Why Your Shower Water Might Be Wrecking Your Skin (+How To Fix it)

Why Your Shower Water Might Be Wrecking Your Skin (+How To Fix it)

You’ve got the routine down. Double cleanse. Mist. Serum cocktail. Moisturiser. SPF (obviously). But no matter how much you invest in skincare, your face still feels tight, dry, or a bit “meh” after the shower?

Yep. Your water might be the villain.

We spend so much time thinking about what goes on our skin but not enough about what we’re rinsing it with. And unfortunately, if you’re in Australia, there’s a good chance your water is either hard, heavily chlorinated, or both. Not the kind of mineral treatment your skin signed up for.

Wait... what is hard water?
Hard water is basically water that’s been doing weight training. It’s full of minerals like calcium and magnesium. Sounds wholesome, right? Not quite. While your kettle might love the extra minerals (spoiler: it doesn’t, it gets limescale), your skin and hair really, really don’t.

When hard water meets your body wash, it forms a soapy film that doesn’t rinse off properly. This means:

Your skin doesn’t absorb moisture as well.

Pores get blocked.

Your fancy face oil is now fighting a losing battle.

It’s the skincare version of trying to apply foundation over a dusty window.

And then there’s chlorine…
Ah, chlorine. Great for pools. Not so great for pores.

Most Aussie tap water is treated with chlorine to kill bacteria. That’s good for drinking. But when it hits your skin in the shower, especially in warm or hot water, it strips away natural oils faster than you can say “hydration barrier.” Cue dryness, redness, sensitivity, and sometimes breakouts.

And for the girlies with eczema, psoriasis or just plain reactive skin, this stuff is your nightmare in liquid form.

Why no one talks about this
Probably because no one sees water as a problem. It’s clear! It’s clean! It’s there!

But just because it looks harmless, doesn’t mean it is. In fact, your shower might be quietly undoing all that good work you’ve been doing with your twelve-step skincare routine.

Enter: Fettle Effect
This is where we step in, filter in hand, looking smug.

The Fettle Effect shower filter is a bit like giving your skin a break from the harsh stuff. It’s engineered to reduce chlorine, heavy metals, sediment and that skin-sabotaging hardness in your water.

So instead of stepping out of the shower feeling like a cornflake, you get that fresh, soft, “I just came from a spa” vibe. And your skincare? Actually has a chance to work.

What does this actually mean for your skin?
Glad you asked.

Less dryness: Because your natural oils aren’t being stripped away
Less irritation: Especially if you’re sensitive, prone to redness or flare-ups
Fewer breakouts: No soap scum or mineral film hanging around to clog your pores
Better hair days: Yep, same water = better scalp health and shinier strands
More glow: Because when your skin barrier’s happy, your face will let you know

Don’t just take our word for it
We’ve had thousands of people (yes, thousands) tell us their skin improved within a week of switching to a Fettle filter. Less itching, more glow. 

Coincidence? We think not. It's the power of our Vitamin C shower filter

A little luxury that makes a big difference
We’re not here to do “basic.” We’re a premium filter brand for a reason. You’ve invested in your skincare, your shower should be backing that up, not betraying you.

Our filters are sleek, effective, and ridiculously easy to install. No plumber required. Just twist it on and let the magic happen.

Final thought: if you’re doing everything right and your skin still feels off, maybe it’s not you, it’s your water.

So if you’re ready to give your glow a real fighting chance, it might be time to upgrade the water, not the serum.

Check out our full range of premium shower filters here , your skin will thank you (and so will your mirror).