Latest news with #HelloKlean
The Independent
04-04-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Best shower filters to protect hair from hard water
About 60 per cent of the UK is classed as having hard water, meaning high amounts of calcium carbonate are found in pipes, showers and other water sources. Alongside limescale in your kettle, reduced water pressure and an increased likelihood of blocked drains, hard water also has an impact on your hair. Dr Anjali Mahto, consultant dermatologist and founder of Self London, explains: 'Hard water contains high levels of dissolved minerals, primarily calcium and magnesium, and these minerals can have a significant impact on both skin and hair health. For hair, hard water can leave a mineral deposit on the strands, making it feel rough, dry, and more prone to breakage. 'Those who colour their hair may notice their colour fades more quickly due to mineral build-up preventing proper pigment absorption. Additionally, hard water can contribute to scalp irritation and dandruff in some individuals.' A growing number of brands have begun focusing on treating hair damage due to hard water by creating dedicated shampoos and treatments, such as Hello Klean, Act+Acre and L'Oréal Professionnel. Dr Mahto recommends opting for clarifying shampoos, which can help break down residue, and following up with a deeply hydrating conditioner or hair mask containing glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or shea butter to help replenish lost moisture. 'Leave-in conditioners and serums formulated with silicones (such as dimethicone) can create a protective barrier to minimise further mineral build-up,' says Dr Mahto. However, some brands have gone one step further and created showerhead filters, specifically designed to combat hard-water damage, improve water pressure and help you use less water. But how effective are they? Keep scrolling for our full review and verdict. How I tested I've spent the past few months putting some of the leading showerhead filter brands to the test. I examined each showerhead filter on how easy it was to install, any immediate differences I noticed in water pressure, the filtration system on offer, the aesthetic factor (let's be honest, no one wants an ugly showerhead on show), price and long-term results. Why you can trust IndyBest reviews Louise Whitbread is a beauty editor and seasoned product tester. She's used to casting a critical eye over brands' claims and thoroughly tests each product included in her reviews to bring you her pick of the ones that really are worth your money. The best showerhead filters for 2025 are:
Telegraph
13-03-2025
- Lifestyle
- Telegraph
The best bath towels for softness and absorbency
Small homeware upgrades such as buying the best bath towels can have a big impact on the look and overall experience in your bathroom. Find a hotel-quality bath towel and it not only feels great against your skin but instantly adds a touch of spa-like luxury to your daily routine. The most effective towels are made from highly absorbent materials that dry your body efficiently. They are designed to wash well too, so they feel great against your skin every time you go to use them. Simply team your favourite bath towel set with one of the best shower heads – like the viral Hello Klean – and you'll give your bathroom an instant refresh. 'You can find towels in varying weights, sizes and colours to meet your functional needs and aesthetic preferences,' says Emma Franklin, Senior Technologist in the Textile Sourcing Department at Dunelm. 'A good quality bath towel should be soft, durable and absorbent while remaining easy to care for by maintaining its texture and performance wash after wash.' Just like choosing the best bed linen or best dressing gown material to cosy up to your skin, there's a surprising amount to consider before you buy a bathroom towel set. Once you've set your budget, think about which materials, colourways and designs you like and that match your scheme. Do you need a material that is hypoallergenic and good for sensitive skin? If so, pure Egyptian cotton or bamboo may be preferable over synthetic blends. Also consider the GSM (grams per square meter) which indicates how heavy a towel is – those with a higher GSM (above 400) will be more absorbent and tend to stay softer for longer, although they can take longer to dry when wet. Check the design and edges of the towel to see how it's stitched together. Does it look well sealed so that it maintains its shape and doesn't snag or fray easily? And does the towel set you choose have all the sizes you need to suit your body shape, height and number of uses – for a cloakroom's handrail, main bathroom or when you're going swimming, for example. Also, look at any care labels for indications whether the towel is responsibly sourced and made from quality materials. What is the best bath towel? At a glance What is the best material for bath towels? Emma Franklin says that pure cotton remains the most popular choice for bath towels due to its exceptional comfort, durability and high absorbency. 