What filtered water actually does to your skin — measured by probe, not by feel.
Most skincare brands run surveys. We ran cell studies, in-vivo barrier studies with calibrated instruments, a dermatologist-supervised clinical study, and a structured 30-day consumer study. Here's what the data shows.
Cells in filtered water close wounds 69% faster.
We scratched a line across living skin cells, treated one group with tap water, one with Filterbaby-filtered water, and measured closure under a microscope.
Tap water: 33.2% closure. Filterbaby: 56.14%. Same cells. Same lab. Same scratch. Different water.
The mechanism is straightforward — when chlorine isn't actively damaging keratinocytes, they can do what they're designed to do: divide, migrate, and repair.
3rd-party certified in-vitro, February 2025. Performed in triplicate.
at 24 hours
Four instruments. One conclusion.
Chlorine strips the lipids that hold your skin barrier together. Lose those, and moisture escapes, irritants get in, repair slows down.
We tested Filterbaby-filtered water against tap on real human skin using four calibrated instruments — not surveys. Every instrument measured a different aspect of barrier function, and every instrument moved in the same direction.
3rd-party certified in-vivo study on human volunteers, February 2025.
14 days. 63% more hydration. Measured by probe.
Not a survey. 35 people (ages 16–65, various skin types) used Filterbaby for 14 days. Hydration was measured with the same instrument used in published dermatology research.
Dermatologist-supervised at a 3rd-party European lab. Not run by us. Hydration improved 63%. Radiance — self-reported by the same cohort — improved 61%.
CE Way lab, 2020. Dermatologist-supervised. 35 participants.
in skin hydration
skin radiance
160 people. 30 days. What changed.
A structured longitudinal study with a defined cohort — not a review collection. 160 participants, ages 18–69, after 30 days of daily use.
30-day longitudinal study, February 2026. 160 participants, ages 18–69. Individual experiences may vary.
Not all "tested" means the same thing.
Most brands survey customers and call it a study. We also look at the cells, the instruments, and the dermatologist-supervised data.
| Evidence type | What it proves | Filterbaby | Industry |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-vitro cell studies | Cellular changes — growth, wound closure, lipid activity. Controlled and reproducible. | ✓ | ✕ |
| In-vivo human study | Measured on real skin with calibrated instruments. | ✓ | ✕ |
| Clinical instrumentation | Hydration and barrier measured by probe, not self-report. | ✓ | ✕ |
| Dermatologist-supervised | Run by dermatologists at a 3rd-party lab. Not the brand. | ✓ | Rare |
| Consumer study | Structured longitudinal survey. Not curated reviews. | ✓ | ✓ |
| NSF-standard filtration | Lab-verified removal rates under challenge conditions. | ✓ | Some |
You'll wash your face about 58,000 times in your lifetime.
That water is either helping your barrier or wearing it down. Our lab data shows what happens when you take the chlorine out: cells grow faster, wounds close faster, the barrier gets stronger. That's not marketing — it's biology.
* Scratch wound assay: 3rd-party certified in-vitro, February 2025. Triplicate. EVOS Light microscope (10x), ImageJ.
** Barrier study: 3rd-party certified in-vivo on human volunteers. Corneometer, Vapormeter, ATR-FTIR. February 2025.
*** Clinical study: CE Way lab, 2020. 35 participants (14M, 21F), ages 16–65. Callegari 1930 Soft Plus Probe. Dermatologist-supervised.
**** Consumer study: 30-day longitudinal, February 2026. 160 participants, ages 18–69.
Individual experiences and results may vary. This page is provided as an educational reference; it is not medical advice.
