Could Your Bath Water Be Affecting Your Skin Barrier?

Could Your Bath Water Be Affecting Your Skin Barrier?

When we talk about sensitive or eczema prone skin, most of the attention goes to skincare. We check the cleanser, remove fragrance and add a richer moisturiser.

But what about the water touching our skin every day?

As someone who experienced eczema for around 20 years, and who now works with sensitive and compromised skin in clinic, I know eczema is rarely as simple as finding one trigger. It is a complex inflammatory condition influenced by genetics, immune function, the skin microbiome, environmental exposures and the strength of the skin barrier.

For some people, bath water may be another piece of that picture.

How can water affect sensitive skin?

Healthy skin is designed to keep moisture in and potential irritants out. In eczema prone skin, this barrier is often less effective, increasing water loss and making the skin more vulnerable to dryness, itching and irritation.

Bathing itself is not bad for eczema. Gentle bathing can hydrate the outer layers of the skin and remove allergens and irritants. The problem is often how we bathe and what the skin is exposed to.

Hot water, long baths, harsh cleansers and fragranced products can all place additional stress on an already compromised barrier. Chlorine and hard water may also affect how the skin feels.

Chlorine plays an important role in keeping our water supply safe, but it may contribute to dryness and discomfort in some sensitive individuals.

Hard water is different. It contains higher levels of calcium and magnesium, which can interact with cleansers and leave more surfactant residue on the skin. Research has found associations between hard water and eczema, particularly in children, but that does not mean it directly causes eczema or that changing the water alone will treat it.

What are Filtered Beauty Purifying Bath Tablets?

Filtered Beauty's Purifying Bath Tablets are designed to dissolve in bath water and neutralise residual chlorine before bathing.

They contain vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, which reacts with chlorine and converts it into chloride. This is established water chemistry and is used in larger water systems for dechlorination.

Filtered Beauty states that one tablet has been laboratory tested to neutralise up to 1 ppm of chlorine in approximately 378 litres of water, around the volume of an average bath.

The tablets are not an eczema treatment or a replacement for prescribed care. They are also not a traditional water softener, so they should not be confused with removing the calcium and magnesium responsible for hard water.

What they offer is a simple way to reduce one potential source of irritation during bathing.

Why I created Charlotte Calming Cream

Charlotte Calming Cream is very personal to me.

After experiencing eczema for most of my childhood and into adulthood, I wanted to create more than another moisturiser that felt nice but did very little for genuinely dry and reactive skin.

Named after my niece Charlotte, who also experienced eczema prone skin, it was developed to provide comfort while supporting the function of the skin barrier.

Its rich, fragrance free formula contains oat kernel oil, beta glucan, niacinamide, probiotic ferments, mango seed butter and shea butter. Together, these ingredients help replenish moisture, reduce visible irritation and support a more resilient skin barrier.

Charlotte Calming Cream is recognised by Eczema Association Australasia as suitable for eczema prone skin. This does not mean it cures eczema, but it provides meaningful recognition of its suitability for people living with this condition.

Why this collaboration makes sense

Filtered Beauty focuses on what the skin is exposed to during bathing. Charlotte focuses on what the skin needs afterwards.

For sensitive and eczema prone skin, both sides matter. Our goal is not to suggest bath water is the cause of every flare. It is to raise awareness that barrier support extends beyond the products we apply. It also means considering water temperature, bathing habits, cleansers and environmental exposures.

For a more barrier friendly bath, keep the water lukewarm, avoid fragranced bath products and harsh foaming washes, and keep bathing time to around 10 minutes.

Afterwards, gently pat the skin dry and apply Charlotte Calming Cream while the skin is still slightly damp. This helps seal water into the outer layers of the skin and reduce moisture loss.

Sensitive skin does not need an overwhelming routine or endless aggressive treatments. Often, it needs us to reduce unnecessary irritation, respect the barrier and support it consistently.