The Skincare Step Most People Never Think About
Why Your Shower Water May Be Affecting Your Skin
Healthy skin isn't random. It's responding.
For years, I've helped people choose the right cleansers, serums, moisturizers, and treatments for their skin. And while those products absolutely matter, I've come to realize something...
Healthy skin is about so much more than skincare.
That's exactly why I created Skin Care Beyond Borders.
This is where we look beyond products and explore the everyday things that quietly influence our skin.
Stress.
Travel.
Moving.
Pregnancy and postpartum.
Climate.
Nutrition.
Sleep.
And today...
Let's talk about your shower water.
Your skincare routine starts before your cleanser.
Think about your morning.
Before your cleanser ever touches your face...
Before your favorite serum...
Before your moisturizer...
Your skin has already spent several minutes in your shower.
It's the very first thing your skin experiences every single day.
Yet it's something most of us never stop to think about.
"Healthy skin doesn't begin with your cleanser. It begins with everything your skin experiences before it."
The question that changed my perspective
Recently, I looked up the water quality report for my own Austin ZIP code.
Honestly, I expected it to be pretty uneventful.
Instead, I discovered that several compounds in my local water exceeded the Environmental Working Group's (EWG) health-based guidelines, including certain PFAS ("forever chemicals") and disinfection byproducts.
That immediately made me curious.
Now, it's important to keep this in perspective.
Many public water systems—including mine—meet current federal drinking water standards. EWG's health guidelines are often much more conservative than EPA legal limits, and they're designed as health goals rather than regulatory standards.
So this isn't about creating fear.
It's about asking better questions.
If our skin comes into contact with this water every day...
Could it be one of the many factors influencing dryness, irritation, eczema, a weakened skin barrier, or dull hair?
For some people, the answer may be yes.
*This is a portion of the water quality report for my Austin ZIP code (78735). Seeing these results encouraged me to learn more about what touches our skin every day—not just what we put on it.
Meet Jolie
That's what led me to Jolie.
I didn't partner with Jolie because I wanted another product to recommend.
I partnered with them because I genuinely love their philosophy.
They call it Step Zero.
The idea is simple:
Before your cleanser.
Before your serum.
Before your moisturizer.
Pay attention to what touches your skin first.
I love that way of thinking because it fits perfectly with everything I believe about healthy skin.
A filtered showerhead isn't a miracle cure.
It won't replace a personalized skincare routine.
But it may help remove one of the many everyday stressors your skin experiences.
And sometimes, that's exactly what our skin needs.
Healthy skin is about the whole picture.
When clients ask me why their skin suddenly changed, my first question is rarely,
"What products are you using?"
Instead, I ask...
What changed?
Did you move?
Did you start a new job?
Have you been under more stress?
Did you travel?
Have your hormones changed?
Did you have a baby?
Has your climate changed?
Could your water be different?
Our skin is constantly responding to what's happening around us.
That's the heart of Skin Care Beyond Borders.
Because healthy skin isn't just about products.
It's about understanding the bigger picture.
Ready to learn more?
If you're curious about Jolie and want to see whether it's a good fit for your home, you can explore it below.
[Explore Jolie →]
Pro Tip
If your skin suddenly changes, don't assume your skincare routine has failed.
Instead, ask yourself:
What changed?
Sometimes it's stress.
Sometimes it's travel.
Sometimes it's hormones.
Sometimes it's the climate.
And sometimes...
It might just be your water.
Because healthy skin isn't random.
It's responding.
This Is Just the Beginning
Thank you for being here.
My hope with Skin Care Beyond Borders is simple:
To help you better understand your skin—not just recommend products.
Together, we'll explore the many ways life influences our skin—from stress and moving to pregnancy, travel, climate, nutrition, sleep, and yes...even the water we wash with every day.
Because when we understand why our skin changes, we're able to care for it in a whole new way.
I'm so grateful you're here for this journey.
Lots of love,
Nicole
Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you choose to purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I genuinely believe support healthy skin.