage, since I can't find a pure retinol product here.
Thank you!

free skin care · Tue Dec 26, 2006 11:42 am

I'm not worried about my clothes, by the way. Just collating the empirical evidence. Very Happy

free skin care · Wed Dec 27, 2006 12:08 am

I live in a very dry city in Canada and I have used soft water for the last 7 years. My water softening tank recently broke and I noticed the difference in my skin and hair almost immediately. My face is parched and my hair is dry. You are not alone. I am trying my best to get it fixed without having to purchase a new one.

free skin care · Wed Dec 27, 2006 3:05 am

I actually don't believe it is the hard water but rather what they may be adding to the water. Hard water in itself just makes it difficult for things to lather because of the minerals but it should not affect your clothes, skin or hair.(I know because I lived with hard water for years) Your hair may feel a bit stiffer when you are washing it but after you rinse the conditioner out it should feel normal again. Perhaps you could find out what additives are going into the water or is it recycled water?

free skin care · Wed Dec 27, 2006 4:05 am

i have to disagree with bushy on this.... and agree whole-heartedly with avalange. the water in paris wreaks havock on your skin and hair without a doubt. (i have to wash a small pot i leave on the stove filled *only* with water to make tea at least every other day as the calcification is so disgusting.) now you know why there are so many thermal waters available! it took me months to sort out my skin care routine and i did have to change it dramatically after moving to paris. i've found that i can wash my face with the water, but always spray on a healthy amount of Avene after the final rinse and then air dry. i am still not happy with my hair at all and have been thinking about getting a water filter of some sort....

basically, avalange, you are not out of your mind at all. whilst i don't think your hair and skin will be ruined (look at all the lovely complexions around paris), you are definitely going to need to do some major tweaking to your regimen to get your complexion back on track. (BTW, it's been really dry lately. you may want to put on a light moisturiser on over the Eluage or just use a heavier one during the day.)

free skin care · Wed Dec 27, 2006 7:53 am

Just buy the cheap gallon sizes of water in the plastic that are "distilled water" or "spring water". I have had to buy gallon sizes of water at the grocery store for YEARS to save my skin on my face - It's only like 61 cents for a gallon of water which lasts 4-5 days, but if you use it on your hair it doesn't last that long of course.

I even used it when shampooing my hair! I only shampooed 3 times a week, but I don't use the gallon size water on my hair any more - I want to buy a shower filter - they filters will help, but do research to get the right kind that takes out the stuff that's doing harm to your hair/skin. I'm not sure which kind to get.

But you don't NEED to buy expensive water, just use regular spring water or distilled water in the gallon sizes, and every day just pour some in a container each time you wash your face. Hard water leaves a nasty film on my face and breaks it out and makes it SUPER dry and irritated.

Also, rinsing with spring water or distilled water has helped refine my pores so they look better, and helps prevent breakouts so much and irritation.

free skin care · Wed Dec 27, 2006 8:27 am

I'm not in Paris but Im with La Vie en Rose on this one...I lived in northern BC for a year and the water was hard - lots of calcium and iron in it (according to my guy) and my hair and skin really took a hit! I ended up buying bottled water to use on my hair for a final rinse and on cotton balls to rinse/tone my facial skin.
Pudoodles

free skin care · Wed Dec 27, 2006 8:37 am

I live in a semi-rural area, so we have a well. I don't notice the hard water affecting my skin, but it sure does a number on my hair. I use clarifying treatment that strips the hair of harmful minerals and use a special shampoo for hair washed in hard water. It's by Malibu Wellness and it's called EC Mode Reconditioning Shampoo. It's really wonderful stuff; keeps the minerals off your hair between treatments (thus keeping it from getting that brittleness you described, which I am very familiar with). I'd definitely recommend it to you.

free skin care · Wed Dec 27, 2006 8:47 am

i have been thinking about installing a water softening tank for our home for ages but never had done so. i did notice i am losing here ever since i moved to canada.

free skin care · Wed Dec 27, 2006 9:48 am

Get a water filter! This place is having a sale. I've ordered from them before. They are very good.
http://www.aquasanastore.com/aquasana-filters.html

free skin care · Wed Dec 27, 2006 2:05 pm

You guys are so fantastic, thank you!
I am going to buy a water filter tomorrow at the hardware store, and in the meantime, I'll be sticking with the avene mist fash washing technique that la vie en rose et moi-meme intuitively divined... It all makes sense now.

