When Niki moved from Seoul to Europe, she started losing hair – more than ever before. She wanted a shower routine that worked with the local water. London water carries far more dissolved minerals and chlorine than Seoul's. She developed the PICKI NIKI filter shower head with Korean lab partners as part of her own filtered-shower routine. Today, many customers report softer-feeling hair, less mineral build-up, and a calmer-feeling scalp. Individual experiences vary.
"Excellent"
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Dull, dry, frizzy hair? It might be your shower water, not your hair.
One fix. One shower head: chlorine neutralised, hard water (mildly) chelated, rust and sediment caught, full pressure - from the very first shower.
Shower head + 8 filters included
Free UK shipping
60-day money-back guarantee
OUR STORY
Niki Lee, Founder
AS SEEN IN
HOW ONE HEAD DOES IT
One fix. Four things sorted.
Rust & sediment - caught
A dedicated sediment pre-filter (nominal 5 µm) captures the particles old plumbing releases - rust, metal flakes, sand and grit - before the water reaches you. Replace the cartridge every 1-3 months - you can see when it's due, the housing is transparent.
Hard water - mild chelation
Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is a mild chelator of calcium: it can form water-soluble calcium ascorbate, which rinses away with the water rather than drying on skin and hair.⁸ No shower filter softens water - hardness stays in the water.
Chlorine - neutralised
Vitamin C reacts with free chlorine on contact - effectively instantaneously, at any shower temperature. Ascorbic acid neutralises free chlorine via a redox reaction, converting it to harmless chloride - the same principle municipal utilities use for water-main dechlorination (AWWA C651-05).
Full pressure - kept
Good Housekeeping Institute named it Best Flow Rate in its 2026 shower-filter test (83/100). Saves up to 35% water compared with older, unrestricted shower heads (12-15 L/min) - based on our own flow-restrictor measurement, not a third-party lab test.
THE HIDDEN CAUSE
Three things in your water are working against your hair
If you shower daily in London or the South East - among the hardest water in Europe - these three reach your hair and scalp with every wash.
Chlorine
17Cl₂
Strips your hair's natural oils and leaves the scalp drier with every daily shower.
Hard-water
20Ca
12Mg
The same limescale that furs up your kettle coats every strand - dulling its shine and body.
Rust & impurities
26Fe
Carried in from old pipes - adds to scalp irritation and dull-looking hair.
Day after day, this combination can affect:
Hair thinning
Looks finer and flatter over time - one daily factor you can control (a dermatologist covers the rest).
Looks finer and flatter over time - one daily factor you can control (a dermatologist covers the rest).
Hair strength
Residue weighs hair down, so it loses its bounce and shine.
Residue weighs hair down, so it loses its bounce and shine.
Scalp balance
Chlorine and residue leave the scalp tight and less comfortable.
Chlorine and residue leave the scalp tight and less comfortable.
Fix the cause, not the symptoms.
Most shower filters solve only part of this - usually just chlorine, or basic particle filtration. Real shower water carries several factors at once, so partial filtration gives partial results.
Fix the water, and your hair stops fighting it.
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1
Chlorine, neutralised on contact:
The Vitamin C gel reacts with free chlorine before it reaches your hair - so it can't strip your natural oils or leave your scalp tight and dry.
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2
Less hard-water residue on every strand:
It binds the minerals that dull hair and weigh it down, so less residue is left clinging to your hair and scalp.
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3
Gentle from the very first wash:
No build-up phase, no waiting - just water that feels softer on hair and scalp from day one.
Two stages
The dual filtration system
Two problems ride in with every shower. One filter for each - so your hair and scalp finally meet cleaner water.
Rust
Pipe debris
Particles
1Step 1
Sediment filtration
Removes rust, particles and pipe debris, regardless of flow rate or temperature. Hot water accelerates the release of rust and debris from old pipes - 5μm melt-blown cartridge in sealed full-flow housing, 100% pass-through, no bypass.
5μmmelt-blown PP
≥95%of particles above 5μm
Works in anyflow rate or temperature
Chlorine
Calcium(hard water)
Magnesium(hard water)
2Step 2
Vitamin C filtration
A high-concentration Vitamin C formula that neutralises chlorine on contact and forms soluble complexes with calcium and magnesium minerals. Reacts directly with chlorine on contact - even in fast-flowing water. More active in warm water - suited to hot showers.
Reacts on contact~0.1 sec contact time at shower flow
More activein warm water
Designed forhot showers
Together
Physical filtration
+Chemical filtration
=Complete shower filtration
Designed to be used together – not separately.
Step 1 protects by removing what you can see.
Step 2 protects by neutralising what you can't.
Together, they deliver cleaner, better shower water.
