Is Micellar Water Good for the Skin?

While micellar water has been around for decades, it’s popularity increased around 2010, as a preferable choice to the sticky, heavily fragranced makeup removing wipes most people were using previously. Micellar water is a staple in a lot of homes, and granted, to the naked eye seems like a quick and easy way to remove makeup.    

Does wiping Micellar water remove everything? What happens to the residue of Micellar water and any oil and make up that might be left on the skin? 

Unfortunately, as we all come to learn and accept, more often than not the ‘quick and easy’ route is generally not how you get to the best destination (which in this case, is healthy, glowing, youthful skin).  
 
Micellar water, put simply, is used as a cleanser. It can come in different varieties, each bottle marketed to a different skin care need. For example, there are ones for dehydrated skin containing moisturizing ingredients like aloe and or botanical glycerin and, another for acne-prone skin containing charcoal and salicylic acid. While these ingredients can be beneficial to the skin, the application of and mechanism of micellar water leaves much to be desired.  

How much of the moisturizing and acne healing ingredients are actually left on the skin if it’s designed to be wiped off?  

Micellar water is an emulsion or colloidal suspension where small enough amounts of ingredients are suspended in water so the solution feels like water. A colloidal suspension cleanses by surrounding make up, oil and dirt for ease of removal. Wiping alone isn’t enough to remove any residue of the Micellar water and any make up, oil, and dirt from the skin completely.   
 
After using an emulsion to soften make up, surface oil and dirt, it makes sense to use water to rinse the skin thoroughly and gently wipe excess water and any residue off, as we do when using the Metrin Skincare System’s #1 Deep Cleanser. Using water to rinse lifts and removes, together with the gentle wiping motion of a towel, any make up, dirt, oil and loose dead skin cells more thoroughly. Using a soft microfiber towel like the Renew Your Face Towel (RYFT) is not only gentle on the skin but with the increased surface area of the soft microfiber material, it increases the capacity to remove any residual cleanser, dirt, oil and make up. 

Ok, after rinsing Micellar water and cleansed residue off the skin, is the skin clean enough? 

The standard and suggested way of using micellar water as a cleanser/makeup remover is to dispense some out onto a cotton pad and wipe your skin  until all the makeup *seems* to be removed. This usually requires several cotton pads, and lots of wiping the skin. Excess wiping can  result in skin irritation (especially around the eyes as eye makeup is often waterproof and therefor much harder to remove) which over time, could lead to wrinkles and fine lines. But worse, if micellar water is your only cleanser, then unfortunately, no matter how long you spent wiping and pulling your skin with a damp cotton pad, your skin will still not be fully clean.   

The best way to cleanse the skin. 

The only way to guarantee your skin is completely free of dirt, makeup, oil and dead skin cells is double cleansing. Double cleansing has been the corner stone of the Metrin Skincare System since its invention in 1932. But it’s not just any double cleansing.

The first step in the Metrin Skincare System uses an oil and water based colloidal solution for optimal cleansing. 

Why an oil based colloidal cleanser is better than a water based one 

An oil based colloidal cleanser makes it easier to remove any surface oil by softening it – and it also works to soften make up and accumulated dirt on the skin. The oil and water colloidal cleanser – like the #1 Deep Cleanser– softens and lift the oil (natural sebum and sweat excreted by the skin), make up, dirt and loose dead skin cells in a suspension AND also makes it easier to be rinsed off the skin with water. Combined with a gentle wiping off any residue with a soft clean towel, the skin is cleansed bare – with minimal skin irritation.    

The #1 Deep Cleanser containing certified organic cold-pressed sunflower seed oil helps soften oil secreted by the skin (sebum), make up  and trap dirt, environmental impurities and loose dead skin cells. Oil based cleansers “contain surfactants that has both oil & water loving ends. Dirt & oil from the skin get attracted to the oil loving ends & eventually gets suspended to the water loving end. Double cleansing should always start with an oil based cleanser. This is optimal for thorough makeup removal. On splashing water, all the dirt and oil gets rinsed with the water loving end, leaving the surface (skin) clean.” 

After oil, make up and dirt is removed, is the skin clean enough?  

After whatever is on the skin is removed gently, then the skin can be properly cleansed (includes gentle exfoliation). It’s like removing your dirty clothes before you can wash your body or like cleaning and removing the dirty carpet before you can clean the floor underneath.  
 
Once the skin is cleansed bare, a foaming lathering cleanser is used to cleanse the skin, reduce excess bacteria growth (to help the skin maintain the pH of its naturally protect acid mantle), remove trapped oil and dirt in the pores and lift up the any remaining dead skin cells (softened by the first cleanse) to gently exfoliate the skin.  

The #2 Lathering Cleanser of the Metrin Skincare System, is a gentle exfoliating cleanser containing plant-based, cellulose-derived exfoliating agents. The #2 Lathering Cleanser is a gentle liquid exfoliant that helps stimulate collagen production and cell renewal. The bubbles formed by the Lathering Cleanser cleanses deep into your pores, removing bacteria and dead skin cells.  

Gentle but effective Double Cleansing. Over 92 years of Proven Results.

Both of the double cleansing steps are applied gently with your own two hands, no rubbing, dragging or repetitive wiping involved. They are removed with warm water and with a soft clean towel like our ultra soft luxurious microfiber Renew Your Face Towel.  

Double Cleansing Sets Your Skin for Perfect Hydration, Protection and Nourishment.

After double cleansing your skin will feel squeaky clean, and will look incredibly bright. After cleansing with micellar water, skin tends to feel slightly sticky and tight, and as it does not effectively remove dead skin cells, it will not achieve the same radiance and brightness as double cleansing does. If you are interested in learning more about double cleansing, click here.  
 
But the most important reason for cleansing your skin properly is to prepare your skin for layering hydration , protection and nourishment. Without any cleansing residue, oil, dirt and make up to interfere, the skin can more efficiently benefit from the hydration, protection and nourishment that follows. 

We are not saying Micellar water is completely useless, but we urge you to consider that all aspects of caring for your skin needs to work together with your skin synergistically. One convenient feature of a skin care product isn’t enough when considering the care of your skin holistically.  

References:

1. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-is-micellar-water
2. https://www.edinformatics.com/math_science/suspensions_colloids.htm?fullweb=1#:~:text=Emulsions%20are%20a%20type%20of%20colloid&text=An%20example%20would%20be%20oil,a%20cloudy%20suspension%20is%20formed
3. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/oil-cleansers-everything-you-need-know-innovation-rakesh-dahiya/