Beauty Refresh Awards 2024: High-Tech Tools, Treatments & Tech

This is the shower filter that made me believe in shower filters. Yes, I logically knew that hard water isn’t the best for my skin and hair, but honestly? I was just too lazy to play appliance technician. I could deal with some heavy metals, right?  

Fast forward to today’s awards, and I’m so glad I got up the gumption to install this sleek shower head. My hair is softer, my skin feels way less irritated, and, no lie, my shower feels exponentially more spa-grade. (I wouldn’t expect anything less from industry-leading scalp care brand Act+Acre.) Hannah Frye, mbg assistant beauty editor, agrees: “This shower head is noticeably better than the ones I’ve seen in five-star spas and wellness havens,” she raves. We both couldn’t wait to head back to the office and gush to each other about it. 

The first thing we both noticed was the upgrade in water pressure. Traditional shower heads concentrate the flow center, which means all the water pounds onto the crown of the head (this is why my crown often gets irritated and itchy; all that hot water strips the area of moisture). Act+Acre’s tech has a much gentler spray, and I’ve definitely noticed a difference in my scalp’s discomfort. Once again, Frye concurs: “My shower experience is beyond elevated–which makes a big difference when I’m feeling stressed at the end of the da