Trust Me, This Viral Shower Head Deserves the Hype

I pride myself on not falling for Instagram’s targeted ads, so when Jolie’s slick sponsored post popped up on my feed for the umpteenth time earlier this summer, I scrolled right on by. Who needs a filtered shower head anyway, I thought as I began absentmindedly Googling heavy metals. The next thing I knew, my skin was feeling dryer than ever post-shower and I found myself studying yet another glowing, 5-star review of Jolie, which promises to remove chlorine and heavy metals.

“Possibly the best purchase of my life,” gushed Elizabeth R. about Jolie.

“No really, this is worth it. It’s an example where the hype is merited,” shared Rachel.

But it was Chloe H. who finally convinced me with “Just get it already.”

A few short days later, the Jolie showerhead showed up at my door in perfectly Instagrammable packaging. It was all so pretty… too pretty, I thought suspiciously as I pulled out the supplied “Tiny but Might Wrench” and “The Cutest Tape in the World.” The installation was simple and the hardware was stunning (options include brushed copper or steel but I opted for Jet Black). I hope you’re satisfied, Chloe H., I thought.

Featured image by Teal Thomsen.

What Makes Jolie the Best Shower Head Filter

But it was me who was satisfied after my first shower with the Jolie filtered showerhead. I was on high alert for bogus hype (who knows if Chloe H. is even real!?), but I felt the difference instantly.

My skin and hair love it. My showers tend to run scalding hot (I know it’s bad—I can’t stop), but my skin didn’t feel stripped at all. (In fact, I put moisturizer on afterward out of habit, not because my skin felt dry.) My fine, color-treated hair also felt notably softer. I let it dry naturally—no frizz or funky kinks ensued.

It’s intentionally designed. Beyond the filter of it all, Jolie showerheads have more jet streams than usual, making it super easy to wash product evenly out of your hair. The Jolie filter also includes calcium sulfite balls, which quickly remove chlorine without slowing the water pressure (very important!).

I found myself looking forward to my showers. Not just for the clean (which I’ve desperately needed during an unusually hot summer in Texas), but for the way it made my skin and hair feel after—beautifully balanced. About a week into using Jolie, my friend’s 6-year-old daughter noticed how soft my skin felt.

“How do you do it?” she asked earnestly.

“Jolie,” I replied. She didn’t know what that meant because she’s six, but honestly, she should. Everyone should.

An Honest Review of the Jolie Showerhead Filter

Last week, I went on a trip to what I would consider a luxurious resort. The shower was objectively swanky, lined with natural stone, and stocked with Natura Bissé beauty products. But you know what it didn’t have? That’s right—a shower head filter. The best shower head filter.

It showed too. Every day was a bad hair day. The provided products were gorgeous and I had packed my trusty Dyson Airwrap with me, but my hair never quite settled. (We were on a farm in Franklin, Tennessee too, so the weather and humidity were essentially the same as at home.) I gave up trying to style it by the end of the trip, letting it devolve into a flat frizzy mess.

As I expected, my hair bounced right back when I returned home to my beloved Jolie. I am now, officially, a shout-it-from-the-rooftops filtered showerhead convert.  

After a month of use, there are other noticeable perks to Jolie. My blonde balayage has looked brighter and shinier than ever. My hair has even started drying faster. My shower water just feels fresher.

How does the Jolie shower filter work?

I love a little science with my skincare. Jolie’s sexy modern design may have helped propel it to social media stardom, but its filtration system is what makes the product a solid investment.

The key is the KDF (kinetic degradation fluxion) filter, a combination of high-purity copper and zinc shavings that can remove over 99% of free chlorine in water. Chlorine strips the skin and hair of natural oils, leaving it dry and damaged. It can alter how highlights look, leave skin feeling flaky or itchy, and cause acne to worsen.

But wait, there’s more! The filter exchanges electrons with contaminate likes iron, mercury, and other heavy metals to transform them into harmless elements. KDF also helps control the buildup of bacteria and algae.

