We All Remember The Beauty Tip, But Does Rinsing Your Hair With Cold Water Really Work?
It was in every magazine I read as a teen — and apparently for good reason.
I read a whole lot of beauty tips as a teen, but there's one that I still remember (and often do!) to this day — probably because it was in every single magazine. But the kicker is I have zero idea if it actually works or not. It's wild to think magazines could just share a tip like "rinse your conditioner out with cold water" before you get out of the shower with zero science to back it up, so now it's time to know: What does cold water do to your hair? Does that frigid final rinse actually do anything? (Because honestly, it's kind of a pain in the ass and ruins a nice, hot shower.)
If you remember this beauty tip because it promised smooth, shiny, less frizzy strands, you're right. And also... so is the tip. Kim Kimble, celebrity hairstylist and creator of Kim Kimble Hair Collection by HairUWear, tells Scary Mommy that rinsing your hair with cold water does exactly that by smoothing the cuticle of your hair. "It also helps seal in moisture, preventing excessive dryness. While it won't drastically change your hair's overall health, it can enhance the look and feel," she says.
Celebrity hairstylist and John Frieda Hair Care Ambassador DJ Quintero agrees, and says you should think of this tip as a "cold plunge" for your hair. And the reason it's been around for decades? Because it's a tip our own grandmothers used. "I used to work on the Upper East Side and all of the women coming in for their weekly roller sets would always make me rinse them with cold water," Quintero says. "It was new to me but I'm sure it had been taught to them by their grandparents as well."
Kimble says in traditional haircare, there was an idea that cold water helps "close" the hair cuticle. "While the cuticle doesn't literally open and close like a door, colder temperatures can constrict the outer layer of the hair, giving it a sleeker appearance," she says.
Along with a cold water rinse, Kimble suggests gently massaging your scalp while shampooing. "This stimulates blood flow, promotes healthy hair growth, and ensures a deeper clean by removing buildup," she says. "Also, don't rub your hair aggressively with a towel — gently squeeze out excess water instead to prevent frizz and breakage."
Quintero recommends looking at your diet for healthy hair, too. "Healthy hair starts with what you are putting in your body. Everything we put in — or don't put in — our bodies essentially comes out of our heads into our hair. Sounds gross, I know," Quintero says. Along with eating healthy, he suggests a "clarifying shampoo once a week and a mask" in addition to cold rinsing your hair in the shower.
If you're wondering how your specific hair type reacts to a cold rinse, Kimble says this tip is most beneficial for curly and color-treated hair. "Curly hair tends to be more porous, so sealing the cuticle can help maintain definition and reduce frizz," she says. For those with color-treated hair, a cold rinse helps preserve your color's vibrancy by "preventing the cuticle from becoming overly rough and losing pigment."
"When we put hot water on your hair, the cuticle of the hair shaft opens, which allows products to either penetrate or color to escape," Quintero elaborates. "If you're trying to keep your color, a cold rinse is great to shut back down the cuticle of the hair to preserve it and your money."
So take this beauty tip and keep it in your back pocket forever, I guess. Maybe remind your grandkids about it one day, too.
