State College is a place made specifically for college students. Bars on every street, food places galore and apartments snuggled next to each other allow students to enjoy a social and exciting atmosphere at college. However, our hair loathes State College.
The water in State College isn’t amazing, but it’s definitely drinkable. What makes the water so horrible for your hair isn’t its cleanliness but the water pressure and hardness levels.
What makes the water so bad?
Water hardness: The amount of dissolved calcium and magnesium in water.
Water pressure: The force that pushes water through pipes.
Water pressure depends on a few things. In most cases, your water pressure is based on the difference in elevation between your home and the water tank. Gravity works with water pressure, so the lower your home is, the higher the water pressure.
For those of us in apartments, the water pressure might be based on water quality. Low water pressure can signify debris build-up, corrosion, mineral deposits (buildups) and sometimes even the time of day. Mineral buildup leads to hard water, which does nothing good for our hair.
Technically speaking, according to Hydroflow U.S.A., State College’s water hardness is around 170 PPM (mg/L) or 10 gpg. In layman’s terms, the water is relatively hard.
So please don’t throw away all your products –– they’re not the problem: State College is! As much as we love being in Happy Valley, our hair does not.
Water pressure and hardness matter when it comes to hair care because both can play a key role in cleaning your hair and keeping it healthy. Oil and water aren’t friends, your hair depends on substantial water pressure to get out all the gunk we put in it daily. Plus, if your water is too hard or has an abundance of minerals, every time you shower you continue depositing those minerals into your hair. This creates a film — product buildup — on your strands. We shower to eliminate grime and product, not add to it.
Revive Your Water Pressure and Hardness with a New Shower Head
Many of us are not handy, so figuring out the deep cause of our water pressure and hardness is a little out of the question. If you are looking for a quick fix to get your hair back into shape, shower head installments are here to save the day.
Tons are available for purchase, but a new shower head with a filter and pressure settings is a fantastic way to fix your water without getting to the root cause.
This showerhead from Amazon is a great, affordable option to try out.
No-Buy Fix: Apple Cider Vinegar To the Rescue
If a showerhead isn’t in the budget or you just can’t justify buying one to fix an uncontrollable issue, a solution might be right under your nose (or your kitchen cupboard).
Mixing apple cider vinegar with water is a cheap and easy way to cleanse the minerals and products out of your hair. All you need to do is mix equal parts ACV and water together, and pour it generously onto your scalp area. Let it sit for a few minutes, then wash, shampoo and condition as normal. And voila, you should have cleaned and cleansed hair, despite the hard or low-pressure water.
A More Professional Detox Solution
Not into homemade concoctions? Well lucky for you, many high-quality salon-grade companies make cleansing products for this exact situation –– those suffering from damaged hair in State College.
These shampoos are created with the power to get out the product build-up, oils and other junk that no one wants in their hair. You can use these products almost weekly to keep your hair clean and smooth. Here are some recommended products to try.
OUAI Detox Clarifying Shampoo for $30 on Amazon
Bumble and Bumble Sunday Detox Shampoo for $22 on Amazon
Although its annoying State College’s water isn’t giving our hair the chance to shine, we can at least be thankful we have an abundance of clean, drinking water. But if you’re sick of feeling nasty after a shower, try out some of these ways to cleanse your hair and get back your pre-college shine.
What are your thoughts on State College’s shower water? Let us know by tweeting us @VALLEYmag on Twitter.
