Micellar water has
become really popular in the past couple of years all over the world.
You’ve probably seen many adverts about it and it showed up on the
shelves of many makeup stores. In some countries it’s so commonly
used that it’s sold in regular drug stores too. But what is it? How
does it work? What is it made of and is it really the miracle product
it’s made out to be? You’ll find the answers to these and other
questions below.
1. What Is
Micellar Water?
Micellar water is
the most popular cleansing product these days. It cleanses your face
from makeup and dirt that got on it during the day. It won’t be
super effective with waterproof mascara, but you can definitely take
off your foundation and lipstick and normal mascara with it. It’s
also a good alternative to washing your face with soap and water,
since micellar water is gentler on the skin. It cleanses the skin it
without drying it out. So it leaves you feeling fresh and clean. Many
women in France use it instead of washing their face with water in
the morning.
2. How To Use
Micellar Water?
Micellar water is
very easy to use. You just squirt some onto a cotton pad and wipe
your face with it. Repeat until the cotton pad seems clean and
there’s no makeup traces left on it or your face. It’s a great
product to take with you when travelling since you don’t need to
wash it off.
3. What Is
Micellar Water Made Of?
Micellar water
usually is made up of two main ingredients. One of them is obviously
water and the other one is a surfactant. Surfactants are ingredients
that are made up of molecules that trap oils. You can find these in
lots of things you use every day like dish soap, detergent, face
wash, shower gel, shampoo, moisturizers and even mayonnaise.
4. How Does
Micellar Water Work?
So those cool
surfactant molecules in micellar water have a hydrophilic head and a
lipophilic tail. This means that the head is attracted to water and
repels oil and the take is vice versa. When you have enough of these
molecules in water they arrange themselves into clusters called
micelles, hence the name micellar water. When you pour the micellar
water onto a cotton pad the clusters arrange themselves head down,
and tail up. So when you then wipe your face with it, the tails soak
up the oils from your face (sebum, dirt, makeup) and trap it, while
the water in the micellar water gives you the feeling of freshness.
5. Can You Use
Micellar Water If You Have Sensitive Skin?
Generally speaking,
yes. Micellar water is a very gentle cleanser, so it shouldn’t
irritate your skin. But just in case check the ingredients on the
bottle in case it has additives that you might be allergic to, or
fragrances that might irritate your skin. Ideally micellar water
shouldn’t have fragrances added to it.
6. Should You Wash
My Face After Using Micellar Water?
You can rinse it with just water if you want, but it’s not necessary. Some people like double cleansing, so they use micellar water first to remove makeup and follow up with a regular cleanser. You can also just use micellar water and follow up with a toner.
