The Micellar Solutions / Waters Stash

Tuesday 29 April 2014

Two or so years ago, I had never heard of Micellar Solutions or Waters, but now they are simply everywhere with new ones coming onto the market at rapid speed.  Currently I have four in my beauty stash that I like to rotate.

What are Micellar Solutions / Waters?
Micellar Solutions / Waters are basically tiny 'micelle' molecules that are suspended in a solution such as water.  Micelles act like a gentle soap-free surfactant thanks to their 'fatty acid esters' composition, so they help to break down sebum and makeup on the face.  Also because they are already in a water-like solution, extra ingredients can be easily added for skincare benefits, hence why you see many which are multi-purpose and often labeled as '3 in 1' products.   

How do you use Micellar Solutions / Waters? 
I mainly use them as a superficial first cleanse to remove makeup in the evening with cotton wool pads.  I find that they're great for getting rid of the bulk of my makeup very quickly, so they're ideal to use if you're coming in from a late night or have just had a particularly busy or stressful day and want to get on with other things.  Personally, I don't use them to replace a cleanser because I don't feel like that they remove everything, so I view them more of a first step makeup remover in my skincare routine.  I sometimes also use them after I've used a thick cleansing balm to help remove any residue and instead of a toner.  

 Here are the ones that I currently use:-
REN Rosa Centifolia 3 in 1 Cleansing Water* (200ml, £13, link)
One of my favourites is this one from REN which has a lovely light rose scent to it.  It's refreshing and soothing to use, but also helps to tighten up pores a little thanks to the natural tannins in the formula.  Out of all of the multi-purpose micellar waters I've tried so far, REN's offering in my opinion, actually lives up to its claims and can be used as a general makeup remover, first step cleanser and toner.

L'Oreal Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution (200ml, £4.99, link)
The newest addition to my micellar stash comes from L'Oreal which I picked up recently for half-price in Superdrug.  I've only used this twice so far, but I thought it did an excellent job of removing most of my makeup and it didn't make my skin feel dry or tight.  A great budget option to try.

Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micelle Solution (250ml, £9.99, link)
The micellar solution that started the whole craze off!  I do love this a lot; it's very gentle (feels like water) so perfect for sensitive skin, removes makeup, doesn't irritate my eyes and feels wonderfully refreshing on the skin.  Is it the best?  I'd say definitely yes for sensitive skin types!

Pulpe De Vie Shake Me Baby 4 in 1 Micellar Water* (125ml, £13, link)
Pulpe De Vie's Shake Me Baby has a 99.4% natural formula and features 29.8% organic ingredients which include a fruit and flower cocktail of Tomato water, Grapefruit extract, Cornflower Extract, Melissa Water and fairtrade Sunflower Oil.  The oil and the vegetable glycerins sit on top of the water, so you simply shake it before using to mix it all up.  This is fantastic for removing makeup, daily dirt and grime, and excess sebum, and feels very hydrating and nourishing as a first step cleanser.

What are your favourite Micellar Solutions / Waters?

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28 comments

  1. I've heard a lot recently that the L'Oreal solution is a good alternative to bioderma... glad you like it :)

    Style Sunrise

    :) x

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  2. My favourite at the moment is the Garnier Micellar. I've tried the L'Oreal one but I think the packaging lets it down - too much product floods out at once!

    Jaq @ www.lazydaysbeauty.com

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    1. I agree! I'd like to try the Garnier one once I've used some of these up x

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  3. After Bioderma the Garnier version is my fave. How did we survive before micellar water! ;) xx

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  4. I'm like you, I only use micellars as makeup removers, never as a cleanser.

    The L'Oreal one is prob my fave due to how accessible and affordable it is but the bottle is a pain, so much pours out.
    xo

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    1. The packaging is so annoying, I'm hoping that they re-do it because I've seen so many complaints about it xx

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  5. I think I'm going to try the REN one after I use up my Bioderma. I have also used the Avene one and that is really gentle on sensitive skins but it wasn't enough for me.

    Danniella x
    www.famousinjapan.co.uk

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    1. Avene's sensitive range is super gentle isn't it? I've tried a few things from it and they never feel like they clean my skin properly x

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  6. So happy to see Pulpe de vie here! nice french brand that I know since a while now....great that UK bloggers start discovering their nice products!
    x

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  7. I'm not so keen on the Loreal one but of course I love the Bioderma one!

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  8. I love the REN one. On non make up days I use it on its own x

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  9. I didn't get on with the L'oreal one at all - it made my eyes so sore and red after a few uses. I hope it works out a little better for you though! Bioderma is still the reigning champion in my opinion, although I haven't tried the REN option (yet!)

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    1. I haven't tried it to remove my eye makeup yet so I might avoid that! Definitely, Bioderma is just fantastic, I love the REN one too x

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  10. The only one I have tried so far is Bioderma but I've been quite interested in giving the L'Oreal one a go. xx
    Celina | The Celution | Bloglovin’

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  11. I've yet to try any micellar waters yet! I was so tempted to get the l'oreal and the bioderma one but after hearing from so many ladies that it doesn't get waterproof mascara off that well I'm going to keep on trying out cleansing oils and gels for my eyes! Thanks for the reviews though, I've heard so much about REN!

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    1. Yes all of these struggle to remove waterproof mascara so I always use a different cleansing balm or oil to remove that. For general makeup they work pretty well though x

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  12. I didn't realise that Pulpe de Vie did one of these - gonna check that out I bet it smells lush! x

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  13. I'm personally not a fan, if I want to do a quick cleanse when I get home from work, I just use toner/floral water on a cotton pad, I'm afraid this trend goes over my head :-)

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  14. I have the Loreal Skin Perfection Micellar Solution, I haven't used a lot of it and I haven't decided yet if I like it or not! One thing for sure, I don't like the packaging, as soon as I opened it the first time, I spilled a lot of product :(
    Great post! x
    Yiota
    pinkdaisyloves.blogspot.com.cy

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    1. I agree, the packaging is awful! Puts me off buying it to be honest because so much is wasted :( x

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