Methven's Satinjet Maia uses vitamin C to help protect skin and hair from drying chlorine.

We’ve been wary of chlorinated water since our teens, when a kind friend informed us that too much chlorine would turn our youthful tresses from blond to a not-so-fetching shade of green. That grassy tinge, it turns out, is caused by calcium, magnesium, iron, copper and other minerals found in hard water.

But chlorine is not innocent. Chlorinated water acts like a chemical succubus, drawing moisture from skin and hair. The result: Your skin feels like parchment and your locks look like straw. Chlorine also is an oxidizing agent, which means it’s especially abusive to color-treated hair. Because it’s widely used to disinfect and purify municipal water supplies, every time we shower or bathe, our skin suffers. What’s more, research indicates that inhaling chlorine vapors while showering may aggravate allergies and skin conditions, while chlorine’s oxidizing effect may accelerate cell and tissue aging. (Oxidants bad; antioxidants good.)

Since avoiding showers is out of the question, we were delighted to discover Methven Satinjet Maia ($149) at a recent spa event. Made in New Zealand, the massaging shower head comes with a vitamin-C cartridge that eliminates chlorine while the shower head itself creates a spalike bathing experience. Vitamin C is a benign way to remove chlorine — and it’s good for your skin. According to bicoastal dermatologist and Methven adviser Karyn Grossman, M.D., “Removing caustic chlorine from the water with vitamin C helps to keep the skin on your face and body more hydrated, less irritated and less dry and flaky. Hair will feel softer, less brittle and the color will remain truer.”

Our skin gets especially dry during the winter, so we love any tip that helps us stay hydrated. What products do you use to keep your skin supple?

Tags: allergies, chemical succubus, Chemistry, Chlorine, Disinfectant, Halogens, health, Health/Medical/Pharmaceuticals, Hygiene, Karyn Grossman, massaging shower head, Methven adviser, New Zealand, Occupational safety and health, Prevention, Shower, shower head, Skin, USD