Did you know using a good shampoo for soft water can lift your hair volume in one wash?
Have you tried different products that claim to offer voluminous hair but after every product your hair still appears limp or flat without any volume? The reason behind it could be soft water. Yup, your tap water might be too soft to wash off the impurities and product build-up. But this is an easy problem to fix. You just need to use a good shampoo for soft water that can act as an effective cleansing agent and gift you the voluminous hair that you have always dreamt of.
I have compiled a list of different shampoos for soft water areas that you can try out.
Best Shampoo For Soft Water Areas
There are a lot of good options when you search for the best shampoo for soft water areas and I have picked the best of the rest after thoroughly digging through their ingredients list and reviews. I hope you benefit from them.
Maui Moisture Lightweight Hydration Hibiscus Water Shampoo
If you are in a rush, then this is the one shampoo for soft hair that I recommend the most.
You know I have a thing for natural ingredients when it comes to taking care of my long Indian hair. And this Maui Moisture shampoo is formulated with hibiscus water, passion fruit, and watermelon that will soothe your itchy scalp, prevent excess oil production, and leave you with an excellent fragrance that will linger on for a day. It also has the goodness of coconut water and aloe vera juice which hydrates your hair. This vegan shampoo is also free of parabens, silicones, mineral oil, gluten, and dye.
Pros
- Vegan shampoo that soothes your itchy scalp
- Uplifts your hair volume instantly
- Adds shine
- Formulated with herbs for hair growth
- CGM friendly
Cons
- Can lead to scalp irritation in some cases
Last update on 2024-11-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Nexxus Hydra-Light Weightless Moisture Shampoo For Soft Water
This shampoo is free of harsh chemicals like silicones, mineral oil, phthalate, and paraben and it is enriched with sea minerals. If your hair gets greasy in a day then this is a good option to consider. However, if you are someone with sensitive skin, I would recommend you to skip this one as it has added fragrance which can disturb the natural pH of your scalp and cause irritation.
Pros
- The perfect shampoo to go from thin to thicker hair
- Free of harsh chemicals
- Contains deep sea minerals
- Keeps hair from getting greasy
- Has a mild citrus fragrance
Cons
- Contains SLS
- Contains added fragrance
- Not cruelty-free
Last update on 2024-11-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Aveeno Apple Cider Vinegar Sulfate-Free Shampoo
ACV is an excellent ingredient when you need to remove excess product and sebum build-up. And this shampoo does just that without you compromising your hair’s overall health. Formulated with oats along with ACV, it soothes your itchy scalp like no other. Free of harsh chemicals like SLS, parabens, or dye, it won’t strip off your hair color or nourishment.
Pros
- Formulated with ACV and oats
- Improves scalp health
- Prevents hair from getting greasy in a day
- Adds instant volume
- Safe for color-treated hair
Cons
- Not ideal for people with dry hair
Last update on 2024-11-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Neutrogena Exfoliating Healthy Scalp Clarify & Shine Shampoo
Neutrogena shampoos have always worked well for me. Every time I deal with scalp infections I turn to either Tsal or Tgel shampoo. But this shampoo I personally haven’t tried but I loved the ingredients list. Ideal for people with limp hair, greasy hair, or oily scalp, this shampoo clarifies it gently.
Formulated with pink grapefruit extracts, it instantly adds shine and gently exfoliates all the product buildup and excess sebum along with the dirt in just one wash and leaves you with a good volume. This shampoo is free of parabens, phthalates, sulfated surfactants, SLS, and SLES.
Pros
- Clarifies and gently exfoliates your scalp
- Adds instant shine and volume
- Free of harsh chemicals
Cons
- Not ideal for people with dry or curly hair
Last update on 2024-11-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Love Beauty And Planet Volume and Bounty Thickening Shampoo
Free of harsh chemicals like silicone, dye, paraben, and phthalate, this shampoo for soft water is formulated with the goodness of coconut water and mimosa flower that gently exfoliates and cleans your scalp and gifts you with the natural voluminous hair that you deserve.
Pros
- Smells really nice
- Free of harsh chemicals
- Adds instant volume and shine to your hair
- Vegan
Cons
- Not suitable for people with sensitive scalp
Last update on 2024-11-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Carol's Daughter Vegan Shampoo
Ideal for people with curly hair, this shampoo for soft water hair won’t weigh down your hair. On the contrary, as it is formulated with aloe vera and rosewater, it will lift your volume to great heights. It has a micellar technology that attracts dirt, oil, and build-up like a magnet while cleaning your hair. It is sulfate-free, Silicone Free, and Paraben Free, has no artificial colors, Vegan formula.
