Isn’t it an amazing idea, to produce a shampoo and a conditioner designed to work for your hair with the type of water you have in your tap?
I have a very sensitive scalp and that’s why I’m always searching for that perfect shampoo. (A big post on hair care for anyone with a sensitive scalp coming up soon). My hair is medium length, straight and quite thin. Most of the shampoos I’ve tried in the past make my scalp sore and sometimes redness occurs, after using the product regularly for about 2 weeks. I usually wash my hair every other day.
How was Area H2O for me?
This time Mr.D was also using Area H2O with me and I shall reveal his findings too.
The first time I used it I really liked the smell and texture. I guess it removed all the dirt and products very well as my hair became very stiff and hard after shampooing. This usually indicates that all the products were well removed.
Now hair-acid is 5.5 ish on the ph scale, the same as skin, shampoo should be alkaline to remove dirt. This is why we need conditioner to make it soft and restore balance.
I was quite disappointed with the conditioner though. Despite using avery generous amount it did not soften my hair. When I tried to comb, my hair was still squeaky and I had to apply a lot of Aragan oil to actually comb my hair without pulling it out.
I continued to use the shampoo for few more weeks but had to switch to a different conditioner. I found though that it seemed like my hair was becoming drier and stiffer, even after applying a lot of conditioner. A few weeks in I abandoned using H2O. I felt like my hair was not as soft to touch and more difficult to style.
Is it possible for a shampoo to over clean or shall I say over dry the hair? I think it is. I consulted my hair dresser and she has confirmed that technically if a shampoo is too alkaline it’s too strong so yes it can over dry your hair. In my opinion this was happening to my hair while I was using Area H2O for a Hard Water Area.
There is one more thing. My scalp! I can’t believe it’s such a mission impossible to find a shampoo that would deliver good results for the hair and at the same time be kind to the skin on our heads.
Unfortunately Area H2O didn’t work for me at all. I had a seriously sore and red scalp. Quite painful
Mr. D has got short hair as men usually do so he had no problem with combing it through after washing. He would skip conditioner most of the time and notice no difference to his hair. He liked the smell. When I asked for his opinion on results he just sad “ it was like a normal shampoo to me”. So as you can see he was fine using it. He was the one who finished the bottle and both his hair and scalp were absolutely fine.
I still think it’s a genius idea for a product but I’m not particularly impressed with the results. I know that there will probably be a fair bunch of people who will like it. Area H2O just didn’t work for me. My primary concern when it comes to shampoos is to find a product that won’t cause sensitivity to my scalp. (I have been using something new over the last month and I am quite impressed with the results, blog to follow soon).
If you tried any Area H2O shampoo let me know how you got on with it?
Christine
I have hard water as well, and it has ruined my hair. I grew up with soft water but then moved to an area with VERY hard water and did not know what the cause my hair’s sudden extreme dryness was. I read online that rinsing your hair with a mixure of water (bottled) and vinegar helps break up the mineral desposits that hard water causes. I tried it and it actually worked! I do have a mildly sensitive scalp and it did not bother my skin! My hair was much more shiny and had a lot more volume afterwards. They say to only do it once a week though, because vinegar is pretty acidic.