Is Cold Water Good For Your Hair? [Pros & Cons]

People claim that doing a cold water hair rinse will give you shinier, healthier hair, but is cold water good for your hair?

I’m going to share what actually happens when you use cold water to wash or rinse your hair, and how the water temperature can influence your hair’s texture, hair strength and the overall appearance of your hair. Keep on reading to find out more…

Which Water Temperature Is Better For Your Hair?

Lukewarm water (which is around 38°C) is often recommended for washing our hair.

Lukewarm water opens our hair’s cuticles for cleansing without making your scalp feel dry.

While cold water is supposedly best for helping to seal those cuticles, locking in moisture and enhancing shine, but it’s not effective for removing product residue.

Hot water can be bad for your hair for multiple reasons. It can strip away the hair’s natural oils, which leads to potential hair damage and dryness. 

When it comes to choosing the optimal water temperature for washing your hair, it does depend on your individual hair type.

Delicate or color-treated hair will mostly benefits from cooler water temperatures, while thicker or oilier hair may need warmer washes for effective cleansing.

Hair experts recommend regularly alternating between warm and cold water, to maintain a healthy scalp and improve your hair’s overall quality.

What Happens When You Use Cold Water To Rinse Your Hair?

There are multiple benefits to using cold water to rinse your hair.

When you rinse with cold water, it helps close the hair cuticles, which enhances the shine of your hair, while also reducing frizz by locking in moisture.

This simple step can make your hair look healthier and more vibrant.

Plus, cold water rinses can improve scalp circulation, promoting a better environment for hair growth.

If you have color-treated hair, rinsing with cold water can help preserve the pigments by sealing them in, though it shouldn’t replace proper conditioning for hydration.

While cold water may improve hair texture, remember that the most significant factors impacting hair health are the pH balance of your products and their ingredient quality. 

Is Cold Water Good For Your Hair?

It can be. As I mentioned above, rinsing with cold water helps close hair cuticles, locking in moisture and enhancing shine. This results in smoother, less frizzy hair that looks healthier overall.

Cold water can stimulate the scalp’s circulation, which might promote healthier hair growth, although more research is needed to confirm this benefit. 

If you’re dealing with dryness or flakiness of the scalp, cold water can help retain moisture in both your scalp and hair.

While there are benefits to using both warm and cold water temperatures, factors like product quality and pH balance are more important and influential for effective hair care than the temperature of the water.

How Should You Be Rinsing Your Hair For Best Results?

Start with lukewarm water when shampooing, as this will help to open your hair cuticles for effective cleansing.

Ensure you always rinse thoroughly to avoid product build-up, which can compromise your scalp health, and leave your hair looking dull and lackluster.

After you’ve conditioned your hair, use a cold rinse, to help with enhancing shine while reducing frizz.

If you have dry or frizzy hair (like myself), a colder temperature can help to reduce the frizz and flyaways.

It’s best to switch between both lukewarm washing and cold rinsing to improve moisture retention and overall hair texture.