From a Formulator + Holistic Practitioner + Mom

First and foremost, being a new mom again, I was originally so paranoid about bringing Beø into a chlorine pool.

And for good reason.

Beyond the known concerns around chlorine exposure, when he was just three months old, we had to leave the country for my husband’s work, and the environment we were in was filled with synthetic fragrance and other irritants. He developed a few eczema patches almost immediately.

A skincare founder’s worst nightmare.

Looking back, it was actually a blessing in disguise because it forced me to go back to the drawing board and reformulate Happy Baby Oil until it did exactly what I needed it to do. Today, it’s EWG Verified and carries the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance, which I’m incredibly proud of.

Fast forward to us having a pool in Canada and wanting to start swim lessons. I found myself searching for saltwater swim lesson options and asking every school the same question: “Do you have any saltwater pools?” Even though I know they still use chlorine, they tend to be a little gentler. It’s also the type of pool my oldest son grew up swimming in, and he never had any issues.

Then I had to remind myself how many hours I spent swimming in heavily chlorinated pools as a kid. Some of my best childhood memories happened in those pools, and I want Beø to have those same experiences.

Still, as a holistic health practitioner, obsessive researcher, skincare formulator, and admittedly anxious mom, when the algorithm started feeding me the viral vitamin C spray that’s supposedly designed to neutralize chlorine, I was intrigued.

Then I looked at the recipe.

As a formulator, my immediate reaction was, “Oh no. This doesn’t make sense.”

And the reason has little to do with vitamin C not neutralizing chlorine. it can.

It has more to do with the formulation itself.

Stability matters. Preservation matters. Delivery matters. Two products can contain the exact same ingredient and perform completely differently depending on how they’re sourced, stabilized, preserved, and combined.

The DIY version circulating online is usually some combination of vitamin C powder, water, and maybe aloe vera or essential oils mixed together in a spray bottle and misted on before and after swimming.

The idea itself isn’t completely wrong.

Chlorine can contribute to dryness, disrupt the skin barrier, alter the skin microbiome, and increase oxidative stress. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, so on the surface, the logic sounds reasonable.

The problem is that most of these DIY recipes overlook some very important details.

The form of vitamin C most people are using is ascorbic acid, which is notoriously unstable in water. Once mixed, it immediately begins oxidizing when exposed to air, light, and heat.

Some people recommend storing it in the refrigerator, which may slow down degradation, but it doesn’t solve the problem. Ascorbic acid remains unstable in a water-based formula and continues to break down over time. Even under refrigeration, stability is still measured in days rather than months.

And here’s something most people don’t realize.

Once vitamin C oxidizes, it doesn’t just become less effective. Under certain conditions, it can shift from acting as an antioxidant to contributing to pro-oxidation, meaning it may generate some of the same oxidative stress it was originally intended to help neutralize.

In other words, the formula may eventually end up doing the opposite of what it was designed to do.

Even the store-bought versions raise some questions.

Water-based products are naturally susceptible to bacteria, yeast, and mold growth, which is why most require a robust preservation system and stability testing.

Yet many of these viral swim sprays contain little more than water, glycerin, sodium ascorbate, and essential oils such as rosemary, peppermint, and lemongrass.

Sodium ascorbate is a buffered, gentler form of vitamin C than ascorbic acid. It’s more stable in water, but more stable doesn’t mean fully stable. It still oxidizes over time, especially when exposed to heat, light, air, and repeated use.

Now picture where this product lives in real life: a hot beach bag, the back of a car, sprayed repeatedly in the sun. That’s the exact environment that accelerates breakdown.

And while the essential oils may provide fragrance and some antimicrobial activity, they can also be irritating for certain individuals, especially on skin that has already been exposed to chlorine, sun, wind, or salt water.

Peppermint oil creates a cooling sensation that some people interpret as soothing, but it can increase stinging and sensitivity on compromised skin. Lemongrass contains naturally occurring fragrance compounds that are among the most common causes of skin irritation and sensitization. Rosemary oil can also trigger reactions in sensitive individuals.

While these oils may contribute some antimicrobial properties, they are generally not considered broad-spectrum preservatives on their own.

Without knowing a formula’s pH, preservative system, stability data, and challenge-testing results, it’s difficult to assess how well a product remains protected from microbial growth over time.

This doesn’t necessarily mean these products are unsafe. It simply highlights an important reminder: just because something is sold commercially doesn’t automatically mean it is free from formulation challenges.

Then there’s the irritation factor.

While vitamin C can be wonderful for some skin types, ascorbic acid is acidic by nature and may be irritating for sensitive skin, eczema-prone skin, children, or anyone whose skin barrier is already compromised. Think about the vitamin C serums many adults use on their faces. They often contain concentrations ranging from 10% to 20% and can still cause stinging, redness, and irritation, even in healthy skin. Now imagine applying a water-based vitamin C spray to skin that has already been exposed to chlorine, sun, wind, or salt water, and you potentially have a recipe for even more irritation.

The more I researched these viral vitamin C sprays, the more I realized the conversation is missing the bigger picture.