'Egyptian, Turkish and Supima cotton types are considered premium choices due to their longer staple fibres, which enhance absorbency, improve softness, increase durability and reduce fibre shedding,' she says. 'High-quality cotton can also be blended with other fibres for optimal performance. TENCEL Lyocell fibres (derived from wood pulp) are naturally smooth and feel extra gentle against the skin, for example. Another option is bamboo which has a silkier feel, is lightweight and, depending on the fibre source, can be a particularly eco-friendly option. If you need a towel for the gym, you may want to consider one with a polyester mix that will be quick to dry after use.' Why you can trust Telegraph Recommended Our thorough, real-world tests will always help you find the best product at the best price. No manufacturer ever sees copy before publication and we do not accept payment in exchange for favourable reviews. Visit our Who We Are page to learn more. How I tested the best bathroom towels With the best excuse ever to annoy the whole family by taking one too many long, hot showers I tested a selection of the most popular bath towels at home. I rated each towel set on design, type of material, feel against my skin, absorbency and the sizes and colourways available. I think there's a sweet spot between annoyingly thick and fluffy and absorbent and I was keen to see how effective and quickly each towel dried my body. To further test absorbency, I ran a corner of each towel under the tap to see how well the fibres took in the water. I also washed each towel set numerous times at 30 degrees (without fabric conditioner that can tarnish the fibres) to test durability and see how well they maintained their soft and fluffy texture. Best bath towels 1. The White Company Hydrocotton Towels £40 for a bath sheet, The White Company Best bath towel overall, 10/10 We like: generously thick and attractive ribbed design We don't like: only neutral colours available Material: 100 per cent cotton, 500gsm Bath sheet dimensions: W100cm x L150cm Sizes available: face cloth, hand towel, bath towel, bath sheet, super jumbo Colourways available: oatmeal, pearl grey, white, soft grey, slate Made in Turkey with a low-twist technology, these pure cotton towels look and feel sumptuous. They come in five sizes and the bath sheet felt comforting and soft against my skin after showering. I loved the super jumbo size in the set as it gave that extra bit of towel to wrap inside for quick drying. It felt luxurious, too. While the towels look thick and fluffy, at 500gsm, they are surprisingly lightweight and don't feel too heavy. The design of this towel range stands out from others I've featured here as it has a contemporary ribbed pattern that adorns the entire structure, making them tactile. I think this design increased their overall plush feel and made me feel like there was more grip to absorb the water when I was drying my body. The oatmeal colourway is easy on the eye and it blended effortlessly into my neutral bathroom scheme – instantly upgrading the look. I think the crisp white colourway looks equally attractive as the design is so clean and contemporary with neatly stitched edges and a subtle The White Company label on the side. They washed well and dried in the tumble dryer on a low heat and – so far – keep coming out as fluffy as they go in. 2. Soak & Sleep Egyptian Cotton Towels From £24 for a bath sheet, Soak and Sleep Best value bath towel, 9/10 We like: the boutique hotel-like smooth and weighty finish We don't like: may be a bit too heavy to take to the gym Material: Egyptian cotton, 700gsm Bath sheet dimensions: W100cm x L160cm Sizes available: face cloth, hand towel, bath towel, bath sheet, jumbo bath sheet Colourways available: white, light grey, mid grey, smoke, taupe, mink, dusky blue, teal, mineral blue, mustard yellow, olive green With a high GSM count, each towel size in this Egyptian cotton range has that weighted spa-like finish I was looking for and felt thick and soft. The set stood out for me as I liked the weight and its smooth finish, the short twisted loop piles making them that bit more tactile to run your hand over. You get a choice of 11 attractive colourways, although the sizes differ depending on which colour you choose. The deep teal and white finishes I tried looked like they would maintain their colour wash after wash due to the quality of the material. The towels washed well at 40 degrees and maintained their softness, although they came out heavier when wet. I think this set is great value for money and at the time of writing you can get up to £30 off the white colourway, with a face towel starting from £4 for a pack of two. 3. Marks and Spencer Luxury Egyptian Cotton