Can A Water Filter Get You “Healthier” Skin? An Investigation

I’ve tried a lot of things in the name of healthier, clearer skin: Facials, lasers, saunas, and more products than I could ever keep count. One stone that had yet to be unturned in my skincare journey, however, was a water filter — not for drinking, but for washing my face. 

I know what you’re thinking: Wow, that’s a whole lot of effort to put into improving your skincare routine — and yes, yes it is. (Although in my defense, it’s a step down from models who exclusively wash their faces with bottled water. I’m not making this up.) I’ll admit, even for how much I care about my skin (which, due in no small part to my job as a beauty journalist, is probably more than your average human), I’ve never paid a ton of mind to how much tap water affects my skin. But it makes sense that it would, right? Depending on where you live, the water flowing through your pipes is likely treated with chemicals to make it safe to drink, shower, and wash dishes with, but could it actually be contributing to acne and other inflammatory skin concerns? Here's what I found.

Filterbaby claims that by removing both chemical and physical particles from your tap water, you can get healthier, clearer skin. While I'm not a water expert or a dermatologist, I can speak to my experience using the device — let's get into it.

One thing to know about me is that I’m very bad at any kind of home improvement task. I outsource that stuff 100% of the time, so the thought of installing my own Filterbaby did make me nervous. Fortunately for me, in terms of difficulty, I would say the whole thing was about as complex as installing a Tushy bidet. Being the savvy startup it is, Filterbaby’s packaging included a QR code to a step-by-step video tutorial guiding users through setup, and the kit included everything I needed to get started: The filter unit, aerator adaptors, and silicone rings to ensure mess-free flow. From there, it was a pretty simple process of removing the sink's aerator (the tiny ring that diffuses the water stream), fitting an adaptor with which to connect the Filterbaby unit, and screwing the attachment onto to faucet.

Before your first use, the instructions recommend flushing the filter out with water for a minute. Then, you're all ready to go: Using the handle on the Filterbaby unit, you can toggle between three modes: Filtered, regular tap, and a water-saving eco mode. I will say, after my first use, I found myself mainly enjoying the stronger water pressure and stream the filtered mode afforded me. It felt very luxurious — like a mini rain shower for your bathroom sink.

At $99 (or $79 if you sign up for the brand's subscribe & save replacement filter recurring order), Filterbaby is comparably priced to other luxe beauty gadgets and gizmos on the market. Many reviewers claimed they noticed a difference in their skin within weeks of beginning their Filterbaby journey; within my two-week trial, I can't say I was blown away by the results, but 1) my skin definitely didn't get worse in terms of either breakouts or inflammation, and 2) the drier areas of my face (like my cheeks and forehead) did feel a bit softer and more supple. (Then again, I do take my skincare routine very seriously.) I live in Miami, which by my unscientific standards, has Very Okay water quality; sure, it's not NYC tap water (which is nearly perfect in my opinion), but I personally can't complain. That being said, I think it can't hurt my skin to be more mindful of the water I use to clean it, so I'm optimistic about the long-term results of having better-quality tap water at the touch of a fancy faucet. Will it transform my skin singlehandedly? I'm not expecting it to. But is it a solid investment if you pride yourself on taking impeccable care of your skin? Magic 8 Ball says: Signs point to yes.