Micellar Water Comparison

Hello Friends!

A few months ago, I was introduced to the joys of micellar waters by a Caudalie sample set I got at Sephora. Micellar waters are a soap-free makeup remover/cleanser. The micelles absorb the makeup, dirt, or oils on your skin, removing them instead of smearing them around on your skin. The waters are not meant to be used on their own, but are a great step in a skin care routine.

The first cleansing water I used was Caudalie Cleansing Water ($28 for 6.7oz/200mL)

Caudalie is a French brand that uses extracts from grape plants in their products. Their cleansing water is brilliant. To use, I simply apply a small amount to a cotton round, and wipe over my face, starting on the forehead and working my way down. I have found that 1-2 rounds remove all of my makeup, including waterproof eye makeup. After I use it, my skin feels clean, and ready for the rest of my skin care regimen (I'll discuss that in a later post). The water has a gentle scent, clean and mildly fruity, from the grape extracts, presumably. Using it twice a day, the 6.7oz size lasted about four months.

While I love the Caudalie water, I wanted to look for something a little less expensive when I ran out last week. After doing some research, I settled on the Melvita Bioexcellence- Micellar Toner ($19 for 6.7oz/200mL)

                           

Melvita is also a French company, started by a biologist. Their products are all organic, and draw their ingredients from nature. The main ingredients in this micellar water are damask rose, Seville orange blossom, cornflower, and lavender (along with some other botanicals). The combination of these ingredients makes for a slightly overwhelming aroma- sweet and definitely floral. I can't decide whether or not I like it. The product itself works well, although I find that it takes 3-4 cotton rounds to fully remove my makeup, and I often use another one to remove my eye makeup. After using, my face feels clean, but the skin itself feels tight, so I find myself using more moisturizer. I haven't noticed a difference in my breakouts since using this one instead of the Caudalie.

All things considered, I like both products. I think that if I had used the Melvita first, I would have been happy with it, but when compared to the Caudalie, the scent and skin tightness are the nails in its coffin. I'll continue using the Melvita, but once it's gone I will be returning to the Caudalie.

Always,

Nani