Towels £19.50 for a bath sheet, M&S Best bath towel for softness, 8/10 We like: the way it feels against the skin We don't like: not all colourways are available in all sizes online Material: Egyptian cotton, 600gsm Bath sheet dimensions: W90 x L170cm Sizes available: face towel, guest towel, bath towel, bath sheet (for the white) also comes in an XL bath sheet in some colourways Colourways available: 29 colour options including white, hot pink and turquoise These luxury cotton towels are made in Turkey with 100 per cent Egyptian cotton pile. The fine long-staple cotton comes from the Nile Delta in Egypt, which is a prime growing region. Marks and Spencer has added its own StayNew technology, to help keep the towels feeling smooth and looking bright and clean after every wash. I found that they washed well at 30 degrees although you can go up to 40 should you want a deeper clean. The colour options are vast too with 29 to choose from including a crisp white, which looked great in my bathroom and felt equally lovely on my skin. The bath sheet was satisfyingly soft and its size and 600gsm gave it a nice weight. The towels were absorbent without feeling too soggy when wet and the trim seemed made to last. They come in a range of sizes but – as I noticed online – this depends on which colourway you choose. So if you want a complete set, check the colour you want carefully first. Material: Egyptian cotton, 700gsm Bath sheet dimensions: W90 x L160cm Sizes available: face cloth (set of 2), guest towel, hand towel, bath towel, bath sheet, extra large bath sheet Colourways available: 40 including white, claret and raw sienna The long, fine fibres on these Egyptian cotton towels make them pleasingly soft. With a 700gsm, they absorbed water well and dried me quickly after showering. They are pre-washed to avoid shrinkage and got fluffier the more I washed them making them soft and tactile underhand. They also come with an antimicrobial 'Natural Life' peppermint treatment to make them feel fresh and clean for longer. But don't expect a minty scent here, as this is designed to ensure that the towels remain odour-free. And they have an OEKO-TEX Made In Green label giving peace of mind that the supply chains are traceable and socially responsible. 5. Christy Supreme Towels – Supima Cotton £42 for a bath sheet, Christy Best Supima cotton towels, 9/10 We like: so silky, soft and smooth We don't like: at 90cm, the bath sheet is not as wide as some 100cm designs we've tried Material: 100 per cent Hygro Supima cotton pile, 100 per cent combed cotton base, 650gsm Bath sheet dimensions: W90cm x L165cm Sizes available: face cloth, guest towel, hand towel, bath towel, bath sheet, jumbo towel Colourways available: 12, including graphite and bay leaf As you'd expect for Wimbledon's towel supplier, Christy has done its homework to make sure its towels ticks all the boxes in terms of performance, design and responsible sourcing. Made with 650gsm Supima cotton (which has extra long fibres giving extra softness), it has a short loop finish and comes in a wide range of sizes. The fabric is OEKO-TEX Made in Green certified, too. The word that springs to mind when trying these towels is 'slinky' as the material was so soft and velvety that it seemed to drape effortlessly over my body and dry me quickly. In fact, it's hard to fault this towel as it washed well, was beautifully crafted and dried fast after washing. If I were to pick holes I would say a wider bath sheet would be good, but the jumbo size (measuring a generous 100cm by 180cm) provided more than enough coverage after the shower. Material: 65 per cent combed long-staple cotton and 35 per cent bamboo, 600gsm Bath sheet dimensions: W100 x L150cm Sizes available: hand towel, bath towel, bath sheet Colourways available: ink, white, urban grey These attractive towels from Panda are made from a mix of combed long-staple cotton and bamboo. Bamboo is naturally hypoallergenic, which can make it a good choice if you have eczema or suffer with hay fever. It can prevent irritation and soothe skin in the process, so I used these on my eight year old at bath time who suffers with allergies and his skin was happy. The bamboo fabric felt silky soft too, without losing any of that luxurious fluffiness that gives towels a premium finish. I tested these towels in the midst of winter when bathroom temperatures were chilly and I loved cocooning myself in the bath sheet. It felt sumptuously thick against my skin and dried me quickly. There's something attractively simple about Panda's range of bamboo towels, which come in three distinct colours and three useful sizes. They took a little longer to dry after washing but it was worth the wait. 7. Dorma Sumptuously Soft TENCEL Cotton Towel £30 for a bath sheet, Dunelm Best bath towel for eco friendly credentials, 8/10 We like: It's OEKO-TEX Made In Green certified We don't like: there's not much to fault