The thing about thermal spring waters is that they are just mineral water. Its probably the mineral water you can buy by the bottle at your local supermarket, but it is very pricey compared to those.
The Vichy Thermal Spa Water claims to comfort & refresh sensitive skin & soothe irritation due to dryness. It didn't really do that for me. I decided to do a bit of googling about it & I came across this informative post by Escentual. Do read it if you ever plan to buy an aerosol can of water from French pharmacy brands. Here's an excerpt from the article about the Vichy Thermal Spa Water :
It's so beneficial to skin that it can even be used as a treatment for troubled skin and anti-aging in its own right! According to Vichy, an astonishing fifteen clinical studies have proven the skin health benefits of the thermal spa water, particularly its soothing and fortifying properties, thanks to a unique blend of anti-oxidants and skin regenerating minerals infused into the water from the core of the Auvergne magma rocks it's filtered through that can't be replicated by science.After frequent use skin is placated and skin tolerance is improved. This particular water spray would benefit all skin-types for a whole spectrum of skin ailments or just for a skin pick-me-up, but it would unquestionably perform especially well alongside a Vichy heavy skincare regime to reinforce the qualities of the wondrous water present in all Vichy products.
From the article, I could conclude that on its own, the Vichy Thermal Spa Water would
b) fortify skin / improve its tolerance
c) can be a skin pick me up
Here's the instructions on how the Vichy Thermal Spa Water should be used (written on the back of the can):
After spraying, leave it to work for a few moments then gently dry. Use anytime of the day or night.
Based on this information & instruction I began to test out the Vichy Thermal Spa Water for what its meant for.
- My skin type : Currently, my skin is normal. It gets dry if I'm not regular with moisturizer (these months are cold after all!). I don't have sensitive skin, however there are some products that give my skin allergic reactions.
- I spray it directly on to my face, wait for a few seconds and wipe it off with a cotton pad. So basically it is a toner for me. It leaves my face tacky, but not dry. So its definitely not soothing.
-My skin gets redness very easily, so I wasn't surprised to see a lot of redness right on the centre of my face when I sprayed the Vichy Thermal Spa Water on my face. However, its not permanent & goes away after a few minutes.
-If I did not wipe it off after a few seconds (as suggested by the directions to use) & just let it stay on my skin, my skin feels dry.
-Initially I did not see much effects but slowly I noticed that whenever I have breakouts and I use the Vichy Thermal Spa Water as a toner, my breakouts clear out quickly. I do not need to use extra products to get rid out those blemishes.
- Since I did not use any additional products to get rid of pimples & the existing products in my skincare had not helped with breakouts before, this Spa Water was definitely the one clearing out my skin.
- Gradually I started to use the right before I got pimples, i.e if I've accidently slept for few hours in makeup & around my time of the month. Vichy Thermal Spa WaterI had no breakouts in the former case and just 1-2 relatively smaller ones in the latter case which is a great improvement imo.
It has no effects over blackheads or whiteheads.
- I started to get whiteheads on my cheek last week, I don't know if it happened because I don't get pimples anymore due to this product or its caused by a new product I've started to try out last week. Whiteheads are blocked pores which are also triggered by hormonal changes like menstruation.
-For a person like me who's not accustomed to using a toner, the Vichy Thermal Spa Water is quite easy to use. I hold the can 6-7 inches from my face & the nozzle deposits a very fine mist which I wipe away after a 10-15 seconds. It has no fragrance cause its water. At one point I was using this twice a day - in my morning & night time skincare routine- I lost that habit quickly though. Since I have been using this for long (couple of months), it works even when used sporadically.
-The Vichy Thermal Spa Water is available in 2 sizes & is actually cheap & pocket friendly compared to other thermal waters in the market. You can also buy it online at cheaper prices.
-I'm actually surprised at how well its been working for my skin & I don't know why none of the reviews that I've read about this product share a similar experience as mine!
Price : Rs. 350 / 650 or $5.3 / $9.8
Qty: 50ml / 150ml or 1.69 oz / 5oz
Does not have a shelf life (period upto which it can be used once opened) - so YAY
The effects I've experienced using the Vichy Thermal Spa Water are very impressive. I initially did not expect it to do much and did not see much effects, but I noticed that it gradually is working effectively to eliminate breakouts quickly. In a way, it does fortify my skin. Don't expect it to hydrate or refresh your skin though, maybe that works if its refrigerated before use, but let's face it, any can of chilled water will be refreshing for your skin. I definitely recommend it & I plan on repurchasing it once I run out:)
