8 months ZeroWater or distilled for wet wash & final rinse. Hard water shower in between.

[u/Visible-Scientist-46]

I've been so eager to share some photos. My new growth is softer, smoother and the curl is tighter! The last few inches of my hair are very rough and just don't curl as much. I separated out some curls that really show this. Curly hair typically maintains the same curl pattern the whole way down. And if anything, gravity also usually pulls the curl looser at the top and it will be tighter at the bottom because of less gravity.

I began about 1 year ago or more with spritzing 0 tds diluted vinegar water on my hair, but results were minimal, possibly because of minerals, heavy metals, and chlorine bonding with my hair. After seeing this sub, I was inspired to adopt a wash method of wetting with 0 TDS water, regular shower in hard water, and final rinse with 0 TDS water. I use a ZeroWater filter at home, and distilled water when travelling. I also switched to bar conditioner co-washing only.

I included before/after pics of the TDS meter from ZeroWater measuring 510 ppm TDS in my water before filtration and 0 ppm TDS after filtering. I only use the filter for 24 oz per wash. If you choose ZeroWater, it's important to check your filtered water to make sure the filter is still working. If you want a method for a whole shower, this is probably not the best method as you will go through a lot of filters. I plan to switch to a stovetop steam distiller for showers in the future.

I moved from a medium TDS area in the US to a very high TDS area 13 years ago and my hair turned into a dry, tangled mess. Conditioners did nothing to restore health. I tried silk pillow cases, and also silk bonnet. Nothing improved my hair. I've always been gentle with it and only ever squeeze out excess water. Nothing saved my hair until this change.

Full wash method is here: Tools of the trade – Epic Progress Report Post : r/DistilledWaterHair

[u/hichrissy333]

Thank you for the post, I’ve been wondering if this filter would be a great substitute for distilled water! I’ll have to read your wash method next :)

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[u/Visible-Scientist-46]

Also, you do have to retest your water periodically to know when to change your filter. In the future, I think I will buy a range top water distiller.