here, but these towels aren't pure cotton, so may not be for everyone Material: 30 per cent Tencel lyocell and 70 per cent cotton, 650gsm Bath sheet dimensions: W100 x L150 cm Sizes available: face cloth, hand towel, bath towel, bath sheet, super size bath sheet Colourways available: 15 including, dusky pink and light grey Like the John Lewis towels in this round up, these Dorma towels have an OEKO-TEX Made In Green label, making them a good pick if you want reassurance about how they're made. Dorma has added responsibly sourced Tencel to the fabric mix here too; derived from wood pulp it makes the towels feel soft. It enhances the absorbency too, which was noticeable in my tests. I loved the super-sized jumbo bath sheet in the range, which measures 200cm long. They got heavy when wet, but were relatively quick to dry when shaken and popped in the tumble dryer. There's a wide choice of colourways on offer here too, so you can mix and match with ease. Dusky pink and light grey look particularly great stacked up together, if you're wondering. Material: 100 per cent Egyptian cotton, 720gsm Bath sheet dimensions: W100 x L160cm Sizes available: face cloth, hand towel, bath towel, bath sheet, Colourways available: pearl grey, silver grey, white, creme There's a premium feel to these bath towels that you can buy either in a set of two bath sheets or in a bundle with various sizes. I think their quality feel is much to do with how weighty they feel underhand and the impressive 720gsm that makes them super soft. It's this that makes them absorbent too and stepping out to dry myself in them felt quite the treat. The stitching around the edges looked well crafted – with not a snag in sight – giving me confidence these high-end towels should maintain their quality wash after wash. 9. Hampton and Astley Egyptian Cotton Towel Set £59 for a bath sheet, Hampton & Astley Best luxury bath towel, 8/10 We like: the bundle sets look and feel luxurious We don't like: pricier than your average bath sheet Material: Egyptian cotton, 650gsm Bath sheet dimensions: W90 x L165cm Sizes available: face cloth, hand towels, bath towel, bath sheet Colourways available: grey, pink, white, charcoal dark grey With 650gsm Egyptian cotton, these towels have that luxurious finish you usually find in five-star hotels. They didn't feel too thick though, so I found them easy to handle and store. In fact, they arrived looking quite thin, but they got fluffier after the first few washes in the machine and the generous 165cm length of the bath sheet gave me great coverage. I was impressed by their texture and absorbency, which dried me quickly after showering. A single bath sheet is a little pricier than your average Egyptian cotton design, but if you buy the towels in a bundle set they come at a great price. At the time of writing you can find generous discounts on each bundle set, too. 10. JYSK Nora Towels £15 for a bath sheet, JYSK Best towels for travel, 9/10 We like: the pure cotton towels aren't too thick and roll up nicely for travel We don't like: sold individually and not as a bundle Material: 100 per cent cotton, 600gsm Bath sheet dimensions: W100 x L140cm Sizes available: hand towel, guest towel, bath towel, bath sheet Colourways available: dusty rose, white, sand, dark blue, grey, dusty blue JYSK is a home furnishing retailer with Scandinavian roots and sells a variety of bathroom ware including mats, mirrors, laundry baskets, towels and more. The pure cotton finish on these Nora towels felt good underhand and the sides of the towels looked securely stitched and therefore hard wearing. As the GSM is 600, the towels didn't feel too thick – I'd say they were more lightweight than other designs I tried, making them good for rolling up in your suitcase for travel or in your swim bag. I liked that they can be washed at 60 degrees and that they dried easily too, meaning I could just bung them in the washing machine after use and not worry they may shrink or snag. Material: 100 per cent cotton from Pakistan, 500gsm Bath sheet dimensions: W100 x L150cm Sizes available: face cloth, hand towel, bath towel and bath sheet Colourways available: charcoal, white and light grey There's a satisfying sumptuousness to these pure cotton towels that seem surprisingly thick for just 500gsm. The ribbed design of the towels is reminiscent of The White Company's design, but they differ when it comes to cotton type and quality, wash temperature and price. These are made from pure cotton in Pakistan using a 'zero-twist technique', which is designed to enhance the softness and make sure they are fast drying and absorbent. I enjoyed the feel of these towels; they drew water in well and dried nicely after washing. Quite a bit of fluff flew off them when I first opened the packaging, which I found a little annoying, but this calmed down after the first wash. You need to ensure you wash below 30 degrees and dry them on a low