Simple Skincare - Cleansing Micellar Water

What is Micellar Water?

Micellar Water, well known in French pharmacies is a gentle, effective cleanser & makeup remover that purifies the skin.

The formula is made of micelles, tiny round molecules that float around in soft water. Micelles are attracted to dirt, grime, & oil. When used on the skin, it pulls all of those impurities without drying the skin.

Micellar water is suitable for all skin types, especially sensitive skin.

I first heard of Micellar water about a year ago. And believe it or not, it's been around for years. It originated in the 90's, generally to help Parisian women deal with the regions harsh waters. UK Makeup Artists swear by Micellar Water & recommend it in their makeup kit, as its great for cleansing/removing makeup without water.

Since Micellar water is well known in the UK & in French pharmacies, it is a little harder to find in the states. In early 2015, Beautylish.com started carrying Bioderma. A well known & highly recommend brand for Micellar water. I was super excited about this because U.S. residents could now get the famous French brand at ease with little to no shipping costs. However, it was so popular and high in demand that every time I was ready to place an order they were sold out. By the time it finally came back in stock I discovered Simple Skincare's Micellar water. Now, I'm not sure if this an exact dupe to Bioderma, but I decided to go with the Simple brand for obvious reasons:
1) It's available at most drugstores. I got mine at Target. 
2) It's affordable! $6.99 (Target) $8.99 (CVS) 
3) It gets the job done!

Micellar Water is pretty simple to use. All you need it a few cotton rounds. The process is quite similar to using a toner, however without the tingly/tightening feeling. There is no scent to Simple's Micellar water.

Simple Skincare - Cleansing Micellar Water $6.99/198ml

Simple Skincare - Micellar Water | Ingredients

How I include Simple Micellar Water in my skincare routine -

I use Micellar Water in the morning & at night. When I wake up in the morning I splash my face with some cold water & use a little Micellar Water to remove any oil/dirt. For end of day use, when I'm wearing a full face of makeup, I wash my face throughly with a face cleanser & then use some Micellar Water to remove anything that was left behind. One cotton round is usually enough for me. 

I definitely don't recommend Micellar Water as your primary product for removing a full face of makeup. If you wear very minimal makeup, like say some concealer and light powder then you can get away with a few cotton rounds of this stuff.

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Although Simple's Micellar Water works like a charm, it is not effective in removing waterproof products. I still have to go in with an oil-based makeup remover to completely remove my gel liner & mascara.

Having said that, I would still like to try the French favorite, Bioderma. I was really close to purchasing a bottle of Bioderma while I was on vacation in Hawaii. But it was overpriced! If you live in Honolulu,Hawaii, and desperately need some Bioderma Micellar water, you can find it at Don Quijote in the Beauty section for $34.99! Yes, you read that right, $34.99/500ml. Or head over to Beautylish.com. A 500ml bottle sells at $19.99.

Do you use Micellar Water? What is your favorite brand? Xo