Why does the skin tighten after showering? With these 10 tips, your skin will feel great again

What can I do about the feeling of tension after showering?

1. Don't shower too often

It's actually a real trend - which, for once, actually makes a lot of sense: shower only once a week. It doesn't have to be that strict. We would say: make it depend on the situation.

Some people might still turn up their noses if someone only showers once or twice a week. It's definitely healthy for our skin and you don't have to stink. The less oil you wash off your dry skin, the more moisture remains in the skin.

Thousands of good microorganisms live on your skin and prevent pathogenic viruses and bacteria from settling. This is your skin microbiome. Showering too often repeatedly washes away this microbiome and throws it out of balance. If you wash your skin less, your skin will no longer be as dry.

Try it: Shower once or twice a week with mild washing products. If necessary, you can wash the armpits and intimate area separately with a washcloth and mild washing lotion or water.

In this video from Puls, Ariane Alter tries out what it's like to shower just once a week. She also talks to experts about why showering less often is good for your skin.

2. Shower with lukewarm water

It is best for the shower water to be at maximum body temperature, i.e. 36-37 degrees or slightly below. Water that is too hot will deprive your skin of moisture. Ice-cold water is also not ideal for dry skin because it would cause too much stress.

3. Don't shower for too long

You should shower for a maximum of 15-20 minutes. Everything below is of course even better. Too frequent contact with water repeatedly deprives your skin of moisture as the oils are washed out by the heat and water. And this very fat is your own cream that tries to keep moisture in the skin.

4. Only use mild detergent products when showering

When showering, it's best to only use pH-neutral washing bars (syndets) or mild shower gels and no soap for your skin, because this would dry out your skin even further and destroy your microbiome . If you have very dry skin, it makes sense to switch to a nourishing shower oil to prevent drying out while showering.

5. Apply cream before showering

Apply lotion before showering? It sounds strange, but it makes sense if you have very dry skin. Let's assume that your facial skin is currently very damaged because wind, weather and other stress have taken their toll on your skin. The steam when showering is so drying that you don't know how to shower at all - without your skin constantly feeling tight. Wash your face briefly with water or a mild cleanser and then apply a non-irritating cream . The cream layer protects your skin from the water and steam, so that your skin is no longer as degreased. This means your skin retains its moisture and doesn't dry out as quickly. If you have dry, flaky legs, it can also help to apply cream before showering.

6. Leave the bathroom quickly

Leave the bathroom as quickly as possible or ventilate it so that you get as little water vapor as possible.

7. Dry yourself properly

Pat your skin dry and please do not rub. Because rubbing has a damaging effect on your skin, like a mechanical peeling . Especially after showering, it is important that you pat your skin dry very gently. In the best case scenario, you leave some residual moisture on your skin in case you want to apply cream afterwards.

9. Moisturize your skin after showering (if it needs it)

Cream your slightly damp skin so that the body lotion and face cream can absorb better. It's best to apply creams to damp skin because you can lock in the remaining moisture in the skin. If your skin is still very dry after showering despite mild facial cleansing, you can restore moisture to your skin with a serum. For example, you can use the Everyday Moisture Serum or the Serum Spray on your face and neck, followed by a low-irritation cream . If your skin is very dry, you can also seal the cream with a facial oil to keep the maximum moisture in your skin. Don't forget to apply a nourishing body lotion to your body if your skin feels tight not only on your face but also on your body.

10. Don't bathe too often

A relaxing bath is nice. However, dry skin doesn't like it so much if you do it too often. Your skin softens in the water and becomes wrinkled. Have you ever looked at your fingertips after a long, soaking bath? These often show grooves and are very wrinkled. This is because you washed the oil off your skin, allowing the moisture to escape. Now it's time to get out of the bathtub. The best thing to do is to prevent it and not bathe too often or for too long.

Bathing tip:

Bathing is something for the soul and unfortunately it is not ideal for skin health. However, you can make your bathroom healthier. Put some oatmeal in a cotton stocking and hang it in the tub like a tea bag. An oat bath should be created. Oats are moisturizing because they contain beta glucan. The secondary plant substances, more specifically the avenanthramides, which occur naturally in oats, also inhibit inflammation and itching in dry skin. By the way, colloidal oats are best suited for this. For a bit of wellness and to make bathing healthier, organic oat flakes from the kitchen are also a great home remedy.

Learn to love your skin

Hopefully, with these 10 tips you can step out of your shower feeling more relaxed next time. Don't worry if the feeling of tension doesn't go away completely. Dry skin can require a lot of care. However, in contrast to oily skin, it tends to have finer pores. Every skin type has its advantages and disadvantages. Learn to deal with the disadvantages and appreciate the advantages. Skin can be as different as we humans are. And that is wonderful. Always love your skin because it will protect you for a lifetime. You should never forget this if your skin feels tight and flaky again.

How does your skin feel after a shower? And what are your tips when your skin gets really tight? Feel free to write it in the comments.