heat to maintain their quality. Overall, I think these towels could be great value for money if they wear well over time. Having tried them for just a few weeks, it's hard to say at this point if they will, but so far so good. Material: 100 per cent cotton terry, 600gsm Bath sheet dimensions: W90cm x L170cm Sizes available: wash cloth, hand towel, bath towel, bath sheet Colourways available: speckle These Cultiver towels arrived stylishly packaged in a cardboard box that has the message 'Embrace daily rituals' written on the inside. While this made the delivery feel luxurious and mindful, each towel was then individually wrapped in plastic, which seems unnecessary. They're woven in Turkey from OEKO-TEX certified organic cotton, confirming that they have been made using non-toxic materials. But what made them stand out to me was their premium feel – at 600gsm, they have a nice thickness to them. I liked their overall texture and felt their fibres created good traction and quick absorbency when I was drying myself after showering. The towels have subtle flecks of colour woven into them and minimal pattern on the edges, which creates a clean and contemporary design. The minimal stitching made them look particularly attractive in my neutral bathroom scheme. At 170cm, the length of a bath sheet is a little above average and that extra bit of fabric made all the difference to coverage. But, it can only be bought as part of a bundle price with the wash cloth, hand towel and bath towel included. 13. Tielle Luxury Hotel White Towels £32 for a bath sheet, Tielle Best hotel-style towels, 9/10 We like: the choice of two towel bales that come presented in a linen bag We don't like: only available in white Material: 100 per cent PureTurkish combed cotton, 650gsm Bath sheet dimensions: W90cm x 165 cm Sizes available: face cloth, guest towel, hand towel, bath towel, bath sheet, jumbo towel Colourways available: white Tielle was launched in 2014 by its parent company Tradelinens, which supplies linens to the world's finest hotels. Unsurprisingly, guests wanted to buy its textiles and take a piece of life at these luxury hotels home and these towels are the result. Its collection of sumptuous 100 per cent Turkish cotton towels comes thoughtfully presented in a white drawstring linen bag, which I found useful for storing them neatly together in my linen cupboard. You can buy them individually, or choose between a standard bale containing one face cloth, hand towel, bath towel and bath sheet or a jumbo one that features two of each size. They arrived pre-washed to avoid shrinking and shedding, which initially made them look thinner than they are. I appreciated how absorbent and soothing these towels felt against my skin though and they seemed to get softer wash after wash. Bath towel FAQs Are Egyptian cotton towels better than bamboo towels? Both Egyptian cotton and bamboo towels are excellent choices as they are absorbent and breathable. 'Egyptian cotton towels tend to have longer fibres and a higher GSM making them thicker, softer and more absorbent, while bamboo cotton blends can be more lightweight as well as hypoallergenic,' says Claire Jeffrey, Bath and Utility Buying Manager for John Lewis & Partners. Which bath towels stay soft after washing? If cared for correctly, most towels will keep their softness. 'Good quality cotton towels with a high GSM (around 700gsm, for example) tend to stay softer for longer while bamboo blends maintain a silky softness over time,' continues Claire Jeffrey. How often should you replace bath towels? Trust your judgement – it's time to replace your towels when they no longer feel soft and comfortable against your skin, are frayed and seem flat or have lost their absorbency. 'To prolong the life of your towel, wash them separately from garments with zips or trims to avoid snagging,' says Claire Jeffrey. 'Snip off any pulls or snags with scissors and avoid contact with cleaning products, facial cleansers and toothpaste that can contain bleaching agents that damage your towels.' What's the best way to wash and dry bath towels? Check the label for the recommended washing temperature and if you're using a tumble dryer, set it to a low to medium heat. 'For washing colourful towels, use a detergent without added bleach or optical brightening agents as these can affect colour intensity,' says Claire Jeffrey. 'To keep white towels bright, the opposite is true. Shake your towels before washing to open the fibres and allow the detergent to sink in. Shake them when washed to help promote drying.' Why do some bath towels lose absorbency over time? General wear and tear and overuse of your towels can cause the fibres to breakdown resulting in a thin and rough finish. Avoid using fabric softener in your wash as it can coat the fibres with a film that repels water, reducing fluffiness and absorbency. If you're drying them in a tumble dryer, use a low heat.
