Your mama has told you about it a million times and your dermat concurs. If you want great skin and hair, you have to sip on nature’s most underrated and undervalued nectar (i.e. water) often. After all, as everyone knows, the human body is 60% water. So it’s no surprise that the key to healthy hair & skin lies in the element that makes up most of us.
And mind you, just sipping on it is not enough. You also have to be mindful of the kind of water your skin and hair are subjected to during activities such as bathing, freshening up and the like. But before we jump into the details of how water should be a part of your everyday beauty regime, let’s take a look at its many benefits!
For skin
Just staying adequately hydrated can ensure you get the most of these wonder benefits –
1. Prevent signs of premature aging
One of the easiest and most effective ways to maintain the elasticity of your skin is to drink water.The added advantage is that when your skin stays elastic, the appearance of signs of aging slows down considerably!
2. Enhance your skin tone
Suffer from dull skin? Drinking copious amounts of water can flush out the toxins in your system, ensuring a brighter complexion and even skin tone.
3. Speed up healing time
unburn can take a long time to heal on its own. However, you can easily accelerate the process by drinking enough water.
4. Nip acne in the bud
Acne is often the result of clogged pores, which in turn is caused by excess oil production. Luckily,you can control sebum secretion by drinking water. It can balance your skin’s oil and water content, preventing the clogging of pores.
5. Soothe itchy skin
If your skin is itchy, chances are its dry too. Flakes and cracks on your skin can occur when your skin is dehydrated. Do we really need to mention the cure for it?
6. Make your skin tighter
Often sudden and rapid weight loss can be the prime culprit behind sagging skin. The good thing is you can minimize the damage by drinking enough water so your skin retains its elasticity.
7. Keep your pH balance intact
Your body’s pH levels can go out of whack when you’re dehydrated. The result? Skin sensitivity and damage. However, you can reverse this by keeping yourself hydrated.
8. Prevent eruptions caused by heat
Water is the best way to not only prevent your body from heating up due to the summer sun or increased activity; but is also a great way to turn the tide on heat rashes and boils.
9. Reduce puffiness
You might not know this but your skin appears puffy only when it’s trying its best to retain water and save your skin from dehydration. If you drink water religiously, you can prevent the puffiness and the swelling.
For hair
Its not just your skin that benefits, your hair does too! Check these out –
10. Promote hair growth
Did you know that at least 25% of your hair shaft is made up of water? Your hair follicles need water to absorb the vitamins and minerals it needs for healthy growth. So without further ado, you know what to do.
11. Strengthen your hair
Strong and healthy hair is hydrated hair. Limp strands are actually a side effect of dehydration. But if you’re properly hydrated, your strands will be thick and strong without suffering from breakage.
12. Reduce hair damage
Dry hair damages easily, appearing shrunken and lifeless. On the other hand, moisturized hair has a fuller appearance on account of absorbing water. So if you feel your hair lacks life, be sure to add water to your haircare regime along with your trusty coconut oil.
Amount of water you should drink in a day to reap its miraculous benefits
It’s a well-known fact that the human body can survive for up to 3 weeks without food, but only 3 days without water. That in itself goes to show the value of water for your overall well-being, for your very existence. If you wish to derive all the benefits water has to offer, the U.S. National Academies of Sciences,
Engineering, and Medicine recommend the following as adequate water intake for both the genders
- 3.7 liters per day for men
- 2.7 liters per day for women
You can also enhance the benefits of water by adding herbs and spices to your intake, be it in the form of tea or flavored water. Herbs and spices such as mint, holy basil, lemon, ginger and cinnamon are all great additions.
Hard Water vs. Soft Water: Which works better
When you think of water, it’s hardness or softness is the last thing that comes to mind right? Maybe it never crosses your mind at all. As long as the water is pure, clean or usable, who cares if its soft or hard? Well, you should care as that can make all the difference to your skin and hair health. Let’s delve deep into the matter to know why –
Hard water: Hard water can be defined as water whose mineral content is very high. These minerals include calcium and magnesium.
Soft water: Soft water, on the other hand, is free of harsh minerals and is very gentle on you.
The adverse effects of hard water
You might think hard water is good for you since its rich in calcium and magnesium, but it can actually do more harm than good. Water of this kind is quite harsh on your skin and hair, stripping them off of their natural oils. This can result in dry skin, and stiff and limp hair that breaks easy. What’s more, hard water can leave mineral build-up in your hair, so your tresses might not feel clean even after you shampoo. Even skin conditions can worsen with the use of hard water. Our advice? Don’t use hard water, if you can help it.
The benefits of soft water
Soft water is the key to healthy hair and skin. It can increase the effectiveness of the skin and haircare products you use, while being overall very gentle on them. It can also balance your skin and hair’s pH level, and improve the health of your gorgeous skin and shiny tresses. This is the water to go for if you want to be the most beautiful version of yourself. It can guarantee all of the benefits we’ve listed above, which hard water cannot deliver upon. At the end of the day, the health of your skin and hair is in your own hands. We suggest you drink the right amount of water and use the right kind of water to stay healthy.