Micellar cleansing products have certainly made a wave in the beauty industry over the past few years, and its popularity continues to grow as more and more customers catch wind of its remarkable and diverse benefits.  For me, it was one of those products I put off trying out until recently, and now, have become completely obsessed.  This seems to be the case for many customers I have spoken with, and perhaps the reason for the product’s dismissal at first glance lies in the title.  For most, “micellar,” is not exactly a word thrown about in casual conversation.  I, for one, had no clue what micellar water involved, aside from it being a facial cleanser, which I only knew from its label.

However, after a little research on micelles and testing Bee Naturals’ Micellar Cleansing Water out for myself, I found its categorization of simply being another cleanser to be far too humble for all it can accomplish.  Micellar water’s abilities stretch well beyond being just another cleanser.  

What makes micellar cleansing water so appealing?

• Effectively removes stubborn makeup, such as, waterproof mascara, without leaving behind an oily film on the skin like most removers.
• Made up of gentle ingredients that are great for hydrating and cleansing those with dry or sensitive skin.
• No water or rinsing required, leaving the skin feeling soft, supple and clean, rather than tight and dry (also makes it great for camping or vacationing where water is not readily available).
• Calms inflammation.
• Balances the PH of the skin, increasing the effectiveness and absorption of products applied directly after its use, such as, serums and moisturizers (some may find their skin is hydrated enough from the micellar water).
• As a successful makeup remover, cleanser and hydrator, the product can easily cut your skin care routine in half.

What is a micelle? 

Micelles are spherical clusters of surfactant molecules suspended in a liquid solution.  Each surfactant molecule has a water loving end (hydrophilic) and an oil loving/water hating end (hydrophobic).  When a bunch of surfactants are thrown into a water solution, they begin to group themselves into little balls (micelles).  The water loving tails of each surfactant face outward, closer to the rest of the water in the formula, while the oil loving heads gather in the middle of the spheres, getting as far away from the water as they can.

When applied to the skin, or a cotton pad, the ball shaped cluster splits open, allowing the oil loving middle to feed of the dirt, oil and makeup that has accumulated on the skin.  Micelles lift and encapsulate impurities from the surface of the skin.  From here, they are easily wiped away, without rubbing or rinsing, using gentle swipes with a cotton pad.  The lack of rinsing and rubbing allows micellar solutions to thoroughly cleanse, without disrupting the physiological balance of the skin, making its formulation a less harsh alternative to other cleansing methods.

Fun Fact = Micellar cleansing waters may sound unfamiliar, its actually nothing new, formulated by a French woman to combat the notoriously harsh water that plagued her city during a time that lacked appropriate plumbing in the 90’s.

 Other Ingredients…

1. Water: As the first, and most important ingredient, water makes up a large portion of the formula.  Deionized water is ideal, as its ultra-purified, making it ideal for the skin.

1. Humectants: These are the ingredients that attract and hold moisture to the skin, giving it that soft, supple, hydrated feel after cleansing.  For a micellar formula, they have the added bonus of enhancing the surfactants ability to dissolve makeup and impurities.

1. Mild Surfactants: Mild non-foaming surfactants are used to be less irritating and drying.