Finnish tap water is the best in the world. We have heard this phrase countless times, and for the most part, it's true. Our water is safe to drink, and its quality control is top-notch. However, there's a trap hidden here that many unknowingly fall into.
Just because water is drinkable doesn't mean it's optimal for skin and hair. In our work, we encounter customers daily who suffer from dry skin, lifeless hair, and scalp problems – even if they live in an area with officially excellent water quality. The reason often lies in everything that accumulates in the water on its journey from the water treatment plant to your home. The solution can be surprisingly simple: a high-quality water filter for your shower head.
In this article, we delve into what your shower water might contain and how a small change can transform your daily washing routine into a skin- and hair-pampering experience.
Why can "the best water in the world" still dry out skin and hair?
When talking about water quality, the focus is almost always on drinking water. However, it's a completely different matter what substances enter our body through digestion and what is absorbed by our skin during daily showers. The skin is our largest organ, and warm water opens up pores, making them particularly receptive to substances contained in the water.
In our experience, the most common causes of skin and hair problems in Finnish tap water are:
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Chlorine: An essential disinfectant for water purification.
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Limescale and minerals: The causes of water hardness, varying regionally.
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Heavy metals, rust, and sediment: Impurities detaching from old piping.
These substances do not make the water undrinkable, but with continuous skin contact, they cause various harms. The water simply isn't the same when it comes out of the shower as it was when it left the water treatment plant.
Chlorine, limescale, and rust – how they affect you in the shower
Let's go through the three most common culprits. You likely recognize their effects from your own daily life.
Chlorine: Clean, but irritating
Chlorine is added to water to kill bacteria. It's an effective and necessary measure, but it has a downside. Chlorine is a strong oxidizer that doesn't differentiate between harmful bacteria and beneficial fats and proteins in the skin and hair.
In a warm shower, chlorine vaporizes, so we breathe it in while it affects our skin. It strips the skin of its natural protective layer, sebum, leading to dryness, tightness, and itching. From hair, it removes shine and makes it brittle and lifeless. Dyed hair, in particular, suffers, as chlorine prematurely fades the color. Many hairdressers recommend filtered showers to their clients for precisely this reason.
Limescale: Enemy of the bathroom and skin
Water hardness refers to the amount of dissolved calcium and magnesium in it. In Finland, there are significant regional differences in water hardness: in the Helsinki metropolitan area, the water is soft, but many localities use harder groundwater.
Hard water leaves visible marks on bathroom surfaces – those white, stubborn stains on shower doors and faucets. Imagine the same layer on your skin and hair. Limescale forms a film on the skin that clogs pores and prevents moisturizers from absorbing. On hair, it leaves a dull surface that makes it heavy, tangled, and difficult to manage.
Rust and sediment: The hidden legacy of piping
Many incorrectly assume that water quality is the same throughout the municipality. Even if the water leaving the treatment plant is pristine, it travels for kilometers through pipes before reaching your home. Especially in older houses, built before the 1980s, the piping is often cast iron or copper. Over decades, rust, sediment, and other fine particles inevitably detach from them.
These particles are often invisible to the naked eye, but they mechanically irritate the skin and clog shower head holes, weakening water pressure. If you've ever noticed the water briefly turning brown after pipe work, you know what we're talking about. The same thing happens on a smaller scale constantly.
How does a water filter work in practice?
Not all filters on the market are created equal. We specialize in shower solutions and, after years of testing, have selected the most effective and easy-to-use solution.
Showerguy.fi's power filter is a sediment filter that captures all solid particles larger than 5 microns. For comparison, a human hair is about 50–70 microns thick. The filter thus effectively collects rust, sand, metals, and other impurities detaching from the piping. It also partially reduces limescale.
When these skin- and hair-stressing factors are removed from the water just before it hits the skin, the difference is immediate. The water feels softer, soap lathers better, and the skin doesn't feel tight after showering.
The best proof of the filter's effectiveness is changing it. It's an eye-opening experience to see how a clean white filter cartridge has turned brown or gray in a few months. That's all dirt that would otherwise have ended up on your skin.