In the meantime, an oleo-relax mask from kerastase made my hair a bit less brittle. Smile

Thanks again for the input!

--avalange

free skin care · Wed Dec 27, 2006 2:10 pm

I live in Northern New Jersey, and even though our water is not that hard, I have a separate RO filter for drinking water, and softener/filter system for the whole house - to remove chlorine and other chemicals.

free skin care · Wed Dec 27, 2006 2:50 pm

Oh I totally agree that hard water and water with additives can wreck your skin and hair. I'm in L.A. now and living in an old apartment building. The pipes are rusting and my shower gets an orange film (rust) that I have to scrub off every few weeks. You can imagine what that, in addition to the horrible hard, bad quality water is doing to my skin and hair. My hair, in the last 2-1/2 years, has gotten so brittle and dry that it just snaps off at the length - its not falling out at the root, but is just breaking off and my hair looks so thin right now because of it.

I *DO* have a water filter on my shower head, but it needs to be changed out because I'm sure its been used up and is no longer working. I found a seller on eBay that sells these stick-type water softeners that you can hook up to your shower head. They run about $80-$90 USD and I am going to buy one soon. I figure that and a new shower head filter should help greatly.

I'm also thinking about taking a sample of my water and sending it for analysis, both before AND after I install the softener and filter to see if they really do help. It should be a few weeks away, but when I do, I'll let you guys know what I find out.

free skin care · Wed Dec 27, 2006 6:45 pm

To rinse your hair maybe use a bit of vinegar in your final rinse?

free skin care · Wed Dec 27, 2006 11:27 pm

This link has an excellent review of different shower filters.
http://home.comcast.net/~reviewguy/results.html

free skin care · Thu Dec 28, 2006 6:21 am

Hi - I live in Italy in an area where the water is considered to be very hard. The water doesn't affect my skin but may affect my hair a bit, although nothing too dramatic. As I get older (and wiser Wink

), I do try to wash my hair every other or every third day with SLS-free shampoos and let it air dry when possible. I also started using Weleda Hair Oil to combat any frizzies. My new mission is to find a high-quality chloride-free natural conditioner to use after shampooing.

On the upside, I've read that hard water is healthier for drinking purposes.

free skin care · Thu Dec 28, 2006 12:22 pm

Ch79 wrote:

This link has an excellent review of different shower filters.
http://home.comcast.net/~reviewguy/results.html

Ch79 - THANK YOU for posting that link! I read the review and found out some VERY interesting information! Two of the filters I was considering are basically worthless, and the one I already have on my shower head was rated as one of the highest! Its been used longer than recommended, so I need to get a new one, but am considering replacing it with the same model or the VitaShower. Excellent, excellent information and thanks again for the link! Very Happy

free skin care · Thu Dec 28, 2006 12:33 pm

thank you for the input, mammamia.

for the record, i only wash every 3-4 days, i use a very gentle shampoo and conditioner (Kerastase Bain Satin, Lait Vital), I haven't blown my hair dry for at least 10 years, and I brush my hair with a natural bristle brush before I wash to draw the oils down my hair shafts... I also do something that I recommend for you--I use a pre-shampoo conditioner (I use three regularly--Burts Bees' Avocado Hair Butter; Phytophlage Phytonectar, and Monoi Tahiti Vanilla oil), which I leave in for as long as I can, and then I use a gentle shampoo afterwards... No conditioner, and my hair is always shiny and manageable. I swim a lot, and I never go to the pool without putting one of these 'masks' on my hair. Try Burt's Bees--it smells wonderful, is very moisturizing, and isn't too expensive.

