A question about water temp...

[santia]

Does it play an important, semi-important or non important roll in hair care? I noticed at the Dominican salon she rinses my hair with cool water. I think Candy C rinses with cool water as well. What is the purpose of this?

 

[JLove74]

Does it play an important, semi-important or non important roll in hair care? I noticed at the Dominican salon she rinses my hair with cool water. I think Candy C rinses with cool water as well. What is the purpose of this?

I rinse w/cool too. A stylist once told me that it helps add shine and something to do with the cuticles

 

[Ebonygurl00]

I heard that cool to cold water helps lay your cuticles down, so your hair shines better and retains moisture better. I dunno if that's completely correct, though.

 

[Sistaslick]

For something that is dead, our hair really responds well to different types of stimuli. Just like the hair's cuticle layers respond to pH by opening and closing, they respond the same way to hot and cold water. Cold water rinsing is a "mechanical" or physical way of closing down the cuticle layers. The cold water makes the scales constrict and lay flatter which enhances shine. When all the layers are smooth, they are able to reflect light better from that uniform surface. It does the same thing that a low pH rinse like ACV would do. But to me, the work of low pH rinsing is superior to cold water rinsing because it tends to offer a more pronounced shine that lasts a bit longer.

So, water temps do play an important role and make a difference in overall hair care. As far as water temps go, its best to wash your hair in slightly warm water, rather than hot. If the water you use to wash your hair is too hot, it may damage your hair and leave it feeling dry and parched. I read in a hair chem. book that hot water can actually cause the cuticle layers to split and peel. If you are color treated, water that is too hot may cause your color to fade and lose its vibrancy rapidly.

On the flip side, warm/cooler water is easier on the hair. It tends to protect hair colors and allow them to last a bit longer as well. Finishing your washing session with a cool/cold water rinse is definitely something to try if you aren't doing it already

 

[santia]

Thanks guys.
Thanks Sista, I knew you would come in here with a text book breakdown

 

[Sharpened]

It does the same thing that a low pH rinse like ACV would do. But to me, the work of low pH rinsing is superior to cold water rinsing because it tends to offer a more pronounced shine that lasts a bit longer.

Are you working on a book in your spare time? I have found using an ACV rinse, ice-cold, to rinse out my final conditioner helps to lock in moisture. I can get away with no other moisturizer until the next day when I do that.