Laura Skin Care

When it comes to skincare, one thing you may not have considered is the water you’re using to clean your skin.

This may not be a concern, unless of course you’re cleaning your skin with hard water.

Find out if using hard water is bad for your skin.

Hard Water Effects

If you have a lot of mineral deposits, calcium, and staining your sinks, plumbing fixtures, and clogged appliances, it’s a sure sign of hard water at work.

Since hard water contains high levels of minerals, including calcium and magnesium, it not only clogs plumbing but destroys water-based appliances over time. Using hard water costs big money in appliance replacement like coffee makers, dishwashers, washing machines, and hot water heaters.

If it does damage like that to appliances, what can it do to your skin?

Hard Water and Your Skin

Although hard water isn’t dangerous to your health even with its high mineral content, it does leave behind a soapy residue on your skin. This residue can clog your pores, leading to skin inflammation and worsening skin conditions like eczema or acne.

Hard water also tends to strip natural oils from your skin, leaving it feeling tight and dry. Tight, dry skin is a stepping stone to fine lines and wrinkles.

In the short-term, hard water dries out skin. It may feel itchy, look flaky, and more prone to acne flare-ups. Along with itchy skin, your scalp may also feel itchy and hard water leaves hair looking dull instead of vibrant.

With consistent use and over time, all these active minerals in hard water promote free radical damage which breaks down skin’s natural framework of collagen. Collagen breakdown results in loose, sagging, older-looking skin.

Hard Water Defense

The easiest way to get rid of hard water is to install a water softener. If you do, you’ll notice an immediate difference in your clothes, hair, and skin. If that’s not a possibility, here are some interim hard water hacks:

• Use soap-free, gentle cleansers and body washes on skin
• Shorten shower time keeping the temperature moderate not extremely hot or cold
• Dab skin dry instead of rubbing to decrease chance of flaking and over-drying
• Apply a rich, moisturizing lotion after every shower while skin is still damp

Wrap Up

While hard water certainly presents challenges for your hair and skin, there are things you can do to minimize its effects.

By keeping water temperatures lukewarm, using soap-free cleansers, and using rich, skin-loving moisturizers, you’ll beat the effects of those hard water minerals.

For more expert advice and treatments, contact the skincare professionals at Laura Skincare in beautiful downtown Petaluma.