Best shower filters to protect hair from hard water

Picki Niki is a German brand that makes its showerhead filter in Korea. It’s a simple but effective design that features two different filters – one in the showerhead handle, which filters sediment, rust and dirt; the other in the head itself, which reduces hard water and chlorine. Installation takes seconds – simply unscrew your old showerhead and screw this one on in its place. The brand claims this showerhead reduces water consumption by 35 per cent, and I was thoroughly impressed by how quickly it made a difference to the water pressure. I also appreciated the fact that the brand’s website details the studies it has conducted to evaluate product performance, enabling people to learn more before investing.

After washing my hair just once, it felt smoother, silkier and shinier, thanks to the vitamin C gel filter, which also includes glycerin and collagen, helping to keep your skin feeling supple. The vitamin C filter is used to reduce any residual chlorine that can be left on hair washed with hard water. After two weeks, I saw a huge improvement in my overall hair health, with less dryness and frizz.

If you want to introduce a showerhead filter to your everyday routine but are shopping on a budget, this is a decent option. It’s not as chic as others I tried but it’s easy to get to grips with and has a simple filtration system. It comes in plenty of colourways, including white, pink, black and silver, with five spray modes, silicone nozzles that distribute even water pressure and a universal fitting (just make sure you screw it on tightly, to avoid leaks).

The filtration system is made up of multi-coloured mineral balls in the handle and is designed to reduce chlorine and contaminants in your water while improving pressure. I believe it does both adequately for the low price tag. Inside each kit is the showerhead, two bags of mineral balls and a safety ring. Place the safety ring at the top of the handle and carefully pour one pack of filter beads in before tightening the showerhead to your hose attachment. It’s as simple as that.

Since this brand launched its showerhead in 2019, it has gone on to build its offering to include shampoos, conditioners, body wash, scalp soaks and body creams, but its elegant showerhead has remained at the core of the business. With the original design having undergone a few tweaks, I tested the showerhead 2.0, which comes in beige, black and chrome colourways. Typically, the filter lasts about 50 washes, and you can rotate the headpiece easily to remove the cartridge and swap it out for a new one. It has a two-step circular filtration system that reduces metals, chlorine and impurities in hard water, which you may not notice immediately, but you will see a marked improvement in the water pressure after just one use.

The filtration system contains three key ingredients for tackling hard water damage: KDF 55, which removes iron, lead and mercury (small amounts are found in water) and neutralises chlorine to keep skin feeling soft; activated carbon, which traps contaminants in your pipes; and amino acid granules, which keeps your natural hair oils intact, so it doesn’t feel dry and stripped of moisture. It looks super chic and is very easy to clean, install and incorporate into your daily routine. Overall, it’s well worth the investment.

I loved that this showerhead has four spray modes: rainfall, spray, mixed and a powerful cleaning jet stream (which is fantastic for cleaning your shower walls, too). To adjust the water pressure, simply twist the handle of the showerhead to run through each mode.

It offers a 15-stage filtration system that reduces chlorine, bacteria, algae and fungus, thanks to the inclusion of concealed activated carbon, vitamin C, and ceramic balls in the showerhead handle. You can also quickly turn off the water flow by pressing the large stop button on the head. My only gripe is how heavy the silicone massage head is – something to keep in mind if you don’t have a very structurally sound shower setup.

Along with the handheld showerhead, you get a 1.5m stainless steel hose, teflon tape and two extra washers. Overall, it’s reasonably priced, easy to install and improves the water pressure and makes washing your hair a quicker experience, thanks to the adjustable water spray options.