Hi, this is Bakubaku. This article is the text version of my YouTube video "Washing My Face with Evian Every Day — Will It Fix My Eczema?!", with some extra notes added.
The experiment
This challenge tests the theory that washing my face with Evian every day will improve my facial eczema. Duration: 28 days. Not just face washing — hair washing and rinsing too, all with Evian. Zero tap water on my head or face.
My eczema profile: it's worst on my face. I applied a topical steroid (Kindavate) to my face for about 20 years, which thinned my skin and left it chronically red — so over the past few months I've worked hard to stop using steroids on my face. My body goes through waves: when it's stable I don't need steroids, but when it flares up, I use quite a lot.
Why Evian?
Years ago I read an article about a famous overseas model who washed her face only with Evian. Apparently a legendary Japanese pop star has a similar rumor. I actually tried this about 10 years ago, but I did it casually without a plan and gave up. This time I'm doing it properly, accounting for the skin turnover cycle.
The goal: say goodbye to residual chlorine in tap water. Chlorine is said to affect skin proteins and weaken the skin barrier, which can cause dryness, itching, and redness. Evian is French hard water. If I wash, shampoo, and rinse entirely with it, the chlorine factor goes to zero — that's the idea.
Fun fact: when I live in Tokyo my body eczema mostly stays quiet, but when I go back to my hometown in Chiba it flares up fast. Is it the water? That's another experiment for the future.
The cost problem
Twelve 750ml bottles of Evian cost me 2,460 yen (205 yen per bottle). On day one, a single face-and-hair wash used up an entire bottle. Day two, I tried a saving strategy: wet my hands with a little Evian first and lather before washing. I barely managed with one bottle, but honestly it felt under-rinsed... I have short hair, so if you have long hair this would be brutal. Cost-effectiveness looks rough, but if it eases my eczema even a little, it's worth trying.
My current skincare (the Evian-life alternative)
Actually, I've recently been living with an alternative to the Evian life: a combination of Avène thermal water spray and the highest-purity petroleum jelly, Sun White. Seriously recommended.
Here's the routine: (1) After a tap-water shower, spray Avène on my face. (2) Wipe once with a tissue — imagine rinsing off the tap water. (3) Spray Avène again, like a toner. (4) After a moment, seal it in with Sun White. The concept is close to the Evian life: replacing tap water with Avène. This stabilized my skin enough that I no longer need steroids on my face.
Avène Thermal Spring Water Spray
For the post-shower "tap water reset" and as a toner substitute. I use the big bottle. (PR: contains affiliate links)
Sun White P-1 (high-purity petroleum jelly)
The highest-purity petroleum jelly available in Japan. I use it to seal in moisture after Avène. (PR: contains affiliate links)
The 4 grades of petroleum jelly
Until I researched it, I didn't even know petroleum jelly came in grades. From least to most refined: (1) Yellow petrolatum — the cheap drugstore kind; more impurities, can irritate sensitive skin. (2) White petrolatum — further refined, commonly used in hospitals. (3) Propeto — refined further still; pure enough for ophthalmic use. (4) Sun White — Propeto refined even more; the highest purity available in stores. The further right you go, the fewer impurities and the gentler on skin.
In my case, even Propeto didn't agree with my skin, but Sun White didn't worsen the redness. These subtle differences really matter for eczema skin. With other petroleum jellies, the greasy over-sealing can apparently trap bacteria between the jelly and inflamed skin, keeping the redness going. If your petrolatum moisturizer feels 'meh', switching grades is worth a try.
One more important thing: prescription ointments are often steroids mixed into a base like petrolatum or Propeto. If you changed hospitals and the same-strength steroid suddenly feels different, the base may be the reason. It's worth finding out what your ointment is actually made of — and of course, talk to your doctor first.
Results in about a month
The experiment runs 28 days to match the skin turnover cycle. That said, for people in their 30s–40s turnover takes 40–45 days (and I'm a bit over 30...), so I may extend it if nothing changes by day 28. Results coming in Part 2 — stay tuned! And if something has worked for your eczema, please share it in the comments.