I Started Washing My Face With Micellar Water and Here's What Happened
I ve been on a mission to overhaul my skin care routine. It started out intense with scrubs, peels, and laser treatments, but now in skin rehab, I’ve put the brakes on harsh ingredients and products in exchange for gentler ones. And you know what? My skin has been really happy about it.
That’s why I decided to take it one step further—a few weeks ago, I started washing my face exclusively with micellar water. Yes, it’s a long-time skincare secret of French women, but it’s quickly catching on here in the U.S., and for good reason. Micellar water might look like your run-of-the-mill face toner or makeup remover, but it’s much more than that. It’s a great daily face wash. You just soak a cotton pad with it and wipe the day off. It’s the perfect way to balance your skin because it gets it clean and moisturizes it at the same time.
“Micellar water has been around for over a hundred years,” says Los Angeles Dermatologist Dr. Ava Shamban. “Originally it was used by Parisians as an alternative to the harsh water supply.”
She gives micellar water a thumbs up because she says it really does work thanks to one simple ingredient: Micelles. They're tiny oil molecules suspended in water that work to pull dirt and oil out of the skin without leaving it dry or stripped.
I had three different brands of micellar water to choose from when I started: one by Simple Skincare, another by Avene, and third, Bioderma from France. All three removed my makeup and felt nice on my skin, but I decided to stick with Bioderma since it's the product that started the trend.
Now, to be clear, I wet my face in my morning showers, I just don't use face cleanser. Instead, I wipe my face down with micellar water afterwards, and continue with my normal skincare routine. At night, I use it to completely remove my makeup (and clean my entire face), and again, follow with my skincare routine.
It feels similar to using a face wipe twice a day, but my skin always looks squeaky clean after micellar water. There’s never even a trace of mascara or eyeliner (show me a face wipe that can do that!).
Dr. Shamban agrees. She says, “The advantage to using micellar water over makeup wipes is that micellar water can be wiped completely clean with a cotton ball, and it does not need to be rinsed off, which makes it great for travel. Plus, it contains no alcohol, so it does not sting, and it is suited for all skin types.”
Plus, the results of my skin say it all. It feels more hydrated, and some really stubborn dermatitis (red, flaky patches) around my nose have finally disappeared. I expected my skin to look dull quickly into this experiment, but it looks better than ever and I haven’t broken out at all. Now I know why it’s a must-have beauty product among French women—it works!
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