The Filter Built for Showering - Not a Kitchen Tap
| Vitamin C Gel PICKI NIKI | Activated Carbon Adsorbent media | KDF 55 Zinc/copper redox | Mineral / Ceramic Beads No published mechanism | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Built for | Showers | Drinking water | Drinking / industrial | Marketing add-on |
| Used by | PICKI NIKI; Korean K-beauty filtered shower heads | Most pitcher and faucet filters; many premium shower filters | Industrial water treatment; some premium shower filters | Most cheap 'Vitamin C ball' shower heads and ionic/wellness products |
| Hot shower water (40 °C+) | Reaction speeds up with heat | Desorption risk above 40 °C; hidden capacity loss as adsorption saturates | Stable but slow | |
| Chlorine neutralisation | Direct chemical reaction (AWWA C651-05) | Adsorption - 25-40 sec EBCT needed (WQA) | 98% claimed at industrial flow; drops at shower flow | No published chlorine mechanism |
| Reduces hard-water residue | Mildly chelates calcium & magnesium into soluble ascorbate complexes - less residue left behind (full softening needs a whole-house system) | |||
| Sediment, rust & debris | Melt-blown PP cartridge, sealed full-flow housing - 100% pass-through | Pure adsorbent media - no sediment removal | Pure media - no sediment removal | |
| End-of-life signal | Visible - gel consumed | Invisible decay |
7 KEWI test (2020): 100 L synthetic water, 0.19 mg/L free chlorine → non-detectable, flow 2.52 L/min, 22 °C. WQA / Fresh Water Systems: catalytic chlorine reduction by granular activated carbon requires 25-40 s empty-bed contact time. AWWA C651-05 (2005 revision): adds ascorbic acid as an approved dechlorination agent.
REAL RESULTS
What Customers Notice After Switching To Filtered Shower Water
Before
After
London
Fuller-Looking Hair, Less Breakage
Chlorine and hard-water minerals leave hair drier and more brittle, so it snaps and breaks more easily - and over time can start to look thinner and flatter. Take that daily stress away, and hair holds its body and strength better: less breakage, fuller-looking, wash after wash. (Thinning has many causes, including genetics; for medical hair loss, see a professional.)
Before
After
Barcelona
Softer, Shinier Hair
Hard water leaves a dulling mineral film on every strand that no conditioner fully rinses away. Filter it out, and hair feels the difference from the very first wash - softer, glossier and easier to run your fingers through. The same hair, just without the residue dragging it down.
Before
After
Berlin
Calmer, Less Flaky-Looking Scalp
Chlorine and hard water strip moisture from the scalp with every shower, which can leave it dry, tight and flaky-looking over time. Filtered water lifts that daily burden, so the scalp has room to stay calmer and more balanced - the foundation for hair that looks and feels better. One environmental factor you can actually control.
Real, unretouched customer photos. Individual observations; results can vary.
HAIR
When There’s More in the Brush Than on Your Head
More strands in the plughole, more scalp in the mirror?
Thinning has many causes - genetics and medical ones belong with a professional. But one daily factor you can control is your water: chlorine and hard-water minerals stress the scalp and coat every strand, so hair looks limp and less full over time. Take that daily load away, and hair holds its body better - fuller-looking, less breakage, wash after wash.
Individual experiences vary; for medical hair loss, see a professional.
Real customers. Real water. Real change.
They tested it on their own water.
As tested by the press
Recommended by the press, year after year
Independently tested – 2026 and 2025 in a row.
2026
Tested byGood Housekeeping Institute
Best for Water Hardness & Best Flow Rate
GHI Lab Panel · 83/100
"Panellists told us their hair felt softer and healthier."
– Good Housekeeping Institute
2025
Tested byThe Independent
The UK’s #1 Filtered Shower Head
IndyBest · Best Overall 2025
"These in-shower hard-water filters could make a difference to your hair health."
– The Independent
SAFE FOR EVERYONE
Safe for the Whole Family – Including Little Ones
We filter our drinking water. Why not our shower water?
Children and babies have more sensitive skin. The PICKI NIKI filter uses only skin-friendly ingredients and is dermatologically tested non-irritant (P&K Skin Clinical Research Centre, n=30).
One shower head serves everyone in your household.
THE VALUE
Around 25p per person a day - less than your morning coffee
You’ve spent hundreds on your hair - shampoos, serums, salon visits. None of it fixes the water you wash it in. PICKI NIKI works on the water - reducing free chlorine and the mineral-residue feel before contact. A whole-house water softener runs £1,000+ to install and still won’t touch the chlorine; this fits any shower hose in 20 seconds.
The PICKI NIKI starter set includes everything you need. Replacement filters cost just £15/month – less than a single salon treatment. You’re in good company: nearly half of our UK customers shower in London’s hard water. And if it doesn’t work for you? Full refund within 60 days. No questions asked.
