My top 3 affordable micellar water: Must-try products!

Micellar water is a very gentle yet effective product that is well-known for its cleansing ability. Using micelles (tiny molecules), micellar water can remove any makeup dirt, even waterproof products, or environmental impurities left on your skin, without causing irritation.

I personally prefer micellar water to any other kind of makeup remover (like a balm, oil, or wipe). And these products below have definitely been my best choices ever! They are super affordable and suitable for all skin types, from oily, dry, breakout to even super sensitive skin. Really worth buying!

1. Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water Sensitive Skin ($9/400ml)

It is a real bargain! Just less than ten bucks for such a big bottle.

Packaging:

• This big-size bottle is quite not portable when traveling. Buying a travel-size instead of pouring it into a smaller container/spray bottle will be a lot easier to carry around.

• It has a simple pop-up cap, so be careful when putting it into your makeup bag, since the water may spill out.

Texture and fragrance:

• Its texture is water-like and non-greasy.

• It has no fragrance at all.

Effectiveness:

• It can completely remove my daily water-resistant sunscreen. When I put on the cushion, foundation powder, or blush, I need about 3-4 cotton pads soaked in Garnier micellar water to take all of them away.

• With waterproof eyeliners or matte lipsticks, I put a cotton pad on my eyes/lips for about 10 seconds, and then the residues are easier to wipe away.

• My face feels fresh, light, and not overly dry at all, and plus no irritation. Love it!

2. Bioderma Sensibio H2O Makeup Removing Micelle Solution ($15/500ml)

Every skincare-obsessed woman must hear about this product! It is massively popular with an average of 4.6-star on Amazon. That’s say a lot about its quality!

Packaging:

• It has a pop-up cap, and mine is a pump edition (just put a cotton pad onto it and press, then the water will come out). I like this one more than the traditional cap.

• It is even bigger than Garnier, so it is also quite not convenient when carrying around. However, Bioderma also offers a smaller size, which is 100ml, that is far more portable and easy to fit in my bag.

• Its lid is very tight and cannot be opened, so just put it everywhere you want as it won’t spill out.

Texture and fragrance:

• It is transparent, colorless, and looks completely like water.

• I can smell a little bit of scent when applying it onto my face, but I find it quite pleasant. It is slight and quickly disappears.

Effectiveness:

• I am really amazed by how it works. I can almost clean my makeup with just 2-3 cotton pads, without struggling! Its cleansing ability is certainly better than Garnier since it can remove my makeup a lot quicker.

• Water-proof mascara/eyeliner or matte lipsticks are not a problem. It is perfectly removed after a couple of wipes.

• It does not contain alcohol, so I feel refreshed and moisturized at the same time. It also contains Fatty Acid Esters and lots of floral extract, which can regenerate the hydrolipid film and nourish our skin.

• It left a pleasant feeling, like there is nothing on my face at all. No greasy, no stinging sensation.

Totally love it!

3. La Roche-Posay Effaclar Micellar Water Ultra Oily Skin ($15.99/400ml)

Another worldwide famous makeup remover! It is for oily skin, but taking a quick look at its ingredient, I see Sodium Hydroxide - which can absorb moisture from the environment to our skin, and Zinc PCA - which is an anti-inflammatory, help to calm and soothe skin. Therefore, acne-prone, dry, or even sensitive skin can also give it a try!

Packaging:

• It is such a huge bottle like the other two products I’ve mentioned, with a simple cosmeceutical design, and also has a smaller size (100ml).

• Its lid is quite tight, but it is openable (not as tight as Bioderma), so still, be careful when putting it in your bag.

Texture and fragrance:

• Gentle, oil-free, and water-like texture.

• It does contain fragrance, but since it stands at the bottom of the ingredient list, it is acceptable to me. Its scent is very slight, and I find it quite comfortable.

Effectiveness:

• Its cleansing ability is kind of equivalent to Bioderma. It can remove my makeup residues easily within 3-4 cotton pads, with no heavy rubbing or scrubbing, including water-proof products (hold the pad in eyes/lips for 10 seconds for better and quicker cleansing).

• It keeps my face clean, smooth, and fresh afterward, with no sign of greasy or shiny. My skin dries quite fast and looks completely matte.

• It does not cause acne, itchy sensation or any kind of problems. A great product to try!

What is your holy-grail micellar water product? Share with me by dropping a comment below!