HARPER'S BAZAAR: Could a Shower Filter Be the Missing Component to Your Wellness Routine?
Water filtration is a hot topic in recent years, and more people are choosing to drink clean water through high quality filtration systems or via spring water. While this is a great first step, it's also important to think about the water we use to clean our skin, not just drink. What is often not considered is the impact of shower water from a health and beauty perspective. Could a shower filter be the missing component to your health and beauty routine?
Many of us have experienced changes in the way our hair and skin feel after showering in different cities and locations. Indeed, different countries have different kinds of water and these water sources contain different things—we've all heard the terms hard and soft water thrown around. While this is a far bigger topic that this article allows for, one of the things in water that can be particularly damaging to hair and skin is chlorine. Chlorine is added to pools to kill bacteria, viruses and other things which may be harmful to the human body. Chlorine (or chloramines) is added to the water supply in many regions for the same reason.
Sensitive people will notice that itchy feeling when coming out of a pool and after a hot steamy shower where you have been bathing in chlorinated water. Further, you may be familiar with recent research on the role that bacteria play in supporting optimal human health. These bacteria live in the gut (often referred to as the microbiome), they live on the skin, in your nose, and various other places on or in the body. These bacteria play a major role in maintaining homeostasis at all layers. This means that they play a role in supporting optimal digestive health, hormonal balance, and immune system activation—to name a few. So what happens when we are exposed to chlorine? We disrupt this bacterial environment and this can manifest as a variety of external and internal conditions. If you have a problem on the outside, i.e. the skin, there is likely a problem at a deeper layer as well.
So, how can you avoid this issue? How can you take a shower with water that will not hamper your efforts to maintain healthy skin and hair that's not dry or brittle? Obviously there are various factors, but one easy change would be to use a shower de-chlorinator. Most people don’t even know they exist and have never even considered that this should be part of their health and beauty strategy.
I noticed an immediate difference in my hair and skin when using a shower de-chlorinator. I have been using a basic model for years, but recently had the opportunity to demo a unit made by VitaClean. It acts as a shower de-chlorinator and also includes essential oils which provide for a spa-like, aromatherapy shower experience with a light, refreshing citrus scent. Most shower de-chlorination units don’t require a plumber to install. I was able to install the unit in a matter of minutes. Consider it your newest beauty hack.