Why is my hair so nice in the Cotswolds?

[LotusBlossom1]

Just spent a lovely long weekend with friends in the Cotswolds, near Chipping Norton. I washed my hair on Saturday and it's honestly the nicest it's been in years - really soft and not greasy even on day 3 (normally I have to wash at least every other day). Does anyone know if there's something in the water there that's good for your hair?? Can't understand it!

twilightcafe strange that hair nicer when washed with softened hard water than soft water? Or perhaps softened hard water is even better than soft water?! Very confused now!

I think the water here is quite hard, certainly furs up the white goods!

shoeshavesouls your DH is a cruel man indeed! Why won't he prioritise your hair??! In case you decide to run off to the Cotswolds by yourself I've just seen a lovely house for sale there.
www.knightfrank.co.uk/en/properties/residential/for-sale/windrush-court-ford-temple-guiting-cheltenham-gl54/che170227

Also in the Costwolds with really hard water. We've recently put in a water softener and the difference in my hair and skin is incredible. We kept one cold kitchen tap on hard water for drinking - the soft tastes a long way from lovely.

I've just realised, after a trip to a soft water area this Summer, that my frizzy, dry, needs washing every day, hair, is 100% better when washed in soft water. I'm off to buy one of these water softener attachments for the shower head.

missy - yes that would do very nicely

I'm seriously thinking of a water softener now.

i think it depends on your hair type how it reacts. I have very fine hair and the soft water where we live makes it very floppy and soft (like baby hair!). It has much more body when I'm somewhere with hard water.

I'm v near CN and thinking about it my hair is always better when I wash it at home. Once the water squooches out of the furred over shower head of course

I have very fine hair too @bluebellation - maybe that's the key, hard water is better for hair like ours?

Unless of course there was a water softener where we were staying...would holidaycottages think I was completely bonkers if I rang up to ask?!

Soaps and detergents are easier to wash out in hard water areas.

My hair always squeaks in Wolverhampton (hard as London water), but feels greasy in Birmingham (soft water).

When I first moved to the Midlands, I rented a room in Birmingham and was amazed when my landlord told me he had no idea what I was talking about when I was trying to describe descaling kettles and irons.

I was so disappointed when I bought my house in Wolves and realised the dirty toilet was badly scaled and needed a whole arsenal of descaling products......

I truly thought my days of Viakal and Cillit Bang were gone.

Don't talk to me about boilers and central heating systems.....

My parents live in Chipping Norton. The water is hard and tastes horrible - I can taste the bleach in it. I've noticed a change of water always seems to be good for your hair, I get the same when I've been away then come back up north.

Hard water that is chemically softened is not the same chemical make up as naturally soft water. It'll likely be the water softener.

We live on the edge of the Peak District - our tap water has always been soft in the Hope Valley, SW Sheffield and now closeish to Holmfirth. Water that comes through the Millstone Grit and Coal Measures sandstone usually is. (I'm a geologist).

Oo that's very interesting @BikeRunSki - could I get the same effect by putting my soft water through a water softener?

No idea!!

Surely not? Domestic water softener replaces limescale-causing minerals with salt. Presumably naturally soft water would not be able to take up the salt. Besides, there will be other minerals in each type of water that are lacking/excessive in the other type of water.

Or maybe it's just the CNE (Chipping Norton Effect)

Or perhaps the fumes from the Cow Shed spa at Soho Farmhouse has permeated the whole area now?

yes...also masses of floppy baby hair here too.

I

OK. I live in the Cotswolds. VV hard water bit. hair was great UNTIL we had a water softener fitted then it was ghastly - oily and frizzy together. ON my hairdressers advice, I swapped from shampoo and conditioner for dry hair to shampoo and conditioner (tiny amounts of each as its so hard to wash out with soft water) for fine hair. Now hair is fantastic. In summary, IME its to do with the balance of hard/ soft water and your shampoo etc. So all trial and error and massive chance of getting it wrong!

Those who have had water softener as fitted and have great hair care to share links to the softener? I need one in my life!