This Is Why Cold Showers Are Actually Better For Your Hair
While the thought of an early morning cold shower can make even the cold lovers among us quiver, the benefits of cold water span far beyond an intense wake-up call. Since cold water tightens pores and increases circulation, it goes without saying that the health and beauty advantages of frigid showers are worth noting (via Health).
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.
Cold water doesn't dry out the sebum layer that provides protection for your skin and hair (via Healthline). By keeping your strands protected and follicles closed, cold water helps your mane stay strong against breakage and everyday damage.
Rinsing with cold water helps your hair retain nutrients
Cold water showers help the hair retain its moisture, so when you're brushing and styling, it's much more resistant to breakage. By stiffening up the cuticle, cooler temperatures ensure that follicles become more manageable. Jessie Cheung, MD, tells Health that cold water "will flatten the ruffled cuticles and lock in moisture to prevent breakage."
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!