How Tap Water Affects Your Skin

16th NOVEMBER, 2025

Share:

Ever noticed your skin feeling itchy, dry or tight right after a shower? You might notice it most after you’ve stayed in a hotel room in another part of the country, where the water is different to what you’re used to. 

 

While tap water is of course perfectly safe to wash with, it can affect your skin more than you think. The minerals and disinfectants (including chlorine) it contains are there to keep water clean, but they can actually disrupt the skin barrier. 

Title

"I love the brand ethos of addressing skin and hair health with a shower filter that is both luxury and sustainable, particularly if you have a skin condition. It’s a simple thing to add to your wellness routine that can minimise the contaminants in water  – and potentially lessen  the number of shower products and moisturisers you use.”

Daniel O'Shaughnessy (Nutritionalist)
Title

How Tap Water Impacts the Skin Barrier

The skin barrier is the protective outermost layer of your skin, called the epidermis. It’s made up of a mix of lipids, proteins and skin cells. This outer layer is really important because it acts as a protective shield, keeping moisture in and irritants out. 

 

Unfortunately though, your skin barrier can be weakened by repeated exposure to some of the chemicals in tap water. Not everyone realises this, but your tap water actually contains low levels of chemicals like chlorine - which are designed to keep the water supply clean and kill harmful bacteria. 

 

It can also contain heavy metals like lead and copper from plumbing pipework, as well as nitrates - which can occur naturally but can also be a contaminant from fertilisers or other sources entering the water supply. 

 

All of these chemicals can strip natural oils from the skin and weaken the skin barrier. Tap water is often more alkaline than the skin, so a pH imbalance can occur. All of this can cause dryness, irritation and even premature ageing. 

Save upto 35%
Filtered Shower Head
Filtered Shower Head
Filtered Shower Head
Filtered Shower Head
Filtered Shower Head
Filtered Shower Head
Filtered Shower Head
Filtered Shower Head
Filtered Shower Head
Filtered Shower Head
Filtered Shower Head
Filtered Shower Head
Filtered Shower Head
Filtered Shower Head
Filtered Shower Head
Filtered Shower Head
Filtered Shower Head
Filtered Shower Head

Filtered Shower Head

Winner of FIVE national awards, including a Top 100 Beauty Buy of 2025 
£80.00

Does Hard Water Cause Dry Skin?

If you live in a hard water area, you may also suffer negative effects from minerals such as calcium and magnesium. These can bind to soap and cleansers, leaving residue on the skin that can clog pores and make skin feel rough.

 

The cumulative effect of both can be chronic dryness, eczema flare-ups and dullness, even in people who otherwise have ‘normal’ skin. 

Signs Tap Water Is Affecting Your Skin

Unfortunately, dry skin from tap water is quite common. If you have concerns, here are some of the warning signs to watch out for: 

 

  • Your skin feels tight, dry, or itchy after showering
  • Flaky patches or increased sensitivity
  • Redness or mild inflammation, especially on the face or neck
  • Breakouts or irritation even when using gentle skincare
  • Faster moisture loss - you may find you need to reapply moisturiser more often
  • Your hair and scalp may also feel dry or dull, after bathing or showering. 

 

Of course, some of the above can have other causes - ranging from existing skin conditions and hormonal imbalances to product sensitivity. However, if you’re able to eliminate other causes, what you’re left with could be water quality as the prime suspect. 

How to Protect Your Skin from Tap Water

The good news is that there are some things you can do to protect your skin from the negative effects of poor quality water - or at least minimise them. 

 

Here are some simple tips to try:

 

  • Take shorter showers - this may seem obvious, but a shorter shower can limit your exposure as well as saving water
  • Turn down the temperature - hot water opens your pores and strips oils from the skin faster, so you might want to have warm rather than hot showers 
  • Use gentle, pH balanced cleansers - avoid harsh surfactants and overly foaming products, in favour of products targeted towards sensitive skin
  • Moisturise immediately after showering - the aim is to trap in moisture while your skin is still damp

 

You can also filter your water - this is the most effective long-term fix, and it’s surprisingly easy to do.

Using a Shower Filter to Reduce Irritation

You might think that there’s nothing you can do about the quality of your tap water, but there’s actually a simple, cost-effective solution. You can simply install a shower head filter. 

 

Our Curo Filtered Shower Head removes over 99% of chlorine and heavy metals from your water, which effectively eliminates water-related skin problems quickly. It’s a once-and-done installation that takes just seconds, and you can do it yourself. There’s no sacrifice on the design aesthetics or impact on your water pressure. 

 

This gives you peace of mind that your skin is protected, every time you shower. If you’ve been experiencing problems with dryness, flakiness or itchiness, you should notice a visible improvement within weeks. 

 

With a shower filter, you can turn showering back into a skin-loving ritual, not a source of irritation. 

Simple Tips for Healthier, Hydrated Skin

Replacing your shower head with a filter is a fantastic step towards protecting your skin barrier and keeping your skin healthy. But there’s even more you can do, such as:

 

  • Making sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day
  • Wear SPF to protect your skin barrier from UV sunlight 
  • Use humidifiers in dry environments, as this will help the skin retain moisture
  • Choose skincare containing ceramides, hyaluronic acid or niacinamide, as these will all help to strengthen your skin’s natural barrier. 

 

These changes may seem small, but they can make a big difference to how your skin looks and feels.

Related Products

Vanity Case

Vanity Case

£45.00
Replacement Filter

Replacement Filter

£40.00
Shower Holder

Shower Holder

£10.00