MORE BENEFITS
What changes when your water finally works for you:
Spa-Like Shower Experience
The Vitamin C filter releases a subtle, refreshing scent - turning an everyday shower into a small moment of self-care.
Installs in 20 Seconds
No plumber, no tools, no waiting. Simply screw it onto your existing hose and enjoy filtered water from the very next shower.
Take It Wherever You Go
It comes with a slim travel pouch, so your hair and skin stay protected by filtered water - even on holiday or at the gym.
Dual-Filter Protection
A sediment filter and a Vitamin C gel filter work together - neutralising chlorine, capturing particles and reducing hard-water residue.
Vitamin C Infusion
A Vitamin C gel filter that neutralises free chlorine through a direct redox reaction, fresh with every single shower.
Powerful Yet Gentle Pressure
200 precision micro-holes create a silky-soft, full-bodied stream that rinses thoroughly - never harsh, never weak.
Give your hair back its good days.
Nothing works if your water works against you. Chlorine and hard water hit your hair and scalp every single shower. PICKI NIKI takes that daily stress out of the water - no plumber, fits any hose in 20 seconds.
Try it risk-free for 60 days - love your hair or we refund your full purchase.
Starter set, 30% off: ✓ shower head + 8 filters · ✓ free UK shipping · ✓ 60-day money-back guarantee
Frequently Asked Questions
EVIDENCE & SOURCES
References
Studies on hair follicle biology, hard water effects, and product safety testing.
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Jun M, Kwack M, Kim M. Particulate Matters Induce Apoptosis in Human Hair Follicular... peer reviewed
Jun M, Kwack M, Kim M. Particulate Matters Induce Apoptosis in Human Hair Follicular Keratinocytes. Annals of Dermatology. 2020.
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Samra T, Lin RR, Maderal A. The Effects of Environmental Pollutants and Exposures on... peer reviewed
Samra T, Lin RR, Maderal A. The Effects of Environmental Pollutants and Exposures on Hair Follicle Pathophysiology. Skin Appendage Disorders. 2024.
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Luqman MW, Ramzan M, Khan MA, et al.. Effects of hard water on hair.... peer reviewed
Luqman MW, Ramzan M, Khan MA, et al.. Effects of hard water on hair. Int J Trichology. 2018.
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P&K Skin Clinical Research Centre. Primary Skin Irritation Test. Seoul, Korea. 2023.Independent open-label, single-arm... lab test
P&K Skin Clinical Research Centre. Primary Skin Irritation Test. Seoul, Korea. 2023.
Independent open-label, single-arm 24-hour patch test on Vitamin C filter material. n=30 (28F/2M, mean age 47.2y). Skin Irritation Index 0.03 (range 0.00-0.25 = non-irritant). Zero adverse events. Sample size and design are appropriate for a tolerability/irritation screen, not a clinical efficacy trial.
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Korea Environment and Water Works Institute (KEWI). Residual Chlorine Removal Test. Seoul, Korea. 2020.100... lab test
Korea Environment and Water Works Institute (KEWI). Residual Chlorine Removal Test. Seoul, Korea. 2020.
100 L synthetic water at 0.19 mg/L free residual chlorine, passed through Vitamin Filter. Outlet: not detected. Flow 2.52 L/min. T = 21-23 degrees C.
Note: real shower conditions are typically higher pressure and warmer than this laboratory test. The Vitamin C gel cartridge is engineered as a self-regulating system: higher pressure releases more Vitamin C from the gel matrix, and higher temperature accelerates the chlorine-neutralisation reaction. Under typical shower conditions these dynamics are expected to keep real-use performance broadly comparable to the laboratory result.
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Korea Environment and Water Works Institute (KEWI). Drinking Water Quality Test (60 parameters). Seoul,... lab test
Korea Environment and Water Works Institute (KEWI). Drinking Water Quality Test (60 parameters). Seoul, Korea. 2020.
Filter output tested against the Korean Drinking Water Standard across 60 parameters. Heavy metals (lead, arsenic, mercury, cadmium, chromium, cyanide) and pesticides: not detected. Confirms the filter itself does not introduce these contaminants into the water passing through it. Tested on shower-filter output, not feed water.
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Tsao CS. Solubility of calcium ascorbate and its formation in aqueous solutions of ascorbic... peer reviewed
Tsao CS. Solubility of calcium ascorbate and its formation in aqueous solutions of ascorbic acid and calcium salts. Experientia. 1984;40(2):168-170.
In-vitro solubility study. Ascorbic acid can bind calcium as water-soluble calcium ascorbate; the extent of any such effect at the vitamin-C dose of a shower filter has not been measured. No shower filter softens water.
Full certification numbers and test report IDs are available on request.