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Why people in some parts of the UK have more bad hair days
Southerners are more likely to face hair woes including dull, lifeless locks and even dandruff due to hard water where they live. Chelmsford residents may be more likely to struggle with their hair due to their local water supply, which was found to be the worst for hair and scalp health.
The city scooped the unfortunate bottom spot due to its hard water qualities and high levels of chloride (66.12 mg per litre). This means residents may find their hair is duller in colour and shine and may need a moisture boost after hair wash day.
Hot on their heels are Norwich, which ranked second, and London that came third. Both areas have been rated ‘very hard’ on the hard water scale and featured relatively higher rates of chloride (64.2 and 44 mg per litre, respectively) according to the data from their local water providers.
Ultimately this means that those staying in any of the bottom cities may find they struggle with frizziness or flaky scalps after washing their hair while in the area. On the flip side Capital Hair and Beauty’s study revealed that Swansea is the best location for cultivating luscious locks.
The UK’s largest independent supplier to hair and beauty professionals analysed the most recent water reports from 47 towns and cities across the UK. It looked at elements such as water hardness, pH levels as well as amounts of fluoride, chloride, nickel and lead in an effort to find out where in the country is the best when it comes to hair health.
The study found that the Swansea is a reportedly a soft water area, with below 60 particles of hardness dissolved in per million particles of water (PPM). Additionally, water in the Welsh city also boasts low levels of all the key minerals and metals compared in the study, meaning those in the city are blessed with the best water for shiny, healthy hair.
For hair enthusiasts considering a move, Manchester could be a good option if wanting to boost your hair’s shininess and moisture levels. With soft water, a 7.37 pH, and low levels of metals, the northern city came in second in the rankings.
Joining Manchester at the top was Liverpool, Bradford, and Warrington. Overall, those searching for luscious locks may be best leaving England all together, as all of the major cities in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland compared in the study were found to have soft water.
In fact, Scottish cities claimed 7th and 10th spot when looking at the best cities for hair health. Meanwhile the English cities and towns in the study had much more variety when looking at water hardness.
When it came to areas with the hardest water, it was found that four UK cities qualified for this rating, with more than 276 particles of hardness in their water. And this certainly impacted each city’s ranking, as London, Norwich and Southampton placed in the bottom of the rankings for overall hair and scalp health.
When washing your hair, the level of water hardness, minerals and metals in the water can affect your hair’s health in a variety of ways. Marketing Manager at Capital Hair and Beauty Samantha Shamplina-Burkwood said: “Hard water contains a high proportion of calcium, magnesium, iron and copper.
“These minerals can create a film on your hair, making it harder for your hair to gain moisture and leave your locks dehydrated and lacking shine. It can also make your hair frizzy and brittle with more split ends and even cause further problems such as thinning hair or scalp conditions.
“Hard water can also affect your hair colour, causing dyes to fade quicker and adding brassiness to your hair. Other elements such as chloride, fluoride and heavy metals like nickel and lead can also dry out your hair, take away shine and leave residue on the scalp.
“Large amounts of sodium fluoride can also inflame our scalp, making it more prone to flakiness and irritation. In contrast, soft water contains fewer minerals and more sodium than hard water and causes less damage to your hair and scalp.
“It’s worth noting that soft water may leave fine hair in particular feeling slightly limp after a wash but this can be improved when styling your hair after washing. If you find yourself in a hard water area, there are certain products that work better at cleaning the hair and scalp and will help you remove any film or mineral build up.
“For example, L’Oreal’s Metal Detox range is specially formulated to remove the build-up of minerals and chlorine from hair, making it an ideal solution for those who have been experiencing the negative effects of hard water on their hair.”
TOP 10 UK CITIES WITH THE WORST WATER FOR HAIR CARE:
1. Chelmsford
2. Norwich
3. London
4. Bristol
5. Northampton
6. Bath
7. Plymouth
8. Leicester
9. Newcastle
10. Southampton
TOP 10 UK CITIES WITH THE BEST WATER FOR HAIR CARE:
1. Swansea
2. Manchester
3. Liverpool
4. Bradford
5. Warrington
6. Sheffield
7. Glasgow
8. Blackpool
9. Durham
10. Edinburgh
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