Water

I’m back in Sweden again after having visited my parents for their anniversary. It’s been a while since last I was back in my native Denmark. To keep it hair-related, I noticed how there isn’t a big difference between the water in Skåne and in Svendborg where my parents live. Usually when I come to visit my parents I find my hair being unmanageable and slippery after just a single shower there



Denmark is a classic ice age landscape with lots of small hills and lakes created by the ice’s forces. Underneath the surface, the composition of underground can change drastically within just a few meters depending on the material the ice left behind.

Drinking water is pumped out of the underground, filtered and analysed before being sent out to consumers, but if the results are within parameters, the water isn’t further treated. Nothing is added and nothing is subtracted from the water.

This naturally means that there are big differences in mineral contents between areas. Skåne is the same ice age landscape type as the vast majority of Denmark, but they remove some of the calcium

In everyday life this means nothing more than a slight difference in tap water flavour, how often you need to remove calcium deposits in water boilers and showers and that when you buy laundry detergent, you will find a small map in the back showing recommended doses calculated for the median water hardness of the different areas.

I notice a difference when it comes to hair. I do prefer the slightly softer water like that of Skåne, but it’s been a surprise a few times to find my hair being suddenly slippery after having been washed in soft water when I lived in areas with harder water. Harder water offers a bit more “grip” which I do like, but it seems to add slightly to the build-up speed.

Of course some longhairs find themselves buying showerheads and speculating in water hardness and mineral deposits.

I absolutely hated the chlorinated water I experienced for instance in USA and the salt water (!) in Fuerte Ventura. Both made my skin itch and killed the shine and manageability of my hair.

Now I wonder what exact water hardness they have in Skåne and Lund in particular.

1 dH = (1 °dH ≈ 0,178 mmol/l) = 10 mg of calcium in one litre of water.