It's hard to ignore the stench of chlorine. It's recognizable almost immediately when you arrive at a hotel, or set foot at your local pool.
If you have lighter hair, you're prone to seeing firsthand how the chemical can impact your hair after spending summers submerged in the pool. However, how does it impact your skin?
We spoke with Abigail Herscu, a member of UC-Berkeley women's swim and dive team, Lia Morgillo, the founder and CEO of Wholesome Pool and Spa and Carmen Castilla, a board-certified dermatologist, on how chlorine affects the skin and what you can do to resolve woes brought upon by the chemical.
How is chlorine used?
You've most likely come into contact with chlorine in swimming pools, whether you have an overnight stay at a hotel or a daily pass to your local pool. It has a strong scent and a stinging sensation, especially if you forget to plug your nose while diving in.
"Chlorine is widely used in swimming pools as a sanitizer because it is a highly effective disinfectant that kills bacteria, viruses and other waterborne pathogens within a pH range that is comfortable for the human body to be in that water," says Morgillo. "Depending on the type of chlorine used, it can add calcium, or salt byproducts to the water," she adds.
How does chlorine impact the skin?
According to Morgillo, when kept at the proper ranges, chlorine has "very little effect on the skin," however when you're spending a significant amount of time in the pool like Herscu does, the symptoms start to flare up. Castilla says that "short exposures to chlorine will not cause any long-term skin issues."
Castilla further argues that chlorine "can be harsh on the skin" when you have prolonged exposure to it, like Herscu does.
“The typical or traditional symptoms related to chlorine exposure on the face tend to be dryness and redness, and on the body, I would say overall just dryness, but in the peak season again, it is flaky skin and sometimes irritation,” Herscu says.
Castilla agrees, saying that, "the most common effect of chlorine exposure is skin dryness — due to stripping away skin oils that support the skin barrier."
Are there ways to protect the skin from chlorine?
Without avoiding swimming pools altogether, Castilla says the best way you can avoid irritating effects from the chemical is by moisturizing often and rinsing off before and after swimming. In addition to moisturizing, using products that help lock in or provide moisture can be beneficial.
Editor- and expert-recommended products to shop
"It is important to wash the chlorine off after swimming and moisturize the skin," says Castilla. "You can also use a skin barrier protective cream or ointment such as Vaseline (petrolatum jelly) in areas of high friction or sensitive areas you have found to become irritated after swimming."
"I have pretty dry skin and I find that this, (along with my other serums and moisturizers) helps keep it moisturized and prevents it from flaking — which often happens this time of the year," says writer Emma Stessman. "My skin is noticeably plumper and my fine lines are less visible when I'm using it."
"I've been using Dove body scrubs for years," says associate editor, Kamari Stewart. "They never disappoint and are always super gentle on my skin. These are one of the only scrubs I feel comfortable using over my eczema. They're super gentle while still being exfoliating. Your skin feels crazy soft afterward. Plus, the scents can't be beat."
"While the product leaves a bit of weight from the initial application, it absorbs down easily and quickly and leaves the area feeling smoother and calmer despite the blistering and redness," says deputy managing editor Jess Bender.
It's designed with soothing ingredients like aloe and vitamin E, to not only relieve skin of that itching feeling, but to leave it feeling smooth afterwards.
"For less than half the price of other balms, this one works impressively well," says associate editor, Lauren Witonsky. "It takes off all of my face makeup in one swipe (eye makeup in two) while still not stripping my skin — in fact, it's formulated to strengthen the skin barrier. It didn't leave any oily film/residue over my eyes that I've experienced with other products."
"This is my holy grail body cream," praises editorial assistant, Madison San Miguel. "I have very dry skin, and depending on the season, am prone to eczema, so I’ve gone through many body products to narrow down my perfect match. This cream has continuously impressed me, as it is highly moisturizing year-round. I sometimes switch my products out for winter, but this cream is always in my routine. I use it for both my face and body, and one tub lasts me about two to three months. It also isn’t heavy or greasy!"
Castilla mentions that chlorine can strip away oils that support the barrier of the skin — this moisturizer works to strengthen skin's barrier, thanks to the inclusion of ceramides in the ingredient list.
While she reaches for it in the winter, production coordinate Camryn Privette notes that this moisturizer is great for dry skin. "I use this at night when my skin is feeling dry from the winter wind and I can immediately feel a difference."
"As a dry skin girly with the eczema to boot, I love a good hydrating and nourishing product," says Stewart. "I'm a big fan of Naturium's other products and proud to say that this one doesn't disappoint!"
This serum earned the title of best value serum during Shop TODAY's 2025 Beauty Awards.
"It feels really light when applied and doesn't leave you feeling sticky or greasy," she adds. "I also like that the pump dispenses a good amount at a time -- one pump and you've got enough to cover a whole arm!"
"About a month into using it, I'm really satisfied with how tough it works against day-old eye makeup and excessive greasiness without feeling overly abrasive on my skin," says Bender. "Its gel-to-foam design also means that it suds up super well, which is always a satisfying feeling!"
Bender also notes that this face wash is super gentle on the skin, adding that it doesn't further aggravate redness.
How we chose
The Shop TODAY editors and writers search the internet to find the best products out there. We interview expert sources and use our own personal experiences with the products and brands to make shopping easier for our readers. To choose the best products to help combat the effects of chlorine, we spoke to experts and editors who offered insight and recommended products to help save your skin.
As an editorial team, we independently create content and determine coverage based on research, reporting and what we think TODAY.com readers would like to read about. The goal of our content is to provide a service and inform readers who are on the hunt for the latest products to help make their life better. Items are sold by retailer, not TODAY. Pricing and availability are accurate as of publish time. Learn more about Shop TODAY.
Meet the experts
- Carmen Castilla is a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City. She specializes in cosmetic and medical dermatology.
- Abigail Herscu is a rising junior and member of the women's swim and dive team at UC Berkeley.
- Lia Morgillo is the founder and CEO of Wholesome Pool and Spa.
