What does swimming do to your skin?

Published: Fri, 06/07/24

Updated: Fri, 06/07/24

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What does swimming do to your skin?

...and what are the five steps you can do to take better care of post-swim skin?

As regular swimmers, the effects of chlorine on our skin and hair are often all too apparent, but there are other factors to consider when swimming outdoors. Even if your skin isn’t particularly sensitive, prolonged exposure to salt water, sun and chlorine can dry out even the most robust skin. But while many of us shower and moisturise after our dips, few of us use skincare products specifically designed for swimmers.

In fact in our recent poll, while many of our readers reported dry and itchy skin, a lingering smell of chlorine and effects lasting days after being in the water, only 35% of readers said they use skincare products after their swim.

But what impact do pool chemicals, sun and salt have on our bodies and what can we do, as regular swimmers, to alleviate their effects? We looked to TRIHARD and their five-step skin care routine for swimmers for some answers – and asked readers to share their tips, too.

Jo Tinsley
Gear Editor, Outdoor Swimmer

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“Treating my skin to a five-step care process felt like a real kindness to myself, and I felt confident knowing that the TRIHARD range uses natural ingredients offering specific benefits for swimmers’ skin.”

What are the effects of chlorine, sun and salt on your skin? And how can you take better care of your skin when swimming regularly in pools, lidos and open water?

Gear Editor Jo Tinsley examines the reasons behind skin dryness and irritation and puts TRIHARD’s five-step skin care for swimmers to the test.

Read our review

TRIHARD'S five-step skincare process

How can swimmers take care of their skin?

STEP 1: Apply a shield: Apply TRIHARD’s Pre & Post-Swim Body Lotion to create an extra protective layer to the skin and reduce the chlorine absorption as well as other harsh chemicals found in the pool and sea.
STEP 2: Cleanse your skin: Immediately after your swim cleanse your skin with TRIHARD’s Gently Exfoliating Body Wash, which removes chlorine, salt and other impurities, ensuring your skin is clean without stripping moisture, while hydrating your skin and removing odours.
STEP 3: Soothe and Repair: Use the Swim & Sun Face Wash, which is formulated for swimmers, and people enjoying the outdoors. It helps relieve your skin from the effects of chlorine and sun while hydrating and soothing sun-exposed skin.
STEP 4: Refresh eyes and reduce goggle marks: Apply the specialised Eye Gel to help minimise goggle marks, reduce puffiness and inflammation while hydrating and refreshing the under-eye skin. It’s ideal for those who need extra care around the delicate eye region.
STEP 5: Hydrate and Restore: Reapply TRIHARD’s Pre & Post-Swim Body Lotion, which is designed to deeply moisturise, soothe any irritation and restore the texture of your skin, leaving it supple, hydrated, odour-free, and smooth.

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Outdoor Swimmer readers share their skincare tips

We polled our readers to find out more about their skin care routines. Here are just a few of their tips for protecting their skin from the effects of salt water and pools chemicals.

Sea and pool swims hit differently, says @dani_shifting_tides. “My skin feels brilliant after a sea swim and doesn’t need anything extra. Pool water, on the other hand, is terrible for my skin. Even with body oil and moisturiser it takes a couple of days to recover.”
Shower as soon as you can after a swim. “After swimming (always the sea) my skin feels immediately invigorated and alive. But soon after very dry” says @gremkoska. “A shower obviously removes the drying salt aspect, but my skin is definitely dehydrated. I have yet to find a genuinely good moisturiser that works!”
Use a moisturising body wash. “I use a moisturising body wash after a pool swim, pat myself dry (no vigorous rubbing!) then apply lots of moisturiser. I don’t moisturiser after a cold water dip but perhaps I should” says @abigail_whyte_writer
Reapply moisturiser throughout the day, says @the_bath_cook who says the effects are worse if she hasn’t been swimming for a few weeks.
If you’re in the pool regularly try a combination of Epsom salt baths, foot soaks, vitamin C and magnesium, says swim teacher @kingfisher_swim.
Fresh-water swimming can improve skin conditions, says Editor Ella. “Let the mud and silt soak in – bathe in it, it’s like a free spa day.”

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*During sales, the code will give you an extra 5% OFF on top of the already discounted price.

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