It must be the hard water; I'm off to buy a filter!

--avalange

free skin care · Thu Dec 28, 2006 1:04 pm

What exactly is in a water softner? Is it added chemicals put into the water?

free skin care · Thu Dec 28, 2006 1:18 pm

One of the types does that - you add chemicals and as result your water is softer.

I am a bit of a health nut, so I would not use that in my house. The naturopathic practinioner I am using had recommended a different type of water softener and an additional filter - you cal look it up at http://www.no-salt.com/ (softener) and the filter atwww.cuno.com (by Aqua-Pure). It was not expensive, and easy to install.

free skin care · Thu Dec 28, 2006 1:54 pm

Thanks Avalange for the tip on pre-shampoo conditioners. I'll look into those that you suggested to see if any are available here.

Happy New Year!

free skin care · Thu Dec 28, 2006 3:30 pm

vitashower!!!!!!!!!
I just splurged on one. You all have me paranoid about my eyelashes now, too, but I think the evil water coming out of my parisian spigot must be addressed first!

Here is the plug from the company, which made me buy the thing instantly:
*************
Description

PRINCIPE :
The tap water arrives treated in the public water supply pipe work using chlorine.
At the exit of the tap, this chlorinated water gets very aggressive and irritating for the human skin and the hair.

VITADOUCHE (VITASHOWER) will neutralize the chlorine contained in the water by using an exclusive pharmaceutical grade vitamin C filter.
The crystals of ascorbic acid are little by little diluted into the water passing through the showerhead leading to the 100% elimination of the chlorines.

The water does not lose its mineral nor nutritive qualities, only the chlorines it carries are eliminated.
The water of your shower is no more aggressive nor irritating.

BENEFITS :
You are drinking about 2 to 3 litres of water per day, but by showering, your eyes, your skin and your hair are exposed to approximately 50 litres of chlorinated water per day!

VITADOUCHE (VITASHOWER) will provide you many benefits, the feeling and effects are as if you would take a shower using mineral water!

1. When washed with chlorine free water, the hair and the skin are revitalized.
2. Hair gets back shinier, softer and more brilliant, easier to brush and to disentangle.
3. Improves dry, irritated and itchy skin conditions.
4. Softens the skin and ageing effect is delayed.
5. Remove the taste of chlorine in the water.
6. Dyed hair colouring lasts longer and hair needs to be washed less often.
7. Enables a better and deeper cleaning of the skin.
8. Stops the unpleasant dry skin effect at the exit of the bath.
9. Reduces irritation and itching of the skins with dermatological problems.
10. Prevents and reduces chlorine-caused dandruff.
11. Ideal for baby care and for elderly people sensitive skin.
12. Provides a relaxing and wellbeing feeling.
13. Ideal also to fill or change the water of your aquarium (no more need to wait until chlorine is dissipated).
14. Essential to shower your pets (they will get a more flexible and shiny hair, pets often suffer from skin irritations related to chlorine).
***********************************
It sounds too good to be true, a rain of vitamin c treated water on my entire body!

I suppose I will be a guinea pig and let you all know how it goes...

--avalange

free skin care · Thu Dec 28, 2006 4:17 pm

avalange wrote:

I suppose I will be a guinea pig and let you all know how it goes...

i will definitely be watching for updates! (where did you get it???)

free skin care · Thu Dec 28, 2006 4:25 pm

hi vie,

http://www.vitadouche.fr/

!!!

--avalange

free skin care · Thu Dec 28, 2006 4:35 pm

But does the Vita-Shower actually filter, or just neutralize the chlorine?

What if it isn't the chlorine causing all the problems?

I've been having major hair problems, with the back of my hair getting tangled AND FALLING OUT no matter what I use on it. It is freaking me out!

I read the website posted for the Review Guy, and I think I should factor in his comments regarding performance when the water isn't that warm, as our water is often less than hot. The Vita-Shower seems to be one that performed better with cooler water. Well, anyway, I would love to hear everyone's experiences with this.

Thanks
Dianne

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