Vichy Mineralizing Thermal Water for oily skin
Calcium
Magnesium
Potassium
Sodium
BicarbonatesHigh
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for oily skin; a few toners fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers moderate soothing and toning for your oily skin due to Vichy Thermal Water, which contains minerals like calcium and magnesium that provide mild humectant action and calm the skin.
- While it offers general hydration and soothing benefits, it lacks specialized ingredients for effective seboregulation to manage oily shine.
- The product is safe for your oily skin, with no risks of irritation from harsh or prohibited ingredients.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM or PM routine. Start using your soothing toner 3 times a week and work up to daily use if your skin likes it.
- Apply your soothing toner after cleansing and before your moisturizer or SPF.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the soothing toner into your skin with your hands. Let it absorb for a minute before moving on ⏱ to the next step.
- For the best results , apply your soothing toner to slightly damp skin to help it sink in better.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area and do a quick patch test before using the soothing toner for the very first time.
People Say
★4.5Overall rating based on 500+ reviewsUsers consistently praise this thermal water for its ability to instantly soothe sensitive, irritated, or red skin, often describing it as a refreshing "pick-me-up" during the day or post-workout. While many find it an essential step for adding a layer of hydration and setting makeup, a minority of reviewers feel it lacks tangible long-term benefits compared to regular water.
Highlights
Refreshing sensation Mostly Mentioned
- “Cools hot skin”
- “wakes up tired face”
- “great post-gym”
Sensitive skin safe Often Mentioned
- “No stinging”
- “fragrance-free”
- “hypoallergenic”
Soothing and calming Often Mentioned
- “Reduces redness”
- “calms sunburn”
- “relieves itchiness”
Fine mist application Sometimes Noted
- “Even distribution”
- “gentle spray”
- “doesn't drench face”
Versatile usage Sometimes Noted
- “Sets makeup”
- “dampens sponges”
- “preps skin for serum”
Perceived value Sometimes Noted
- “Just expensive water”
- “glorified tap water”
- “overpriced”
Drying effect Rarely Noted
- “Skin feels tight if not moisturized immediately after”
Lack of results Rarely Noted
- “No visible difference”
- “didn't hydrate enough”
- “did nothing”
Nozzle/spray issues Rarely Noted
- “Sprayer clogs”
- “mist not fine enough”
- “stops dispensing”
Sources: lovi.care, ulta.com, vichyusa.com, well.ca, lookfantastic.com, lovelyskin.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Vichy Mineralizing Thermal Water a great fit for oily skin?
Vichy Mineralizing Thermal Water is a great fit for your oily skin because it offers gentle hydration and helps calm your skin without causing irritation. It features minerals like calcium and magnesium, which give it mild water-holding benefits to keep your skin comfortable and smooth. However, because it lacks ingredients specifically targeted at managing oily shine, a product of this type needs specialized oil-balancing ingredients to fully control excess oil.
Which ingredients make this toner a good fit for oily skin?
This toner is a good fit for oily skin because it contains Vichy Thermal Water with minerals like calcium and magnesium, which help calm the skin and provide mild hydration without irritation. These minerals support a safe and soothing routine, though this product type also needs oil-balancing ingredients to fully manage shine.
What does Calcium do for oily skin?
Calcium helps keep oily skin balanced and feeling smooth by supporting the skin barrier. It is unlikely to clog pores and may help keep excess shine under control throughout the day.
What does Magnesium do for oily skin?
Magnesium helps calm redness and balances the skin by supporting a healthy barrier. Because oily skin needs lightweight moisture and irritation control, products with this ingredient should also include oil-balancing and pore-clearing ingredients.
Where does it go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This soothing toner goes after cleansing in your morning routine, and after your makeup remover and cleanser in your evening routine. It provides mild hydration and helps calm your skin safely without any harsh or irritating ingredients.
Can I use this toner with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this toner alongside retinol by applying it right after cleansing to calm and hydrate your skin before your retinol step. It is safe to use together and helps soothe any dryness or irritation that retinol may cause.
How often should I use it?
You can use this soothing toner daily as part of your morning or evening routine to help calm your skin and provide light hydration. It is safe for frequent use with a very low risk of irritation, though it does not help manage oily shine on its own.
Can this toner clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This toner is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on oily skin, as its mineral-rich water formula is very gentle and safe. It helps calm the skin without heavy oils or harsh ingredients that typically trigger pimples.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Combining ulvans and As Burgas thermal spring water in hand cream formulations enhanced skin hydration, reduced tightness, and significantly decreased scaling in 120 healthy volunteers compared to baseline.
Marine Drugs, 2026Menstrual pads containing sodium bicarbonate caused no clinical signs or subclinical vulvar skin irritant reactions in 50 healthy women after 24 hours of patch testing.
The Journal of Reproductive Medicine, 1991Petrolatum-based calcium ointment applied to the lower lid skin significantly improved symptoms, tear dynamics, and ocular surface staining in dry eye patients compared to petrolatum control.
The British Journal of Ophthalmology, 1999The topical application of ascorbyl palmitate and calcium ascorbate in various formulations increased the moisture contents of the skin of volunteers when compared to a commercial Vitamin E preparation.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2004Calcium ascorbate showed a higher skin-hydrating effect than ascorbic acid and a lower effect than tocopherol when applied in emulsions to the inner forearms of volunteers.
Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2006Application of magnesium microneedle patches on under-eye wrinkles for 12 weeks improved the under-eye grading scale and wrinkle index in 20 subjects with minimal discomfort.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Magnesium ions inhibit the antigen-presenting capacity of human epidermal Langerhans cells by reducing the expression of HLA-DR and costimulatory B7 molecules and suppressing tumor necrosis factor-alpha production.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Mesoporous magnesium carbonate provides instant and long-lasting mattifying effects and excellent absorption capacity without drying or irritating the skin, outperforming or matching common powder cosmetic ingredients.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2021Fatty acid potassium improved human dermal fibroblast viability, reduced cytotoxicity, accelerated human epidermal keratinocyte wound healing in vitro, and increased tissue blood flow while removing eschars and debris in human chronic wounds compared to synthetic surfactants SLES and SLS/SDS.
International Wound Journal, 2021Potassium permanganate acts as a mild antiseptic with astringent properties and is utilized in dermatology for treating weeping skin conditions.
Nursing Times, 2003Potassium lactate increases the water-holding capacity of the stratum corneum more than sodium lactate does by increasing the interaction between water molecules and the serine residue of stratum corneum protein.
Experimental Dermatology, 2011A 12-week application of a topical serum containing hesperetin and sodium cyclic lysophosphatidic acid significantly improved stratum corneum hydration and skin elasticity compared to baseline in 35 female subjects with photoaged skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical sodium thiosulfate led to clinical improvement in 68% of 28 patients with calcinosis cutis associated with autoimmune connective tissue diseases, with adverse events occurring in three patients.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2019Topical sodium heparin 1000 IU/g gel demonstrated an excellent efficacy and tolerability profile in reducing signs and symptoms of peripheral vascular disease compared to no treatment.
Cureus, 2023Oral sodium bicarbonate improved Yo-Yo IR2 distance by 21% and repeated sprint completion time by 1.9%, while topical sodium bicarbonate improved repeated sprint time by 2.0% without affecting Yo-Yo IR2 distance, in recreationally trained male athletes compared to placebo.
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2023
Ingredients
Vichy Thermal Water, Bicarbonates, Chloride, Potassium, Fluorine, Sodium, Calcium, Magnesium, Iron, Neutral Ph
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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Victoria Derkova, MS
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Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.