Yep, it's time for another French Beauty product review. This week i'm looking at Evian le Brumisateur Spray.
This type of spray is incredibly popular in French pharmacies. Brands such as La Roche-Posay, Avène, and others market these as miracle sprays that can do anything from set make up to healing scars. It is also a cult favourite amongst beauty bloggers and youtube reviewers. I'm going to take a look at Evian's version, which I found at my local supermarché for 3€.
Evian claims that this product hydrates your skin, helps to fix your make-up and purifies. It claims that balanced minerals and the pH neutral water from Evian's thermal springs give the product these amazing qualities. It does however raise some serious questions.
I'm going to hold my hands up and make an admission - I was a sceptic. But I have dutifully been using this product for a month in order to see if I noticed any noticeable difference. The answer is yes and no.
Does it refresh my skin? Yes. But then splashing any cold water on my face. The fact that this water has been packaged with an aerosol that makes the particles microfine and distribute evenly may make the skin's uptake of the water better, but I would like a biochemist to explain how that is better than actually drinking the recommended amount of water every day. Surely the body knows how to hydrate the skin from the amount of water drunk everyday, and doesn't require a spray to assist it in that.
The origins of this refreshing claim, and its popularity in Paris I think is better explained by the climate of Paris than by the miracle properties of Evian water. I have lived in a lot of cities (London, Cardiff, Thessaloniki) and Paris is by far the driest of them. We've had some exceptionally good weather this last month, but even despite the extraordinary late autumn sunshine the air feels dry. In the sun, in the shade, after it rains, it is much drier than any other city I've lived in. Therefore, the addition of any water to the face is going to feel good. Yes the spray will refresh you, but so will water from the tap. this is just more portable.
The pH neutral and purifying claims also trouble me. Although I don't have any litmus paper on me, anyone who remembers their science classes from school should remember that most water is supposed to be pH neutral. Water ceases to be pH neutral when it is mixed with other things - hence why most rainwater in cities has a pH closer to 5.5 (aka acid rain), because the air is full of pollution. Of course another by-product of city life is that the water tends to be harder, i.e. it is full of limescale (or calc). That scummy layer around your sink or bathtub? the white dots that form on the washing up when they dry on the side or are fresh out the dishwasher, the white powder on the shower curtain - that is calc, and that is what is in the water in Paris (or most other big cities). If you have ever lived in a soft water area, you know you need to use less shampoo and soap to get a good lather, that your hair is bouncier after washing, and the water tastes better. That is what makes the water in Evian le Brumisateur different, it is simply more like water is supposed to be than the water that comes out the tap.
Does it set make up? No. If pure water set makeup, every time we went out in the rain our mascara would stay exactly where it was, not run down our cheeks (apologies for the heavy sarcasm there). It may make your moisturiser go on better, but then I was always told to apply moisturiser (face and body) onto slightly damp skin rather than totally dry. Again this makes it no more effective than normal water.
So does this product work? Yes and no. If you are hot and the air is dry, this is going to make you feel better and more refreshed, just from spraying cool water on your face. It may make applying moisturiser easier, but no more than not completely drying your face before its application. Aside from that, it is what is says on the front - water in a can. Make sure you are drinking the recommended amount of water everyday and spend your money elsewhere.
This type of spray is incredibly popular in French pharmacies. Brands such as La Roche-Posay, Avène, and others market these as miracle sprays that can do anything from set make up to healing scars. It is also a cult favourite amongst beauty bloggers and youtube reviewers. I'm going to take a look at Evian's version, which I found at my local supermarché for 3€.
Evian claims that this product hydrates your skin, helps to fix your make-up and purifies. It claims that balanced minerals and the pH neutral water from Evian's thermal springs give the product these amazing qualities. It does however raise some serious questions.
I'm going to hold my hands up and make an admission - I was a sceptic. But I have dutifully been using this product for a month in order to see if I noticed any noticeable difference. The answer is yes and no.
Does it refresh my skin? Yes. But then splashing any cold water on my face. The fact that this water has been packaged with an aerosol that makes the particles microfine and distribute evenly may make the skin's uptake of the water better, but I would like a biochemist to explain how that is better than actually drinking the recommended amount of water every day. Surely the body knows how to hydrate the skin from the amount of water drunk everyday, and doesn't require a spray to assist it in that.
The origins of this refreshing claim, and its popularity in Paris I think is better explained by the climate of Paris than by the miracle properties of Evian water. I have lived in a lot of cities (London, Cardiff, Thessaloniki) and Paris is by far the driest of them. We've had some exceptionally good weather this last month, but even despite the extraordinary late autumn sunshine the air feels dry. In the sun, in the shade, after it rains, it is much drier than any other city I've lived in. Therefore, the addition of any water to the face is going to feel good. Yes the spray will refresh you, but so will water from the tap. this is just more portable.
The pH neutral and purifying claims also trouble me. Although I don't have any litmus paper on me, anyone who remembers their science classes from school should remember that most water is supposed to be pH neutral. Water ceases to be pH neutral when it is mixed with other things - hence why most rainwater in cities has a pH closer to 5.5 (aka acid rain), because the air is full of pollution. Of course another by-product of city life is that the water tends to be harder, i.e. it is full of limescale (or calc). That scummy layer around your sink or bathtub? the white dots that form on the washing up when they dry on the side or are fresh out the dishwasher, the white powder on the shower curtain - that is calc, and that is what is in the water in Paris (or most other big cities). If you have ever lived in a soft water area, you know you need to use less shampoo and soap to get a good lather, that your hair is bouncier after washing, and the water tastes better. That is what makes the water in Evian le Brumisateur different, it is simply more like water is supposed to be than the water that comes out the tap.
Does it set make up? No. If pure water set makeup, every time we went out in the rain our mascara would stay exactly where it was, not run down our cheeks (apologies for the heavy sarcasm there). It may make your moisturiser go on better, but then I was always told to apply moisturiser (face and body) onto slightly damp skin rather than totally dry. Again this makes it no more effective than normal water.
So does this product work? Yes and no. If you are hot and the air is dry, this is going to make you feel better and more refreshed, just from spraying cool water on your face. It may make applying moisturiser easier, but no more than not completely drying your face before its application. Aside from that, it is what is says on the front - water in a can. Make sure you are drinking the recommended amount of water everyday and spend your money elsewhere.
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