This assignment made me feel very Erin Brockovich. With marketing material spouting the “Dangers of [My] Morning Shower,” I was unnerved to uncover yet another toxin invading my world. So now even my every day bathing is putting me at risk? I’m not sure that anyone would appreciate me avoiding this potential hazard. But by installing the Vitashower filter to my showerhead, I can avoid the death trap disguising itself as my shower…or so they tell me. I took a solid month to test this one out and me and my chlorine-filled skin, hair, lungs and sinuses are ready to tell you what we think.

ABT Health is a Vancouver-based distributor of the Vitashower. The product is supposed to filter the chlorine out of your water using vitamin C, something your body needs anyways. While chlorine is present in water supplies throughout North America in order to reduce waterborne pathogens, studies indicate that detrimental halogenated organic compounds are now being found as a result of its presence.

OK. Rewind. I busted my ass in high school Biology to get an 81%. I sat next to the guy who studied for tests in the five minutes before class began. He also received an 81%. Chris Milburn, if you’re out there, I’m still bitter about that. All of this to say, to explain the science behind this product really doesn’t mean a whole lot to me. Here are the things I care about:

Is it easy to install?
Does it make a difference on my hair and skin like it claims to?
Will it affect my ever coveted wicked water pressure?

Day one offered up the installation process. Unlike the Clairol “easy” applicator comb, this one I could actually figure out. It all came in one piece so there was no real assembly to do; all it took was removing my current showerhead, screwing in the Vitashower, and reinstalling my showerhead. I’m serious, this was like, stupid easy. Point scored for the Vitashower.

So, by eliminating the chlorine in my water, the Vitashower is supposed to give me skin like Scarlett Johanssen and hair like Penelope Cruz. Smoother, younger, healthier, softer. Where do I sign up?

Not here. I really didn’t notice a difference in my skin or my hair with the use of the filter. There may be some scientific explanation for a difference I just can’t see, but as mentioned previously, I’m a little more Paris Hilton, a little less Steven Hawking when it comes to that kind of stuff…

Finally, my love, my water pressure. We were lucky enough to find a place with water pressure that will shear off a nipple if you aren’t careful, and losing that may have meant the end of my relationship. Imagine my relief when I hopped in the first day with the filter and felt the familiar bullet of water shoot directly into the centre of my chest. Thank goodness.

So, the verdict is in. While the filter was easy to install and didn’t affect my showerhead’s microdermabrasion abilities, its main claim was the difference I would notice in my skin and hair; which was essentially non existent. For anyone attempting to keep up with all of the things they’re told to cut out of their life, the Vitashower is one more essential product to add to your list. But considering you can’t leave the house these days without walking into hundreds of hazards, is it really worth it?

For this dry-skinned, brittle-haired, squeaky-clean girl, I’ll just have to stick to body butter and a good deep conditioner.