The best way to spend summer is in a swimming pool (ok, I guess the best way would be to spend summer in a French villa, but a pool comes in at a close second). The downside from swimming is that, aside from exposure to all that sun, you're also exposing your skin to all the chemicals in a pool.
As you know, chlorine wreaks havoc on swimsuits and hair, so it would make sense that it would negatively affect your skin, too. Some people get rashes from chlorine or have other allergic reactions, but chlorine essentially strips your skin of essential oils, making it dry and brittle. Plus, if you already have psoriasis or acne or other skin issues, chlorine can exacerbate them.
To minimize the damage chlorine has on your skin, there's not much you can do before swimming, but after swimming, here's the best procedure to follow:
1. Shower – Lather up, baby. Rinse as much of that chlorine as you can off the surface of your skin. Use a non-drying soap or bodywash, then rinse with cool water.
2. After showering – Rub fragrance-free lotion all over your body.
3. Serum – Apply a high-quality serum on your face
4. Lotion – Immediately after applying the serum, pat in a fragrance-free lotion and let it absorb. You should be using serum and lotion before bed every night.
It's also a good idea to counteract the effects of chlorine by using a face mask to deliver concentrated ingredients into the skin so damage is as minimized as possible. We recommend the Micro-Hole Hydrogel Collagen mask to replenish and repair skin.
Even though chlorine can do damage, there's no reason you should let a little chemical get in the way of your mermaid time. Follow our advice and keep your skin healthy and vibrant, so you can look as good out of the water as you do in it.
