The water used for washing is often limestone, which attacks the skin and weakens it. Limescale and excessive hygiene weaken the protective effect of the epidermis and can trigger itching, tightness, dryness or even allergies and even promote certain dermatological conditions. Here are all the solutions to have beautiful skin despite everything.

The water acts directly on the skin. The skin is a so-called “containing” organ since it
envelops us entirely. It is the only barrier between the body and the outside world. But it is alive and as such, it interacts with its environment. The skin is also a so-called emunctory organ, that is to say it is capable of eliminating waste and toxins, through its pores, via perspiration. But it is also capable of absorbing what it comes into contact with, like a blotter: this is how cosmetics treat skin problems. This phenomenon also explains the softening of the stratum corneum, this layer of dead cells which protects the surface of the skin, when you bathe your feet or hands before a pedicure or manicure. Beyond these natural processes, the skin often absorbs toxic substances unintentionally, and loses precious substances, especially water, when its hydrolipidic film is altered. This trans-epidermal water loss, which leads to dehydration, is aggravated by hard water and excessive hygiene. In fact, hard water then penetrates more easily into the skin and alters it even more: it is a real vicious circle.

What is hard water?

To reach underground reserves, water travels from the earth's surface through the ground. During this passage, it circulates in limestone or chalky geological layers which load it with carbonates (calcium and magnesium) and microparticles of trace elements. Water is said to be “hard” when it retains a lot of minerals. It is therefore highly concentrated in salts, in particular calcium and magnesium. The hardness of water is measured in degrees “F”: between 0 and 18°F water is called soft, between 18 and 30°F it is semi-hard and hard if it exceeds 30°F. At home, we can easily assess the hardness by the traces it leaves when drying: this is the limescale it contains and which is deposited when it evaporates... the same which scales washing machines and which damages the skin !

How does hard water attack the skin?

Limestone (also called tartar), a mineral naturally present in water, is poorly tolerated by the skin. Its tiny crystals are deposited on the epidermis like so many micro-needles, and irritate it. Hard water is a real aggression, and rightly so since it causes redness, tightness, spots, and dryness. It weakens the stratum corneum and the hydrolipid film. The skin is less waterproof, less homogenous and all its biological mechanisms are disrupted. Normal skin can become dry and/or dehydrated simply because of too much hard water. And all the more so if limescale is deposited and remains on the surface of the skin when it dries in the open air. The feelings of tightness and discomfort can quickly degenerate into itching, skin irritations, or even eczema and allergies.

The effects of hard water on the skin:

Hard water has the effect of an irritant on the skin and triggers the responses it reserves to attacks: plaques, itching, imperfections and redness. Dryness, which makes the skin more sensitive and more reactive, pushes it even further into this spiral of symptoms. At the same time, the effects of limescale accumulate if the skin is not soothed. She then finds herself in a situation of chronic irritability, with increasingly strong allergy-type reactions each time she is confronted with limescale in the water. Real dermatological problems then set in such as atopic dermatitis, dandruff on the scalp, scabs or pimples. Finally, hard water aggravates certain existing skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis. In addition to the frequency of exposure to limescale from excessive hygiene, this strips the skin, alters its hydrolipidic film and promotes drying and aggravates skin problems even more.

Solutions against the effects of limescale and excessive hygiene on the skin

Certain actions are lifesaving to preserve the integrity of the skin and its protective film

Avoid numerous washes

Too frequent, they dry out the epidermis by thinning the hydro-protective film on the surface. Use gentle formulas designed for sensitive skin and dermatologically tested.

To remove limescale that remains on the skin

The first thing is to adapt the right temperature of the water with which you wash. In fact, it is by heating that the water transforms the mineral salts into scale: the hotter the water, the more they crystallize and form limescale.
Set to a lukewarm temperature or rinse with cold water to remove as much limescale as possible from the surface of the skin. Then dry thoroughly, if possible by pressure rather than friction, to absorb water without rubbing the skin. On the face, use soft cotton gauze or microfiber towels.

To protect against the effects of limescale on the skin

The essential gesture: use rich and gentle formulas to clean the epidermis, whether it is the body or the face. A super-fatted cleanser, or a lipid-replenishing cleansing oil, leaves a protective film on the surface and provides comfort to the skin. In its XERONACRE range from BLUE SKINCARE dedicated to dry and uncomfortable skin, we recommend the Lipid-Replenishing Cleansing Oil: it gently cleanses the face and body while replenishing it. Beneficial for the most delicate skin, its unique complex of ultra-gentle cleansing agents coupled with nourishing vegetable oils and prebiotics respects the hydrolipidic film and the skin microbiota.

You must also adapt your facial routine with water-free make-up removers to avoid additional contact with limescale: double cleansing with a make-up remover balm followed by micellar water avoids altering the stratum corneum and respects the hydro film. lipidic without leaving mineral residue, while cleaning perfectly. Choose products that are dermatologically tested and formulated for sensitive skin. Finally, use moisturizing and nourishing treatments with emollient agents to protect the skin and soothe its dryness. In the event of an allergy-type crisis or when the skin itches due to limescale (or cold), opt for an anti-itching treatment to put an end to the crisis.