It seems as if there isn't a good time of the year for manageable, shiny hair and soft, smooth skin — unless you're lucky enough to be blessed with these naturally. But instead of spending countless dollars a year on expensive conditioners and moisturizers, consider changing the water you're using.

Hard water, which contains magnesium and calcium, is a leading cause of dry skin and hair. That's because the hardness minerals in water react with soaps and shampoos, leaving behind a drying residue on skin and hair.

You may think you don't have hard water in your home based on where you live. This is a common misconception, particularly among city dwellers. But according to the U.S. Geological Survey, 85-percent of U.S. homes are plagued with hard water.

For best results in the shower or bath, use soft water. Only with regular use of soft water are skin and hair left smooth and silky-feeling without the drying effects of soap scum buildup.

Hardness minerals are most effectively removed from water with a water conditioner (softener), which treats all water supplied throughout the home. But before you run out to purchase the first water conditioner you see, keep in mind that there may be other things in your water that may also be drying your skin and hair. Chlorine is a good example.

Chlorine is routinely added by municipalities to disinfect their water. But chlorine is extremely drying. Remember how your skin and hair look and feel after swimming in a chlorinated pool? Showering or bathing with chlorinated water can have similar effects. And, some health experts question the long-term effects of drinking chlorinated water or inhaling chlorine vapors in the shower.

That's why some water treatment products also remove chlorine from water at the point where it enters the home. Kinetico Incorporated, for example, a leading manufacturer of water treatment systems, offers the innovative Quad-50 Carbon/Softener, which not only removes hardness minerals, but also chlorine from water. By using such a system, consumers still benefit from the chlorination process performed at the municipal treatment plant, but the chlorine is removed for the ideal shower. In addition, the taste of chlorine, which can be more noticeable during certain seasons when the municipality feels it's necessary to chlorinate more heavily, is also removed, along with other unpleasant tastes and smells that may detract from the quality of the water.

The unique quad-tank design of the Kinetico system ensures an uninterrupted supply of conditioned, dechlorinated water 24 hours a day, even when the system cleans itself. The Quad-50 unit is also highly efficient in its use of water and regenerant because of its demand-initiated operation, which means it only cleans itself when necessary, rather than at preset intervals like systems that operate on timers.

So before you purchase that next bottle of hair conditioner or moisturizer, remember that there's a better way to have soft hair and skin — clean, soft water. Kinetico further reminds consumers that in addition to bathing with quality water, the best way to keep skin and hair moisturized is to stay hydrated from the inside by drinking lots of water — preferably at least eight glasses a day. A Kinetico reverse osmosis drinking water system provides great tasting, quality water at your kitchen tap with none of the hassles associated with bottled water.

For more information about the water you drink, call Kinetico at 1-800-944-WATER (9283) and request the FREE Consumers’s Guide to Protecting the Water Your Family Drinks. Or visit Kinetico's Web site at www.kinetico.com for more information about water.