This Is Why Cold Showers Are Actually Better For Your Hair

This Is Why Cold Showers Are Actually Better For Your Hair

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By Paige McBride/Sept. 8, 2020 2:20 pm EST

If you have colored hair, you should know that warm or hot water fades your color faster. According to Good Housekeeping, when you take hot showers, it lifts the top cuticle layer — which is one of the most common reasons for color fading. When you shower in cold water, the cuticle stays closed (via SELF). Furthermore, when your cuticle layer stays closed, strands lay more smoothly — making your mane shine brighter. 

Rinsing with cold water helps your hair retain nutrients

Particularly when it comes to conditioning, rinsing with cold water is imperative to locking in your wash’s benefits. Kally Papantoniou, M.D., a dermatologist with Advanced Dermatology PC, told SELF that, “Using warm water can dissolve lipids and remove most of the conditioners that you added in.” So, if you spent a half hour doing a deep condition, only to rinse with hot water, you could be losing nearly all of the benefits. Since warm water opens the shaft, the nutrients your hair just absorbed can quickly fall out with a warm rinse.

Bottom line: Stick with cooler water if you have color-treated hair and when conditioning at the very least. Your vivid color and enhanced softness will be worth it!