So let’s get into it. The following are why washing your face and hair with dechlorinated water can matter. 1. Chlorine creates repeated oxidative stress, which can push skin toward collagen breakdown over time. Not swimming pool damage, but a low grade, daily oxidative stressor that adds up. 2. It disrupts the skin barrier, increasing water loss and making dryness and fine lines more visible. 3. It increases skin reactivity, which reduces tolerance to active skincare ingredients. Stressed skin is more inflamed and less responsive to the products you already use. Now the science. Chlorine is a strong oxidizing agent. In water treatment, oxidation kills microbes. On skin, repeated oxidative exposure damages barrier lipids, fatty acids, ceramides, and structural proteins. This increases transepidermal water loss and inflammatory signaling. Chronic oxidative stress is also one of the biological pathways involved in collagen and elastin degradation over time. This does not require swimming pool levels. Municipal tap water contains chlorine or chloramine at low parts per million, but daily exposure matters, especially with hot showers that increase skin permeability. Chlorine and chloramine are not the same thing. Chloramine is chlorine bonded to ammonia, which makes it more stable and longer lasting in water distribution systems. That stability is useful for public health, but harder on skin because it does not dissipate easily. Ascorbic acid neutralizes reactive chlorine species at the water level. If you like beauty content that is backed by science and explained simply, follow me. I have a lot more of this coming. science beautyscience antiaging LTKmorningroutine LTKselfcare LTKOver40