Help with REALLY hard water at gym - makes hair like straw

Doberdawn
Doberdawn Posts: 733 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
My gym has locations all over. At one, it has some of the coolest features not available at the other locations (like urban ropes, an ab solo, and a big screen cardio theater which shows movies all day long). So, I like to workout there. BUT.... if I shower there, my hair gets so hard and dry, you would swear it is going to break in half if you bend it. I have tried not shampooing and just conditioning. Still straw. I tried conditioning twice... moderately less harsh straw, but still really dry and awful.

Is there anything I can do to neutralize the water so my hair doesn't get trashed by it?

Replies

  • curly1986
    curly1986 Posts: 98 Member
    Not to sound like captain obvious, but why not just not wash it at all there. When you workout just wear it up off your face and neck (in a high bun or something) and then just jump in the shower and wash your face and body. Then just wash your hair at home at night or next morning or whenever.
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
    What time of the day do you work out? Do you have to wash your hair at the gym or can you make it home to shower? I hate public showers of any kind so I just have a water/sweat proof removable seat cover in my car and I just head home from the gym and jump in the shower at home before continuing on with my day. I also find that the extra bit of time from the drive home means that I don't keep sweating through/after my shower from the workout.
  • Doberdawn
    Doberdawn Posts: 733 Member
    Thanks for the Captain Obvious suggestions. <g> But, the problem is when I workout there during the day (such as between court hearings or client meetings). If I was going back home, obviously, I'd just clean up there... and that is what I do. But, this is the location that is right next to my office. Sometimes I hit it right before work, on a lunch break, etc. And, those times I do need to be "civilized" when I go back to work. *sigh* Any other suggestions?
  • PunkinSpice79
    PunkinSpice79 Posts: 309 Member
    I haven't tried this, but just this morning, a friend of mine posted on facebook that she takes a very small amount of massage oil and brushes it through her hair. Only a little bit. She swears it isn't greasy. I don't know though, just throwing it out there...
  • LuckyMunky
    LuckyMunky Posts: 200 Member
    I would use Argan (aka Moroccan) oil after every time you wash your hair there. It should help restore the softness and shine and does not leave your hair feeling greasy. You can buy the rinse out kind (like a conditioner) or you can buy the kind that you brush in.

    Some more tips here: http://blog.freepeople.com/2012/10/4-ways-beat-hard-water-hair/
  • Dorothy4208
    Dorothy4208 Posts: 53 Member
    Invest in a good dry shampoo? You can get a good one for your hair type. It sucks out the oil and sweat, and just wear a shower cap in the shower.
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
    I'm sorry if you thought mine was a "Captain Obvious" response. I asked the questions because I didn't know what your schedule was or where your gym was in relation to your house based on your original post.

    Not everyone that showers at the gym does it because of time restraints. My husband prefers to shower at the gym because he just doesn't like the sweaty/stinky feeling, even though our gym is five minutes from out house and he works out after work.

    So here's an article that I found by typing "hard water shower solutions" into Google that talks about some shampoos that can help: http://askville.amazon.com/Hard-water-hair/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=7376120

    And another article that mentions an oil you can apply after the shower to help: http://blog.freepeople.com/2012/10/4-ways-beat-hard-water-hair/

    Remember, the more information that you put in your original post, the more helpful the initial replies can be. And there's also no reason for be snarky to people that were just trying to help with what knowledge they did have.
  • zombiesalad
    zombiesalad Posts: 123 Member
    A chelating shampoo, or a *diluted* ACV (apple cider vinegar) rinse.
  • Doberdawn
    Doberdawn Posts: 733 Member
    I'm sorry if you thought mine was a "Captain Obvious" response. I asked the questions because I didn't know what your schedule was or where your gym was in relation to your house based on your original post.
    ....
    Remember, the more information that you put in your original post, the more helpful the initial replies can be. And there's also no reason for be snarky to people that were just trying to help with what knowledge they did have.

    Wolfchild59.... I'm so sorry you took my post as "snarky".... I'm assuming you didn't read the post by Curly1986 that came BEFORE yours which said:
    Not to sound like captain obvious, but why not just not wash it at all there. When you workout just wear it up off your face and neck (in a high bun or something) and then just jump in the shower and wash your face and body. Then just wash your hair at home at night or next morning or whenever.

    I was borrowing his/her terminology "captain obvious" and replying to it. That's also why I put the <g> (which you do know means "grin", right?) symbol after my comment. I found his/her term humorous. I was not being snarky to you. And, I do thank you for your input.
  • kattaw
    kattaw Posts: 30 Member
    I second the dry shampoo response. Suave makes one that is super cheap and super effective, though you might want to shop around some until you find one that works best for you; I tried three or four - both expensive and inexpensive - before I found the one I'm sticking with. I seriously live and die by this stuff, especially now that I have bangs. It works wonders for making my hair presentable again after a run.
  • MissStatement
    MissStatement Posts: 92 Member
    I second the argan oil. It does not look greasy and gives my hair a soft feel. I have hard water in my home and daily washing can really take its toll. I'm curious about dry shampoos, never tried one but people I know who have like them.
  • Doberdawn
    Doberdawn Posts: 733 Member
    Chelating shampoo, cider vinegar rinse and argan oil. Got it. My conditioner and shampoo both have argan oil. Not strong enough to counteract. I'll try the pure argan oil as suggested. Will have to shop around for the shampoo, but I have plenty of apple cider vinegar. Good to know.