Filtering alone is not always enough – boost your skin care in the shower
Removing impurities is the most important step. However, we wanted to take it further: what if showering not only stopped drying out the skin but actively became a skin-caring routine? This idea led to our combination, where an effective water filter is complemented by a conditioning aroma gel cartridge.
Korean cosmetics active ingredients directly from your shower water
The gel cartridge installed inside our Aroma Sense shower heads is like a conditioner for your shower water. It utilizes Korean cosmetic expertise and natural active ingredients that moisturize and nourish the skin with every wash.
The cartridge contains four natural ingredients:
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Aloe Vera: Known for its soothing and moisturizing properties, excellent for sensitive skin.
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Snail mucin: A superstar of Korean skincare that helps regenerate the skin and improve its elasticity.
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Milk protein: Nourishes and softens the skin, leaving it feeling silky.
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Vegetable glycerin: An effective humectant that binds moisture to the skin and prevents it from drying out.
Together with the water filter, this combination is unbeatable. First, harmful substances are removed from the water, after which skin-pampering ingredients are added. The shower becomes part of your skincare routine, not just a necessary cleansing.
Who should get a water filter for their shower?
While practically anyone can benefit from a shower filter, for certain groups, it's almost a necessity. Do you recognize yourself in these?
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Dry or sensitive skin: If you suffer from atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, acne, or constant itching, a filter removes skin-irritating substances from the water and can bring quick relief.
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Dyed or treated hair: You'll save real money when expensive salon color lasts weeks longer. Your hair will also be healthier and easier to style.
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You live in an old house: If your home was built before the 90s, sediment from the pipes is a real problem. A water filter is an affordable way to improve water quality without expensive pipe renovation.
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Families with small children: Children's skin is thinner and more sensitive than adult skin. A filter protects the little ones in the family from unnecessary chemicals and impurities.
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You crave luxury in your daily life: Even if you don't have specific skin problems, a filtered and aromatherapy-enhanced shower is an experience. It's an easy and affordable way to bring a spa atmosphere into your own home.
Investing in a quality shower solution is a small change in daily life, but its effects on the condition of skin and hair can be enormous. It's time to take your shower experience into your own hands.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Finnish tap water really that bad?
No, it's not. Finnish water is safe to drink and generally of high quality. However, in this article, we focus on the cosmetic effects of water. Drinkable water can still contain substances that dry out the skin and hair, such as chlorine, limescale, and impurities detaching from pipes, the removal of which offers clear benefits.
How often should a shower water filter be changed?
The recommended replacement interval is 2–4 months. However, the actual need depends entirely on water quality and consumption. If the water contains a lot of iron or sediment, replacement may be necessary more often. The best indicator is the color of the filter: when it has clearly darkened, it's time to change it.
Does the filter also remove the smell of chlorine?
A sediment filter removes solid particles, such as rust and sediment, but it does not chemically remove dissolved chlorine from the water. Instead, the conditioning aroma gel in Aroma Sense shower heads neutralizes the drying effect of chlorine. The moisturizing ingredients of the gel care for the skin and hair, which reduces the stress caused by chlorine.
Are the filters and Aroma Sense shower heads suitable for all showers?
Yes. All our products use a standard G1/2-inch thread, which is the most common connection size for shower hoses and rods in Finland and Europe. Installation is thus possible in almost all modern showers without separate adapters.
Is installation difficult?
Not at all. Changing a shower head or filter is as easy as screwing in a light bulb. You simply unscrew the old part by hand and replace it with the new one. You don't need tools or a plumber, and the procedure takes less than a minute.
What are the benefits of aroma gel if I don't like scents?
The primary function of the aroma gel is to care for the skin and neutralize the effects of chlorine. The scent is a pleasant addition. Our selection includes several options, from mild citrus to stronger eucalyptus, but there is also a completely scent-free version available. So you can enjoy all the skincare benefits without added fragrance.
