IN THE SKIN: How to Look After Your Skin After A Swim

Whilst swimming on a regular basis is great for both your mind and body, regular exposure to chlorinated water in particular can lead to dry or flaky skin. In very cold weather spells, you might also find your hands and lips are particularly at risk of drying out.

However, there are some quick and easy tricks to build into your regular skin care and swim routine to ensure your skin doesn't suffer from a regular swim. 

1. Shower Before Your Swim

It's good pool etiquette to have a brief shower before you swim, but there are also benefits to your skin in doing so. Hydrating your skin cells (and your hair follicles) before exposing them to chlorinated water is said to minimise their ability to absorb the chlorine which can dry your skin out.

2. Stay Hydrated

Before, during and after your swim make sure you are drinking water as you would with any other exercise. It can be easy when swimming, given all the water around you, to forget how much your body needs rehydrating so make a point of taking a full bottle with you to every swim. Hydrated skin is healthy skin.

3. Enjoy That Shower

Hooray - there's a very good reason to stay in the shower a little bit longer... Make sure you rinse thoroughly post-swim to remove any lingering chlorine and pool water. 

4. Moisturise

Ideally, you'd moisturise your full body after every post-swim shower to keep your skin soft and hydrated. However, if time is short (and we know the feeling) then even just applying moisturiser to the critical areas which tend to dry out quickest (for us that backs of knees, elbows, hands and face) is better than nothing and will help keep your skin soft. We recommend using either a thick moisturiser (which doesn't have to be expensive) or oil (such as coconut oil) to maximise the rehydration of your skin.

5. Mix It Up

If you're swimming several times a week then consider swimming in a fresh water pool or lido or indeed outdoors on one of your swims to minimise exposure to the chemicals that come with most indoor pools. Who knows, you might just discover a new favourite swim spot!

Let us know how you get on and if we've missed any of your best skin care tricks then please let us know!