    Suave dry shampoo.... hmmm... I tried that.... but I just got too dripping wet, sweaty.... I think I'd have to sit around cooling down for like 30-45 minutes and then maybe it would work. I've used it for touch-ups, but I just kept spraying and spraying after a workout. Do you use it right after a workout?
  • dancerom
    dancerom Posts: 174 Member
    Diluted vinegar rinse really helps to soften hair after hard water because it dissolves the calcium in the water.
    Jus make it your last rinse after conditioning, the easiest is out of a bottle.
  • zombiesalad
    zombiesalad Posts: 123 Member
    Oil would help after, but you still would need to remove the mineral build up on your hair which is where an ACV (or lemon or citric acid) rinse would be beneficial.

    Edit: If you are going to purchase an oil to use on your hair, keep in mind that a lot of the expensive "oils" for hair are mostly silicones.
  • susanhiding
    susanhiding Posts: 88 Member
    I agree with the diluted Apple Cider Vinegar. It makes my hair super soft. Make sure your hair is dry before going back to the office though, or you will smell it. :)
  • kattaw
    kattaw Posts: 30 Member
    I do use it right after work outs, but I know what you mean. Sometimes a bit of a blow dry is necessary first. It still only takes about ten minutes total, and I find it's totally worth it.
  • kattaw
    kattaw Posts: 30 Member
    Chelating shampoo, cider vinegar rinse and argan oil. Got it. My conditioner and shampoo both have argan oil. Not strong enough to counteract. I'll try the pure argan oil as suggested. Will have to shop around for the shampoo, but I have plenty of apple cider vinegar. Good to know.

    Suave dry shampoo.... hmmm... I tried that.... but I just got too dripping wet, sweaty.... I think I'd have to sit around cooling down for like 30-45 minutes and then maybe it would work. I've used it for touch-ups, but I just kept spraying and spraying after a workout. Do you use it right after a workout?

    Bah, meant to quote with my previous response and hit the wrong button. To help with continuity, here is my response again:

    I do use it right after work outs, but I know what you mean. Sometimes a bit of a blow dry is necessary first. It still only takes about ten minutes total, and I find it's totally worth it.
  • Vivian06703188
    Vivian06703188 Posts: 310 Member
    You may not like the smell but it will help with your hair. Get an empty dish detergent bottle and fill it one third of the way full with Apple Cider Vinegar and the rest with plain tap water. The vinegar will neturalize the ph in the water and your hair will feel a lot better. Shower wash you hair, use your cream rinse and right before you get out of the shower squeeze the Apple Cider Vinegar over your head and comb out your hair. A good styling product will take care of the smell of vinegar but more than likely no one will notice but you. My hair is down past my butt and I use Apple Cider Vinegar every couple of weeks as a conditioning treatment to keep my hair from breaking and it works really well. Your hair will be shiney and soft after using the vinegar.
  • Doberdawn
    Doberdawn Posts: 733 Member
    I never really tried blow drying my sweat (kinda gotta say that makes me go "eww"), but I can see how that would make the "dry" shampoo work better. I may have to keep an open mind on that one. (little voice in my ear says again EEEWWW).
  • MyaPapaya75
    MyaPapaya75 Posts: 3,143 Member
    what about a leave in conditioner..
  • zombiesalad
    zombiesalad Posts: 123 Member
    There is the option of putting a teeensy bit of essential oil (a few drops) into your vinegar mix to reduce the smell, if you really can't stand the thought of it.
  • ElBence
    ElBence Posts: 291 Member
    what about a leave in conditioner..
    ^ This is the answer. I swim 2 miles a day 6 days a week. If you think the hard water is bad, try all that chlorine. I use leave in conditioner and my hair feels normal for the rest of the day. If I forget, my hair feels like straw.
  • kattaw
    kattaw Posts: 30 Member
    I never really tried blow drying my sweat (kinda gotta say that makes me go "eww"), but I can see how that would make the "dry" shampoo work better. I may have to keep an open mind on that one. (little voice in my ear says again EEEWWW).

    I know. Ooooh, I know. The idea is pretty gross, but the results are worthwhile. Seriously, the Suave stuff is like three bucks. Give it a shot and see if it works for you. Not everyone will like it, but my hair is so long and curly, I have to try pretty hard to avoid damaging it, and this method is a lifesaver.

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