Water sprays are useful mostly to refresh skin after a long, dry plane ride, or to reset makeup at work. But in most cities the tap water is clean enough to use as a substitute, Levine says. And water is only useful as a temporary hydrator: “When water evaporates, it could also take things [like natural protective oils] away from the skin at the same time.”
Levine says she can think of only one clear benefit of using the branded spray bottle. “If the water has a nice smell to it, you might be able to use it as aromatherapy,” she says. But she thinks there are more prudent skin-care choices to be made. “I certainly would rather people spent money on something like sunscreen or a moisturizer, which would at least keep the skin in better condition,” she says. “I don’t think [water spray] is a good bang for your buck.”
