The Micellar Water Showdown
Over the past few years, micellar waters have become incredibly popular and it's not hard to understand why. They're awesome at removing makeup and preparing your skin for a second cleanse. Whilst the cult classic Bioderma has been around for years these types of products are only just making their way onto the high street. And I've tried several of the cheaper alternatives so I thought I'd round them all up today and share what I think the best is.
BIODERMA SENSIBO h2o
Of course, I couldn't write about micellar waters and not talk about the one that started the entire craze. And even though there are so many alternatives out there now some people still swear by the original. It's everything you could want from a micellar water, it's kind and gentle on the skin whilst removing all makeup with ease and isn't at all drying on the complexion. The great thing about Bioderma is that there a number of different formulations for different skin types so there is something out there for everyone. My personal favourite is the Sensibo option as I find it doesn't interfere with the balance of my skin at all.
BIODERMA SÉBIUM H2O
Before I tried the classic red top Bioderma I actually used this version. The Sébium version is for more oily skin types and it's meant to help calm down extra oil production [sebum]. Even when my skin was a lot oiler I did find this drying and a little too harsh on the skin, especially when removing makeup. I can imagine if you have incredibly oily skin then this could be a good option. Especially if you want to have something just to quickly refresh the skin after going to the gym or something. But otherwise, I don't think this is the best option available at a higher price point.
NIVEA SENSITIVE CLEANSING WATER
I'm a big fan of this micellar water from Nivea, especially the sensitive skin version. It's the closest that I've found to something that actually feels like water on the skin whilst still being incredible at removing makeup. Even when wearing a full heavy face of product this makes light work of removing everything without aggravating the skin. And even though these waters shouldn't be confused for a proper cleanser this is the only one I've found that's ok to be used in a pinch and you won't be left with a terrible breakout afterwards. The only downside is the price for the size of the product as it's easy to get down this very quickly.
NO7 BEAUTIFUL SKIN CLEANSING WATER
This was another one from my seriously oily skin days and this has to be the worst micellar water I've ever used. It feels very chemically on the skin and isn't kind on the complexion at all. It caused a lot of eye irritation which isn't what you want when you're using it to remove makeup. There is a normal/dry skin variation which might be completely different in its formulation but I'd be dubious to try that after having such a bad experience with this product.
L'OREAL SKIN PERFECTION MICELLAR WATER
Before the high street really started releasing their own answers to the micellar waters. L'oreal came along with this one and it was well loved across the board. It's kind and gentle to the skin and removes makeup with ease. The packaging isn't the best as it tends to spill out everywhere meaning that product can easily get wasted. And compared to other high street options available now. This one a little more expensive so for that reason it's not one that I'd typically go for as there are better and cheaper options out there.
GARNIER MICELLAR CLEANSING WATER
This is probably the most popular cleansing water on the market right now. It's probably the closest that I've found to Bioderma but it's incredibly budget friendly. I used this happily for a few years until I discovered the Nivea one which I now prefer as it's just a little kinder on the skin. However, this is still a great option as it does everything you want from a micellar water. And as of right now it comes in different formulations and sizes making it suitable for whatever you needs are.
WINNER = NIVEA SENSITIVE CLEANSING WATER
Please note that I don't think these micellar waters are suitable to be used in place of a "real" cleanser. As a makeup remover, they're awesome but they shouldn't be used as your only cleanse but their sneaky marketing makes it appear that way.
What's your favourite micellar water?
R x
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