I've been intrigued by the micellar explosion over the blogging world now for months, all started by the highly-acclaimed Bioderma. What was famed for being a make-up artist secret made its way on the highstreet - but only in France initially. Thankfully however more and more brands are now releasing their own versions within many different price ranges.
I don't know why I never decided to jump on the bandwagon before, maybe I was skeptical about how good it actually was after it had been so over-hyped.
Micellar waters generally offer thorough cleansing and makeup removal in the most gentle way possible (no more hopping manically around the bathroom fearing you've lost your eyesight due to what can only be described as acid in a bottle). Those days are gone.
The science behind the magic:
skip over this if you're already clued up!
- 'Micelle' is a microscopic cluster of oil molecules suspended in soft water – (complicated right?)
- The clusters are hydrophobic and oil-loving,
therefore grabbing and absorbing dirt and makeup without breaking
or upsetting the skin’s natural lipid (fat) barrier like a foaming or rinsing
cleanser would. (those that contain sulphates).
- Alcohol and soap free, they can be used
as a gentle makeup remover, after-cleansing toner or as a non-rinse
cleanser for sensitive skins – most formulations also contain soothing
and softening ingredients like glycerin, cucumber and rose that
contribute to the soft, clean feel they leave behind.
In short, they are the lazy girl's dream. It's perfect for those late nights which led us to neglect our skin and not take off our makeup or a quick fix in an emergency. What is important to note though is it is
not to replace your normal cleansing routine.. as tempting as it is. We've all been there, exhausted and staring at bed longingly, but not wanting to feel and look like a crack addict in the morning. But over use of micellar waters do
dry out your skin. (the lovely skin genius Caroline Hirons warns pixiwoo about it in this video -
here! This woman's word is God on skincare).
So, with all the warnings in mind, I couldn't not try out this micellar solution when I walked past it in tescos. It was on sale for buy one get one free! and was priced at just £4.99. A huge bargain!
This one claims to be great for even sensitive skin which is great and I can testify it does not sting your skin and does infact just feel exactly like water which does make your skin feel really refreshed. The Glycerin in this one acts as a calming agent. As you can see from the picture i've got through quite a lot and all you do is apply using a cotton pad straight on to dry skin.
I like to soak two cotton pads in the water and then leave them on my eyes. When I wipe it away almost all the eye makeup is gone.
I'll be totally honest the only time I did experience a bit of irritation was when the cotton pad was over saturated and alott of it ran into my eyes.. that hurt a tiny bit. But mostly my own fault! It's pretty unfragranced and claims to be totally hypo-allergenic - which is always good. A nice short ingredients list on the back of the product is always promising too.
On the whole I was very pleased with this product and I'll be using it for all sorts of situations where I need to get makeup off quickly. Just don't neglect your normal cleansers!
I'll link up Caroline Hirons blog -
here - for you guys (she really really knows her stuff).
Much love,
Natalie xxx
