In recent months, I’ve been bombarded with social media ads singing the praises of shower head water filters. My immediate reaction was skepticism, but I have to admit I was intrigued. A beauty product that doesn’t require daily labor on my end but can help to improve my hair and skin sounds too good to be true. But according to Dr. Brendan Camp, a board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology in New York City, shower head filters can be a great investment.
Shower head filters are comparable to filters you use on drinkable tap water, and can remove impurities in municipal water sources such as chlorine and chloramines (which are disinfectants), along with calcium, copper, magnesium and more. “These minerals and chemicals can potentially dry or irritate hair and skin,” Camp said.
Dr. Brandon Kirsch, a board-certified dermatologist at Kirsch Dermatology in Naples, Florida, further explained that water with high concentrations of calcium and magnesium is known as “hard water.” He told HuffPost that “while they’re generally safe for consumption at the levels found in tap water, they can have cosmetic and dermatological effects, such as drying out hair and skin or exacerbating conditions like eczema.”
Both experts agreed that a shower filter can improve the quality and texture of both skin and hair and could potentially also boost the potency of your hair products. “Without a residue of these compounds,” Camp stated, “products may be able to penetrate hair and skin more effectively.”
If you’re not sure whether you really need a shower water filter, you can look for signs that your regular shower head water is causing problems. “If your skin feels excessively dry and itchy after showering, it might be due to the chlorine or hard water minerals,” Kirsch said. “Chlorine and hard water minerals can also strip away natural oils from your hair, leaving it looking dull, and chlorine in particular can cause colored hair to fade faster.”
You can also be on the lookout for warning signs in your shower’s surroundings. Camp noted that scaling, which refers to the buildup of minerals on shower heads or bathroom tiles, might be an indication of a high mineral content in your shower water. He also said that before you purchase a shower head filter, “consider doing an online search to determine if the water sources in your area are considered to contain higher mineral content or hard water.”
If your interest has been piqued, keep reading. Below, you can check out four water filters recommended by Camp and Kirsch. A new shower head water filter might be exactly what you need to up your beauty game without having to adjust your daily routine.
HuffPost may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Every item is independently selected by the HuffPost Shopping team. Prices and availability are subject to change. The experts consulted for this story do not necessarily endorse the products ahead unless otherwise noted.
Promising review: “I rarely leave reviews but have to review this. This didn’t immediately show results for me but it started to show results after week 2.5. I have long healthy Asian hair and was skeptical I could really benefit that much more from anything except for maybe a keratin treatment. And wow was I wrong. I had no idea my already-nice hair could use this type of a boost. It made my shiny black hair SHINIER AND BOUNCIER…by a lot! It looks as if I ran shimmering shine spray from my roots down to the very ends of my hair, top to bottom. I couldn’t believe it. At first I thought I was imagining it, it seemed too good to be true. And oh, the bounce. I didn’t realize my hair needed bounce but now I don’t think I can live without it. As for my skin, it’s only been 2.5 weeks but I noticed that the pores on my nose are smaller.” — Jade
“Saved my hair! I was using a different brand of water filter and shower head and after 2 years of living in Florida with it my hair was frizzy and breaking at the nape of my neck. I just installed this new version last night and took my first shower with it. It was my last ditch effort before chopping all my hair off again. My hair turned out amazing! It didn’t feel gummy or frizzy and when I blow dried it, it fell straight like it should! I have a hard time growing my hair to begin with and this filter will definitely help save what I have! I thought the price point was expensive but investing in yourself is worth it! Also a few hours later my skin still feels soft and moisturized. I put on some shower oil when I got out and my skin soaked it all in instead of just laying on the surface.” — Mari Beeghly
Promising reviews: “Absolutely amazing for hair and skin. As a professional hairstylist and blonde haired I’ve noticed how hard water can really affect the hair/skin overall. This was SO easy to install and has made the biggest difference in my hair! I recommend to all of my clients” — katie spicer
“Wonderful product. This filter was so easy to install. I cannot believe the difference in my skin in just a month. If you live in the city and have hard water this is a must!” — Jeff
Promising reviews: “My partner and myself both have psoriasis. We use the shampoos hair oils etc. The whole 9 yards. Never really seemed to help. Took into consideration that perhaps it was our water. Heavy in calcium, lime, all those harsh fun chemicals. After having used it for 3 days, our psoriasis doesn’t hurt like it did. My skin is even feeling better and no where near as dry as it otherwise would be when I exit the shower. Definitely a much better improvement to our daily routine. I can say with confidence, I am definitely going to want to get a few more for the other spouts in our home.” — Shina
“Clean & soft water. I made this purchase due to my wife always complains about how our city water makes her body itch after showering 🚿 so I decided to give this shower head filter a try and it worked wonders. My wife no longer has those itch moments from the harsh city water coming from our water plant.” — demetrius smith
Promising reviews: “Love it! Nice quality. Not cheap looking. Easy to assemble. I am so happy to have this. So many great features! I definitely recommend you buy this product!!!” — Janet
“Love this showerhead, I love the filters they really help soften my hair and skin. The different settings are great and the magnet is strong and allows for easy positioning.” — Keianna Wilbur