Telegraph
07-03-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Hello Klean Shower Head 2.0 review: I tried this viral shower filter and it's as good as TikTok says
This article contains affiliate links. The products or services listed have been selected independently by journalists after hands-on testing or sourcing expert opinions. We may earn a commission when you click a link, buy a product or subscribe to a service. What is the Hello Klean Shower Head 2.0? If you're keen to discover one of the best filter shower heads, you may want to consider the Hello Klean Shower Head 2.0. This contemporary shower head has been gaining traction on social media platforms, such as TikTok, as it claims to reduce the impurities that can cause hard water, which can lead to skin irritation, and dry, dull hair. The shower head claims to remove 90 per cent of chlorine and heavy metals, and in a consumer perception trial carried out by Hello Klean in 2024, 88 per cent of users noticed softer skin and hair within one month. Keen to give it a go, I tried out this shower head that has a two-step circular filtration system built into its convenient design. This meant that it was easy to screw onto my existing shower hose. In this review, I've rated the Hello Klean Shower Head 2.0 on design and convenience, as well as noting down any positive results on my hair and skin that appeared from a few weeks of use. Paired with an electric toothbrush, IPL hair removal and a hair dryer, I think it might just be the ideal way to upgrade your daily beauty routine. How we test shower heads Having seen how popular this contemporary looking filter shower head is online, I jumped at the chance to give it a try. I live in a hard water area and have found myself constantly striving to find a shampoo that could tame my unruly, dry hair. It wasn't until I read about the benefits of the Hello Klean Shower Head 2.0 that I considered that it might not be a good shampoo that I needed for smooth, silky locks, but a good filter to clean my shower water. So, I installed the shower head onto my existing shower hose and over the course of a month, I assessed how it made my hair look and feel. I monitored the flow rate, water pressure, spray and distribution, noting how easy it was to clean and how simple it was to change the filter. Why you can trust Telegraph Recommended Our thorough, real-world tests will always help you find the best product at the best price. No manufacturer ever sees copy before publication and we do not accept payment in exchange for favourable reviews. Visit our Who We Are page to learn more. Flow rate: 9/10 An average shower head has a flow rate of about 10 to 15 litres of water per minute, while water-saving designs can reduce the flow rate to around 6 to 10 litres a minute. Hello Klean states this is one of its pros, saving water with a flow rate of around 6 litres per minute. To test this myself at home I placed a large measuring jug underneath the shower head, turned the shower on full blast and let it run for 10 seconds. I measured how much water had been collected in the jug and multiplied this by six to calculate the flow rate per minute. I measured 1.1 litres of water for 10 seconds, so I calculated the flow rate to be 6.6 litres per minute, which is near to Hello Klean's claim of 6 litres per minute. Water pressure: 9/10 While a shower head with a low flow rate can be great for saving water, the best designs shouldn't come at the cost of good water pressure. This can, of course, differ from home to home. Having tried the Hello Klean Shower Head 2.0 myself, I found the spray satisfyingly invigorating. Hello Klean claims that the Shower Head 2.0 can save 25 per cent more water with each use and boost water pressure by up to two times. I didn't find this shower to be the most powerful I've ever tried, but it seemed to deliver water effectively. Without lab-grade equipment to hand, Hello Klean suggested I do a simple visual test to check the water pressure of my shower. This involved turning it on at full capacity and checking to see that the spray extended at least three feet from the shower head before dropping pressure. As you can see in my video, the shower sprayed confidently across my compact space indicating good water pressure and I have been pleased with the spray every time I washed. Spray pattern and distribution: 8/10 The number of spray patterns a shower head offers on top of the standard full water spray varies from brand to brand. Some designs have extra jet sprays for a dedicated massaging water stream, and eco sprays to help save water. Meanwhile, separate inner ring and outer ring sprays add to the various water spray options when showering. Hello Klean Shower Head 2.0 offers just one standard spray