The surprising problem that could be damaging your hair and skin
Do you find that, no matter what shampoo and conditioner or body lotion you use, you’re always left with lacklustre locks and dry, flakey skin? The problem could be in your water.
If you’re unlucky enough to live in an area with hard water, it’s likely you battle limescale. And while its effects are easily spotted on your home, with white streaks and chalky crust around your taps and showerhead, its effects on your hair and skin are not so immediately obvious.
But the minerals found in hard water can coat your hair and skin, meaning the products you use are unable to work properly, leaving it dull and lifeless.
There are remedies though, for your home and your skin and hair. Read on to find out more…
What is limescale?
Limescale comes from water containing an overabundance of trace minerals. These trace minerals bond together to create hard water. When hard water dries, those minerals are left behind.
Over time, these chalky deposits form into limescale. If left untreated, these hardened layers of limescale will dull shiny surfaces, destroy pipes, and create a thick film on skin and hair.
In fact, the problem is so pervasive the average household accumulates 13 kilos of limescale, the equivalent of 2,000 sugar cubes, every year!
But there is a solution…
Fixing limescale in the home
Despite our best efforts, limescale attacks many surfaces, from bathroom tiles and kitchen faucets to glassware and appliances. Removing an average of 13 kilograms of limescale per year seems like an impossible task, but with the right cleaning product it's well within your power.
Make life easy and grab a bottle of Viakal the No.1 limescale remover specifically formulated to clean the toughest limescale residue.
Viakal’s fast-acting solution clings to limescale, while its fizzing action gently lifts off hardened layers, leaving surfaces glimmering. Even better, Viakal adds a protective layer that prevents limescale from even forming, so you’ll need to get rid of limescale residue less often.
Limescale remedies for the body
Just as hard water coats your shiny bathroom tiles in a thick, dull film, limescale does the same to skin and hair. Sadly, no amount of soap or shampoo will help, but the best remedies to battle the effects of limescale can be found in your kitchen cabinets.
Make a hair rinse
Add one tablespoon of lemon juice to three cups of warm water. Apply the solution after shampooing. Allow it to sit for a few minutes then rinse. The acidity in the lemon juice strips off scaly layers, leaving hair silky and shiny.
Use a natural moisturiser
Hard water clogs pores and dries out skin, leaving it itchy and flakey. If you suffer from eczema or acne, hard water makes symptoms worse. Opt for a natural moisturiser, such as organic coconut oil, to hydrate the skin and correct the limescale effect that’s dulling your look.
Limescale effects on children
Hard water can affect your child’s skin and hair, too. Young skin tends to be more sensitive, so the minerals could irritate them and cause them to feel sore and itchy.
If you’re worried about the effects of hard water on your children’s delicate skin, invest in a water softener, which will remove the excess minerals from the water meaning it’s less likely to irritate the skin.
You could also buy a water purifier for your tap water to help eliminate contaminants, plus it makes it taste better too so your little one will be more likely to drink it.
We hope you find these tips helpful. Let us know what you think of Viakal in the comments section below or via our tried and tested page.