Why people are washing their face with sparkling water

Why people are washing their face with sparkling water
By Laura Doyle  | May 15, 2019

Gone are the days when you would wash your face with just plain old water.

We are forever learning of the endless ways to cleanse your skin and the plethora of products to choose from and sparkling water is now on the list.

From cleansing balms and oils to micellar water and cleanse off mitts, you have your options if tap water just isn’t cutting it.

But before you rule out water entirely, you may want to consider washing your face with a more effervescent version of it.

Stay with us on this one.

The latest craze to hit the beauty world is cleansing your skin with sparkling water.

But for some parts of the world, it is nothing new!

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Using carbonated water in beauty products, such as sheet masks and toners, has long been a trend in Japan and Korea.

The trend started in Japan and moved to South Korea, and according to research, it's the number one reason people in Japan buy sparkling water at all.

It soon spread across the beauty world with beauty gurus swearing that cleansing with the bubbles can upgrade your skin-care routine.

When you think about it, it’d seem as though the bubbles—besides feeling pretty cool—would help expunge gunk out of your pores.

Is that actually true though?

Studies have proven it is better to use carbonated water than warm tap water to cleanse your skin because it gives you a deeper cleanse.

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The carbonation helps carry away any pollutants and helps to lift them out of the pores to give you a deeper, more accelerated cleanse.

Carbonated water is also not going to harm your skin’s barrier.

Carbonated water is acidic, and the skin itself is acidic, so unlike foaming cleaners which are alkaline, carbonated water won’t disrupt the natural acid mantle of the skin.

Bubbly water has a slightly acidic pH of 5.5, which coincidentally is the same pH as our skin.

On the other hand, tap water has a pH of 7, which can disrupt the skin's outermost layer, leading to dryness and irritation.

Dermatologists’ are telling us that studies have shown that carbonated water immersion of the lower legs of healthy young people showed increased blood flow to the skin, bringing more oxygen and micronutrients to the skin.

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Research also shows that this craze is not actually as gimmicky as it may sound.

It has science behind it as far as enhancing the blood flow to the skin, which can reduce the appearance of scars and can actually help with the health of the skin.

Resulting in a healthier, brighter, rosier complexion.

It’s not all fun and bubbles though, not every skin type should cleanse with the sparkling water as it could actually make some skin problems worse.

If you have rosacea, the last thing you want is more blood flow to your face.

If you’re prone to redness, the carbonated water may make things worse.

All in all, research shows this technique is actually beneficial, invigorating and can be a great way to wake up your skin in the morning.