My
mother and I are over four decades apart, and over the years we've
butted heads on everything from school to dating. But on one thing we've
always agreed: the importance of a great skincare routine. Growing up,
she told me never to forget to wash my face, to slather on SPF, and to
let my skin "breathe" with a few makeup-free days (mind you, this was
long before the no-makeup makeup trend became a thing).
And I listened. While I'll happily use dry shampoo to get out the door
faster in the morning, I've never rushed my skincare regimen.
To
wit, I've done my fair share of experimenting with products and I've
learned there are plenty of skincare labels out there that don't live up
to their expectations. They don't clear
up your zits while you sleep, or make your under-eye bags disappear in a
matter of a minutes. So when I was first introduced to micellar water,
which is meant to be the magical, no-rinse cure-all that could replace
your cleanser and moisturizer in a single step, I had a healthy dose of
skepticism. Despite the fact that models swear by the French pharmacie
staple and nearly every makeup artist totes a bottle in his or her kit,
to me, it sounded like a lazy girl's solution to makeup removal (what
do you mean you don't have to rinse it off?). It also sounded like a
beauty recipe for a breakout. Fast-forward a month later, and I've
officially ditched my face wash and cream in favor of micellar water.
Turns
out micellar water has been around for over a hundred years, first
gaining momentum in France, where it was designed to help Parisians deal
with the region's infamously harsh water supply. The formula is made of
micelles, which are tiny oil molecules suspended in soft water. "The
technology of it is actually quite old, dating back from research at the
University of Bristol in 1913," says dermatologist and Simple skincare
expert Dr. Debra Luftman. "Micelles are attracted to dirt, grime, and
oil, and they draw out impurities without drying out your skin," she
explains. Rather than containing a foamy solution that strips your skin
and leaves behind harsh chemicals, micelles cling on to the dirt and
makeup on your skin and dissolve them while leaving behind a glowy,
hydrated finish.
This
all means that even after my extensive nighttime routine of makeup
remover wipes, double cleansing, exfoliation, and toner, micellar water
still picks up residue that none of my other products could. Unlike a
traditional pre-soaked makeup remover wipe, it's designed to be swept
away with a completely clean cotton pad, so it doesn't just smear your
makeup around your face like those wipes can do. And unlike toner, the
solution doesn't contain alcohol and never stings, meaning you can use
it around the sensitive eye area.
"Considering
the fact that it requires absolutely no rinsing and is suited for all
skin types—especially super dry, sensitive, and acne-prone skin—the
water is a serious game changer," says Dr. Luftman. "It's great for
travel when you don't have access to your full toiletry bag, too," she
adds.
Overseas, the
luxury brand Bioderma is an industry favorite, but now with the launch
of stateside versions like Simple's much-anticipated one, the French
import has some stiff competition. I'm a month deep into using Simple's
new micellar water to wipe off my daily layers of tinted moisturizer,
blush, and bronzer, and though sometimes the product falls short of
removing really stubborn eye makeup, ("You might still need a separate
eye makeup remover, especially for the waterproof kind," Dr. Luftman
advises), it's streamlined things for sure. I've certainly pared down
the use of multiple products. And best of all? My skin's never looked
better.
