Living in London, hard water is just a fact of everyday life – and if you've ever noticed your hair looking duller or your skin feeling drier than it should, chances are your shower is partly to blame.
I'd been eyeing up the Jolie Filtered Showerhead for a while, drawn in by its simple premise: filter out the chlorine, heavy metals, minerals and scale that strip your hair and skin of their natural vitality, with the promise of prolonging vibrancy and reducing dryness.
The Jolie website calls itself 'step zero': the foundation upon which all your skin and hair care sits. Enthusiastic reviews also reveal that 81% of users experienced less shedding and 40% saw a reduction in hair frizziness, while 65% saw their skin pH normalise after six weeks.
My main concerns were hair-related: a slightly dry, frizzy and brittle texture and a somewhat dull appearance that became worse in the heat. I took the plunge, and here's my honest verdict.
How I tested the Jolie Filtered Showerhead
I tested the Jolie Filtered Showerhead four to five times a week for about 12 weeks, in the evenings after coming back from the gym.
Apart from washing my hair often, I'd say my routine is pretty low maintenance. I usually apply a few drops of the L'Oreal Paris Elvive Bond Repair Serum to my ends after washing and then let my hair air dry, although very occasionally I use a hair dryer. At the start of testing, I wasn't taking any hair-specific supplements and I didn't often use a hairbrush.
I had previously tried the Hello Klean shower head without much success, so was curious to see if another product that claimed to remove substances such as magnesium, chlorine, chromium and limescale would make any difference.
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Jolie Filtered Showerhead: what's in the box?
It's worth remembering that the Jolie is a rain shower designed to attach to a wall-mounted arm. Going in, I was aware this might not suit my setup, and if you don't have a rain shower system, you may find it slightly awkward too.
In the box, you'll find the Showerhead – I opted for the luxurious brushed steel finish – a wrench and plumber's tape (thin plastic film that wraps around pipe threads to block gaps and prevent leaks).
The installation therefore initially seemed fairly straightforward. However, upon unscrewing my old shower head, I found that my existing hose – which, as far as I'm aware, is a standard model – didn't fit the Jolie.
I then had to measure the diameter of both the Jolie collar and my hose, source a male-to-male adapter (a small connector that bridges the two ends), and wait for delivery.
It turned out that – typical me – I'd ordered the wrong size, so had to purchase the correct 1/2" connector. This whole process took about three weeks. Once I finally had the right adapter though, screwing everything together was simple.
My experience using the Jolie Filtered Showerhead
Storing the Jolie in the shower holder proved trickier than expected – because the head is fairly weighty, it needs to sit balanced facing directly upward to stay stable. Unlike a conventional handheld showerhead, which can rest at any angle, the Jolie needs to be positioned just right, and it never felt entirely secure.
I also had to hold the head itself while showering to keep it raised above me, while the water pressure felt slightly weaker than my existing shower, which I hadn't anticipated.
However, I think a lot of this comes down to compatibility. If you already have a rain shower system, I imagine the experience would be quite different and more seamless.
After a few weeks of use, the honest answer is that I noticed some change, but nothing transformational.
My hair sometimes looked less dry and frizzy and was easier to manage, and occasionally it felt much smoother and sleeker straight after washing. However, the results weren't always consistent. To be fair, the heat and humidity made it more difficult for any hair product to have a lasting effect and my hair more difficult to manage.
In terms of shedding, I saw the same amount of fallout in the shower and throughout the day.
I think if your hair is more significantly affected by hard water, you might notice more of a difference.
The brand also claims on its website that filtering your water can support your skin's moisture retention, even helping to manage conditions like eczema and psoriasis. My skin felt much the same as usual throughout – though I don't have any particular skin concerns, so perhaps I wasn't the best test case.
WH verdict
The Jolie showerhead is a genuinely beautiful product – the five different finishes, including the brushed steel I received, look premium and elevated my shower, and the filtration concept has had proven results. For the right setup, I think it could really work. It also did make my hair somewhat smoother and softer. However, for the price point, it might not be the most accessible for everyone.
Pros
- Looks and feels premium
- Hair: proven to reduce hair loss and thinning, colour retention and porosity and frizz
- Skin: proven to reduce dryness and itchiness, acne and breakouts and eczema and irritation
Cons
- Best suited to rain-shower setups; heavy and awkward to hold or store with a conventional shower
- Moderate results
- Pricey
Kate puts together fitness content that covers functional and strength training, cardio, workout challenges, interviews and news. She's often doing gym laundry or listening to music.