Yes, vitamin C can neutralize chlorine. The issue isn’t whether it works. The question is what it actually means.

When sprayed before swimming, vitamin C may react with chlorine as it comes into contact with the skin. When sprayed after swimming, it can react with chlorine residue left behind on the skin and hair. In either case, it’s not creating a physical barrier between your skin and the pool water. It’s functioning more as a chemical neutralizer than a true protective layer.

That distinction matters because while it may help address chlorine on the skin's surface, it doesn't necessarily prevent the drying, barrier-disrupting effects of chlorine exposure that occur while you're in the pool. My concern is that people may assume they're fully protected when the reality is a bit more nuanced.

Once vitamin C is dissolved in water, it immediately begins degrading. Most glass spray bottles aren’t truly airtight once they’re in use. Every time you press the sprayer, air is drawn back into the bottle, exposing the formula to oxygen.

These things are what ultimately led me back to focusing on the skin barrier.

Instead of trying to clean up chlorine after the fact, I became more interested in creating a little force field before we ever get in the water.

That’s one of the reasons I apply Happy Baby Oil before swim lessons and again afterward. No, an oil doesn’t completely block chlorine. But by creating an occlusive layer and supporting the skin barrier before and after exposure, it may help minimize dryness, irritation, and moisture loss.

Think of it like creating a lightweight shield for the skin. It won’t stop every exposure, but it can help reduce some of chlorine’s drying effects while helping the skin hold onto moisture.

None of this means the goal is wrong.

In fact, protecting the skin from chlorine exposure is something I think more people should consider, especially for children, people with eczema, and frequent swimmers. But in trying to solve one problem, we shouldn't create new ones.

I’ll be honest, I have seen one somewhat properly formulated, preserved version of this kind of spray on the market. So it’s not impossible to do it right.

But personally? I still wouldn’t use it on Beø. When it comes to baby skin, my bar is higher than “technically safe.” I want the gentlest, most barrier-supportive option I can give him.

That’s exactly why I created Happy Baby Oil.

When my son developed eczema, I couldn’t find a product that checked all the boxes I was looking for. I wanted something ultra-gentle, highly effective, free from synthetic fragrance, and formulated specifically to support compromised skin. So I made it myself.

Before swimming, I apply a light layer to his skin to help support the skin barrier and lock in moisture. After swimming, I rinse him off and apply it again.

This is especially important for children. Their skin is thinner, more delicate, and more susceptible to moisture loss than adult skin.

And contrary to what social media might tell you, not just any oil will do.

Research suggests certain single-ingredient oils, including olive oil with its high oleic acid content, may disrupt the skin’s lipid barrier, particularly in infants and those with atopic skin.

That’s why formulation matters. Every ingredient, every percentage, every sourcing decision matters.

Happy Baby Oil wasn’t created by throwing a few trendy ingredients into a bottle. It was meticulously formulated, tested, and verified because us moms already have enough to worry about.

Two words: click bait.

What this trend really highlights is a much bigger issue within social media, clean beauty, and parenting culture.

To be clear, I’m not against raising concerns. I just spent this entire post raising them. The problem is when engagement becomes more important than accuracy.

So many creators use fear to get their point across, and moms are often the easiest target because we simply want to protect our children and do what’s best for them.

The irony is that many of these fear-based posts are warning us about chlorine while completely ignoring whether the DIY solution itself is stable, preserved, or appropriate for use on skin.

Before reaching for a viral product, here is what I actually look for:

• Third-party verification (EWG, NEA, Think Dirty Verified, and similar)

• Documented stability and preservation testing

• Anhydrous or properly preserved water-based formulation

• Ingredient transparency

• Formulator-led, not influencer-led

And if you’re not ready to invest in Happy Baby Oil, or you simply don’t have it on hand, don’t underestimate what’s already in your kitchen.

A small layer of organic, cold-pressed coconut oil applied to the skin and hair before swimming can create an occlusive layer that may help minimize moisture loss and support the skin barrier. In fact, studies have shown that virgin coconut oil can improve skin barrier function and reduce water loss from the skin.

Is it as gentle and thoughtfully formulated as Happy Baby Oil? No. While coconut oil can be a great option for many people, it isn’t perfect. It can be comedogenic for some individuals, may not be well tolerated by every skin type, and functions primarily as an occlusive oil rather than a complete barrier-support system. But if you’re looking for a simple, stable option from your kitchen, it aligns far more closely with the barrier-supportive approach I personally prefer than a DIY vitamin C spray.

As always, I encourage people to think critically, ask questions, and remember that natural doesn’t automatically mean safe, effective, or well formulated.

And perhaps most importantly, don’t freak out. We’re all doing our best.

We all want what’s best for our babies. We all worry. We all second-guess. We all spend too much time researching things at 2 AM.

And we’re all raising humans in a world that didn’t exist when we were kids. Of course it feels overwhelming.

Try to stay informed. Be present. Be kind to yourself.

Support the skin barrier. Let them swim. Make the memories.

The goal isn’t perfection. It’s finding that sweet spot between being informed and actually enjoying your life.