For most of us, washing our hair is a routine task that rarely changes. Sure, you might experiment with a new shampoo or conditioner every now and then, but for the most part, our haircare routines remain a steadfast ritual. If you’re someone who follows a tried-and-true regimen, you probably have strong opinions about one key question: Should you be washing your hair with hot or cold water?
Rest assured — we consulted with shampoo expert and GH Beauty Lab Reviews Analyst Chiara Butler, to get to the bottom of this debate.
Is it better to wash your hair in hot or cold water?
It turns out, lukewarm water is actually the best approach for washing your hair. “You want to wash your hair with warm water that feels comfortable to you,” says Butler. However, she advises against using excessively hot water, as it can dry out your scalp. So find a happy medium between hot and cold.
Now, even with this new information, you may be skeptical about common hair-washing advice you've heard from friends or family members about using cold water. That would be a mistake.
"There’s a myth that cold water closes the hair cuticle and makes your hair shinier," Butler says. "That’s not true, so you don’t have to suffer with a cold rinse."
So say goodbye to those chilly rinses on wash day and opt for a comfortable lukewarm temperature the next time you shampoo.
