Hobart has been named Australia’s best capital city for skin and hair health, with a new study pointing to the city’s exceptionally “soft” tap water as the reason.
The PhycoHealth Tap Water Skin and Hair Study analysed public data from state water utilities and the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines, comparing each capital city using water hardness as the primary measure alongside disinfectant type and water source.
Hobart topped the rankings ahead of Melbourne and Sydney, while Perth and Adelaide finished at the bottom.
All Australian tap water meets national safety standards, but experts say differences in mineral content can affect how water interacts with skin and hair.
Pia Winberg, a marine scientist and founder of PhycoHealth, said many Australians overlook one of the most consistent environmental factors affecting their skin.
“People often spend hundreds of dollars trying to solve dry skin or dull hair without ever considering what’s coming out of their showerhead,” she said.
“Water chemistry varies enormously between cities and even between suburbs, with hardness being one of the biggest differences.”
Hobart claimed top spot thanks to low levels of calcium and magnesium – the minerals responsible for water hardness.
Lower mineral content means soaps and shampoos rinse away more effectively, reducing residue buildup on skin and hair.
The study found Hobart’s water averages around 10 mg/L, well below the threshold of 60 mg/L.
“For skin and hair, this is as good as it gets from the tap,” the study said.
“Hobart benefits from an excellent natural water source with very low mineral levels,” Winberg said.
“While no city’s water is a miracle cure for skin concerns, softer water is generally kinder to both skin and hair because it leaves behind far less mineral residue.”
Perth also showed the widest variation, with some northern suburbs recording hardness levels above 200 mg/L while other parts of the city received much softer water.