on its handheld shower head but I found it provided good water coverage across my body. The water seemed evenly distributed, with an invigorating spray that felt reasonably powerful. I could feel a lightness in the water – perhaps due to the combination of the filter cleaning the water and the design of the water holes – and it felt good against my skin. There is an outer ring of holes on the shower head that doesn't project any water, and when I quizzed Hello Klean as to why they told me that this was an intentional design feature. It serves to maintain a consistent pressure across the inner holes and make the shower appear more aesthetically balanced, which I think it does. Design and aesthetics: 9/10 With its fuss-free contemporary design, I think this shower head does well to upgrade the look of any worn looking bathroom. It comes in a choice of colourways including beige, black and chrome. The handle of the shower is smooth and I found it comfortable to hold. While I think the surface material on the handle could offer a little more grip, I do admire the clean and refreshing minimalist design of the handle and its headpiece. The beauty of this shower head is that the filters are neatly fitted inside the casing. Hello Klean suggests replacing them every three months, which is something to bear in mind when you're thinking about cost. I found the recyclable cartridges easy to fit inside the shower head by simply rotating the headpiece and unscrewing the handle. It's important to note that while this shower head is designed to minimise elements like iron, copper, lead, and chlorine, and reduce the harsh effects of hard water, it can't remove limescale and calcium in water. For that you'd need a separate whole-house water softener. Replacement filters available: £31.50, Hello Klean Ease of cleaning: 9/10 Having tested this shower head for around a month, it's hard to say at this stage whether the limescale in my hard water area will clog it or clean away easily. But I think that the minimalist styling makes it easy to clean in general. Some shower heads have water holes in the headpiece that protrude a little, making them harder to clean as limescale can collect around them over time. The water holes on this one are flush with the headpiece, however, so I think it will make it harder for limescale to build up. There are no fiddly parts or awkward sections of the shower head that make it hard to clean and the beige, black and chrome finishes it comes in give it a good head start in terms of looking box-fresh and stylish. Technical specifications Keen to weigh up my options in terms of design, performance and price, I discovered the similarly styled Showery Halo Filtered Showerhead online and have compared it to the Hello Klean Shower Head 2.0 design below. Both are water saving and designed to reduce hard water-causing impurities, but one of the key differences is that the Showery comes with a brush and sponge as part of the design. Telegraph verdict: 9/10 I've read feedback online that the Hello Klean Shower Head 2.0 is a product you never knew you needed until you give it a try and having tested it for a month, I agree. I have noticed a positive shift in the overall feel of my hair in particular. It feels softer and less unruly than before and is smoother in appearance. Hard water can hinder shampoo lathering due to the extra minerals in the water, but while using this shower head I noticed my shampoo lathering up more effectively. I use a sulphate-free shampoo that doesn't tend to lather up too much anyhow, so the extra lather made me feel like the shampoo was cleaning my hair more effectively. Overall, I think that while this shower head doesn't offer the most powerful shower spray I've ever come across, it is comfortable to use, attractive and offers a convenient way to improve the water quality in your shower system. Price-wise, I think it's great value too, although you will also have to factor in the cost for the extra filters every few months. FAQs Does the Hello Klean Shower Head remove hard water minerals? Hello Klean claims to remove over 90 per cent of chlorine and heavy metals such as copper, iron and lead from tap water. It can't, however, remove limescale or calcium, so if you live in a particularly hard water area, you will still need a separate water softener to tackle those. Can the Hello Klean Shower Head improve skin and hair health? This shower head has the potential to improve skin and hair health by minimising hair dryness and skin irritation. Is the Hello Klean Shower Head easy to install? I was able to take this shower head out of the box and screw it onto my existing shower hose in under a minute. To change the filter cartridges you simply unscrew the headpiece and handle.
