Micellar Water

What is micellar water?  Should you pay $10-20 for a bottle of French water to wash your face?  Micellar water is now available from a number of cosmetic companies including Garnier, Simple, Avene, Bioderma and many more.  Bioderma was the first in this recent trend that according to cosmetic companies started with French women who wanted to avoid their harsh water supply.

What is a micelle?  A micelle is a surfactant ball.  Surfactants are an important component to all soaps and anything that lathers.  For an excellent science lesson and review, I would recommend reading this article by Lab Muffin.  http://www.labmuffin.com/what-is-micellar-water-and-how-does-it-work/ and check out the diagram below.

What are the active ingredients in these waters?   Again I will defer to lab muffin who compares the active ingredients of the most common brands in the table below. 

How do you use micellar water?  It is applied using a cotton ball or pad and the oil attracting part of the surfactant molecule pulls the oily debris from your face.  It will not remove all makeup and may not work as well for those with really oily skin.  You don’t actually “wash” your face, you use this more like a toner.

How is it different than regular soap?  Proponents and marketers claim it is less harsh than traditional soaps.  I guess the best explanation is that in micellar water the “soap” surfactant is contained in microscopic “micelle” balls.  Otherwise, most of these “waters” don’t have as many other dyes, fragrances and colors like a traditional wash.

Should I try one?   If you are happy with what you are using now, I would stick with it.  If you are looking for something new, try one and let us know how it goes.

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If you would like to find some skin care products that fit best with your skin and your lifestyle, call the office at 3043680111 and stop by our Spring Boutique.