Spraying Thermal Water On Your Face Won't Heal You, But It Can Refresh You

Today’s habit: Spray a bit of water on your face.

What it is: The thermal water market may be a scam , but reader, I can’t get enough of spraying water on my face.

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How it can help: My skin gets extremely dry during the winter, especially my face and hands. I use serums, oils, and moisturizers . I reapply lip balm constantly. I currently have six face and body lotions sitting on my desk and they’re close to running out.

Enter: thermal water. A couple years ago thermal water was a big trend, with beauty companies claiming that their bottled water was “essential care for sensitive, hypersensitive, and allergic skin” (actual label on my bottle of Avène Eau Thermale ).

The companies claim that thermal water — a type of mineral water — has healing properties and has not been exposed to pollution or bacteria , but these claims haven’t been backed up by independent studies. According to The Atlantic, only French companies that sell thermal water products have conducted studies to back up their claims.

I scoffed at first. After all, the only ingredients in their product was water and nitrogen. No special oils or fruit extracts to help calm the skin. Just water and an ingredient that helps the bottle spray the water out. 

But one day I decided to check it out. My skin was red, flaky, and dry, and my lotions weren’t cutting it. I bought a bottle of thermal water and started spraying away. I spritzed when I got to work to help calm my skin after a long commute. I spritzed when I got home from work. I spritzed when I was hot. I spritzed when my skin was so dry it felt like I was on fire. 

And reader, I was pleasantly surprised. I felt refreshed. My skin felt hydrated and calm. It was like I had just encountered a light, cooling mist and I didn’t have to wear a raincoat.

Look, I don’t claim to believe that water, no matter where it’s extracted from, can protect our skin following surgical procedures, or from facial redness, and sunburn, as this brand claims . Nor do I believe it will soothe skin after shaving or hair removal, as they also claim. 

I also don’t believe you need to buy water to spray it on your face. A simple splash of tap water can achieve this. But I like the convenience of a small bottle that you can carry in your bag, and I like that it’s just a light spray that you can control.

And although the benefits of thermal water need to be studied a lot more , there can be some advantages to spraying it on your face. “Thermal-spring waters usually have a unique mix of minerals that contribute to the overall health of what we call the skin biome,” Annie Chiu, a dermatologist at The Derm Institute, told The Atlantic. “The skin essentially has a complex ecosystem with a delicate balance of minerals, fatty acids, and even good bacteria.

“If you wash your face with harsher soaps or in general have more inflammation on your skin due to a skin condition like acne or rosacea, a thermal-water spray could theoretically rebalance this micro environment for a healthier skin barrier ,” she continued.

Reader, take this info with a grain of salt, as the claims haven’t been backed up independently, but if spraying thermal water makes you feel good, then that’s what matters. 

Where you can get it: Your local drugstore , Amazon .

How it makes us feel: Refreshed!

Where you can do it: Anywhere your heart desires (or whenever your skin craves it). I usually give myself a couple sprays during the day at work, because that’s when my skin is at its driest.

Read more:

Should I keep spraying this water on my face?

What makes thermal water so special?

And that’s your habit of the day.

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