Pros
- Ideal for people with 4c hair
- Curly girl method friendly
- Vegan shampoo
- Gently clean your scalp and hair
- Instantly adds a new volume
Cons
- Not ideal for people with oily hair
Last update on 2024-11-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Maple Holistic Sulfate Free Shampoo
This shampoo for soft water is made with the goodness of tea tree oil, rosemary oil, plant-based keratin, and lemon sage that will gently clarify your hair and scalp and clean off all the build-up that has been weighing your hair down and making it appear limp and lifeless. It soothes your scalp and being a good rosemary shampoo it also helps prevent hair loss.
Pros
- Clarifies hair and scalp gently
- Soothes scalp
- Uplifts your hair volume
Cons
- Not ideal for people with dry hair
Last update on 2024-11-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Shampoo For Soft Water
This vegan shampoo for soft water is a good option that you can count on. Formulated with cucumber and melon it gently cleanses the build-up giving hair a full voluminous body to flaunt. It is safe on color-treated hair and chemically-treated hair. It is also a good shampoo for straightening hair.
Pros
- Vegan shampoo
- Adds volume
- Safe on color-treated and chemically-treated hair
Cons
- Not ideal for people with sensitive scalp
Last update on 2024-11-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Honest Company 2-in-1 Cleansing Shampoo For Soft Water
This dermatologically tested shampoo for soft water is safe for everyone including your precious babies. Its gentle tear-free formula makes it ideal for children. However, that doesn’t mean that it does not work well for adults. It is a gentler option that won’t give you the exact volume as other shampoos on this list would but I thought of recommending a soft water shampoo that is safe for children.
Pros
- Vegan and cruelty-free shampoo
- Safe for children
- Works well for adults too
Cons
- Not the best shampoo for soft water out there
Last update on 2024-11-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Hard Water v/s Soft Water For Washing Your Hair
There are a lot of ways hard water and soft water differ. Like:
Level of chemicals and minerals
The basic difference between hard water and soft water is the levels of chemicals and minerals that are present in the water. Hard water has an excessive quantity of calcium, bicarbonates, lead, iron, copper, manganese, and lead in it which results in the build-up on your hair shafts and scalp. This in turn leads to faded hair color, itchy scalp, hair breakage, or split ends.
Whereas soft water lacks most of these chemicals and minerals but has a good amount of potassium and sodium ions. This in turn on some occasions results in product build-up as soft water cannot cleanse the impurities effectively.
How the product lathers
When you use soft water for washing, it does not produce enough lather and you might need a shampoo with chelating ingredients for effective cleaning. Whereas when you use soft water for washing, it creates a lot of lather.
Difference in volume
Hair appears flat and lacks volume in most cases when you are using soft water for washing your hair. But when you use hard water, you might have volume but your hair will appear dry and dull.
Slippery hair
Hair appears slippery as the sift water can’t clear out excess oil from your hair but with hard water, your hair might appear dry and frizzy.
Why do you need specific shampoo for soft water?
You need a special shampoo for soft water for effective cleaning. Though soft water can lather very well, it does not effectively clean the sebum or build-up from your scalp and hair. This in turn will steal the true volume potential of your hair. But when you use a good shampoo for soft water, you can achieve that volume in just one wash. You can check out this study on effects of different hair products on your hair. I think you will find it interesting.
Is soft water good for your hair?
Yes, soft water is good for your hair as it is gentle on your hair. It helps create a lot of lather which helps in effective cleaning. However, in some cases, there are exceptions where soft water leads to limp and slippery hair. And using a good shampoo for soft water is a good solution.
Is soft water bad for your hair?
No, soft water usually is not bad for your hair as its gentle when compared to hard water. But soft water does not effectively clean your hair and leaves the layer of build-up or does not clean the natural sebum effectively. If you feel your soft water is not suiting your hair, then a clear sign to identify it is that no matter what you use your hair will still appear limp or flat.
Over To You
It is a common disbelief that only hard water is bad for your hair but there are some exceptions when using soft water for washing your hair isn’t always an ideal option. I tried my best to share the best recommendations when you are in need of a good shampoo for soft hair. Let me know if you think I missed out on any good shampoo for soft water that worked well for you.
Before you leave, don’t forget to check out:
- Is Salt Water Good For Your Hair And Skin?
- How To Use Rice Water For Hair
- 6 Best Volumizing Mousses For Thicker Picture Perfect Hair
- How Mielle Hair Oil Saved My Thinning Hair In 6 Weeks
Have a lovely day.