The Takeaway

It all looks and sounds quite cool and high-tech, but the proof is in my ridiculously soft skin and hair. It would take a lot for me to recommend a $150-plus product heavily hyped on Instagram (one that also necessitates a subscription—ugh, the worst!), but Jolie is a solid beauty investment. Think of it as a companion piece to all the lovely hair and skincare products you already own.

This Buzzy Wellness Drink is Trending—a Health Coach Shares Why It’s Actually Worth the Hype

Matcha, mushrooms, and dark leafy greens all prove that there’s no shortage of functional food options to pile on our plates. In the same vein, just as we’re getting ready to reach for our PSL, the lemon water movement still holds strong. And when it comes to the Ayurvedic practice, we’re proponents incorporating a citrus-spiked mug into our morning routines. Why? Because drinking lemon water in the morning comes with plenty of health-boosting benefits.

It’s said to promote digestion, flush out toxins, and be the ultimate gut detox. Many of the wellness elite claim to start every morning sipping the elixir and reaping the benefits day in and day out. But is lemon water really as good for you as it sounds and do its magical, purported benefits hold up? Is this holy grail of health really worth the hype?

Featured image by Michelle Nash.

The Expert

Today, we’re separating fact from fiction. For all the deets on this detoxifying beverage, we tapped Georgia Thompson, an Austin-based Integrative Nutrition Health Coach whose healthy hot takes and gentle approach to wellness keeps our social feeds positive, informed, and inspired.

Ahead, Georgia’s sharing everything you need to know about lemon water—from a breakdown of its benefits to how to make it a part of your own morning routine.

Image by Michelle Nash

The Benefits of Lemon Water in the Morning

I’m personally a huge lemon water fan! Above all, when we infuse water with anything that we enjoy—lemon, mint, cucumber, berries, etc.—we tend to be enticed to drink more of it. While, yes, lemon juice specifically does provide some health benefits, I think simply drinking MORE water is the biggest health benefit of adding lemon water into your daily wellness routine.

To get more specific, though, lemon juice contains a healthy dose of vitamin C (1/6 of your daily recommended amount in 1/2 lemon). The benefits of vitamin C include:

  • Supports our immune system.
  • Provides antioxidants that protect cells against free-radical damage.
  • Necessary for collagen production, iron absorption, and wound healing.

Likewise, the citric acid found in lemon juice can aid in digestion as it has been shown to boost gastric acid secretion, a digestive fluid that allows you to break down and digest food in the stomach. Just be careful as TOO much lemon might trigger acid reflux.

I wouldn’t go as far as to say that lemon water is a weight loss or metabolism cure, but it certainly can be a part of the larger picture. Making small tweaks to your routine like swapping a sugary soda or juice with lemon water could indeed help weight loss. Yet it’s more about choosing this healthier alternative than the lemon water itself.

Image by Michelle Nash

How to Make Lemon Water a Part of Your Morning Routine

I recommend drinking lemon water on an empty stomach first thing in the morning as a reminder to hydrate before coffee (a common habit for many of us!). Plus, it can also be a wonderful way to wake up your digestive system.

If you’re looking for digestive benefits, I recommend enjoying lemon water before meals as the boost in gastric acid will help you more efficiently digest your food. But overall, anytime you remember to drink water is a good thing!

[Lemon water is] thought to help kickstart your digestive system which can be sluggish in the morning for many people. I likewise think it’s become popular in the morning as a way to hydrate and replenish first thing (especially before coffee or other dehydrating, caffeinated drinks).

Image by Michelle Nash

Do you drink lemon water? If so, what benefits have you noticed?

I love my “morning drink” which consists of warm water, lemon juice, a splash of apple cider vinegar, and cayenne pepper. This might be a bit intense for some people, so I’d recommend starting with just lemon water, adding some honey to the concoction or swapping cayenne with cinnamon. These additions add to the digestion-boosting benefits of lemon water.

I’ve personally found this drink helps when my digestion is sluggish, and it makes me mindful of hydrating more throughout the day when I make it a priority first thing in the morning.

This post was originally published on August 19, 2022, and has since been updated.