You've probably heard the advice to finish every shower with a blast of cold water for the sake of your hair. Anything to it?
TL; DR — Mostly myth with a smidge of fact.
Let's start with the true part; it’s possible for cold water to make hair look smoother and shinier. That’s because a cool rinse can help the outer layer of the hair shaft (the cuticle) lie flatter, reflecting more light and (potentially) reducing frizz.
But the caveat here is that it’s a temporary, cosmetic effect — and it’s not cumulative.
But at some point, people made the leap from “cold water can help hair look shinier” to “cold water must be healthier for hair.”
It doesn't.
Cold Plunge Fad
Always remember that hair and its keratin sheets are not living tissue. Hair is made of protein, sure, but like your nails, it was never really alive so calling it dead isn’t right either. The hair follicle is what controls and drives hair growth, and — though cold-water temperatures can feel invigorating on the scalp and can help decrease inflammation — it won’t have a significant effect on the biological processes that control how healthy and well your hair grows.
Hormones, natural gaining, and genetics are what really determine how your hair looks.
The Heat is On
If the heat of a sauna is more appealing to you than a cold plunge, you can still take steps to protect your hair. Photo by Batuhan Kocabaş
A better topic to explore and take inventory of this time of year is your hot water and heat exposure. Scalding-hot showers, frequent sauna and hot tub use, sitting in front of a roaring fire — these can all strip your hair of the natural oils that help keep things shiny and create frizz. It can also be a problem for the scalp, leaving it dry, irritated, and potentially more prone to flaking. Though the heat can feel great in the moment on a cold winter day, the stress and dehydration it causes can have a detrimental impact on your growth projections.
Your real takeaway for cold-weather season? Chasing cold water isn’t a necessity for healthy hair, it’s more about not overdoing the heat and treating your scalp to gentle, consistent care — especially if saunas, hot showers, and toasty indoors are more your thing this winter.
Testing the Cold Waters?
If you really want to see whether cold water can give your hair a noticeable shine boost, keep the cold blast for the very end and see if you notice a difference.
Deplore the idea of a cold plunge?
If even the idea of cold water gives you the shivers, there’s no need to cut back on your sauna or hot showers if they’re something you enjoy. If hot water and heat exposure are a big part of your routine this season? It’s a great reason and time to be more intentional about your scalp care!
What Can Help in The Shower
Your hair care routine matters more than water temperatures. The Feel Confident® Hair System is formulated to support your scalp regardless of how you're rinsing it. Our Thickening Shampoo and Conditioner are sulfate-free, so they clean without stripping the oils your scalp needs, and in our 12-week clinical study, our powerhouse staples were shown to boost scalp hydration by 30%, exactly the kind of support a scalp needs after a season of hot showers and sauna sessions. If your scalp is feeling dry or irritated, the Thickening Scalp Serum's niacinamide and peptides offer extra, leave-in support between washes.
Try the cold rinse for the shine if you’d like, but don't count on it to do anything for the health of your hair!
