Beauty

Product Smackdown: Bioderma Micellar Water vs. Sephora Cleansing Water

April 27, 2015

Product smackdown-micellar-water

Micellar waters have been generating a lot of buzz recently in the beauty blogging community. Hailed as the best and fastest way to remove makeup and cleanse skin, micellar waters have been used at runway shows by makeup artists for years. The waters clear all product off the skin in a matter of seconds and don’t leave behind any oily residue or leave the skin feeling tight and dry. How are micellar waters different from typical foam, gel, or cream cleansers? Instead of using soap and alcohol like most other cleansers, micellar waters contain tiny micelles (clusters of fatty acid esters) that help dissolve impurities on the skin like makeup, dirt, and oil — similar to how dish detergent breaks down grease. I decided to take two of the best-selling micellar waters on the market and see how they stacked up. Check out my thoughts below and see which micellar water made the cut!

Bioderma Crealine H2O Micellaire Cleansing WaterThis is the micellar water that started it all! It was very difficult (and expensive) for me to get my hands on a bottle of this cleanser, because it’s not yet sold in the US. I ordered mine through Amazon and probably paid double or triple of what the actual cost is in France – in the name of science! I really, really loved this micellar water. It took off every stitch of makeup on my face at the end of the day, including my very stubborn waterproof mascara and eyeliner. The formula was super gentle and fragrance-free. It actually felt like I was cleansing my face with nothing other than water, and my skin was not left tight or dry.

Sephora Triple Action Cleansing Water: I assure you, this micellar water is a lot easier to track down than the Bioderma, which may be enough to tip the scales in its favor. Stocked on the shelves (and online) at every US Sephora, the large size of this micellar water rings in at $20. I also really loved the clever pump feature on the 13.5 oz size of this cleanser. This micellar water did a comparable job removing makeup as Bioderma, even with stubborn eye makeup. However, this formula is scented, and I found the fragrance to be off-putting. I would’ve preferred no fragrance, as my skin is sensitive and fragrances can irritate it.

The verdict? As difficult as it can be to snag a bottle, I preferred the Bioderma Micellar Cleansing Water. In a pinch, the Sephora Triple Action Cleansing Water would do, but I was not a fan of the fragrance. For now, I will continue to order my beloved Bioderma through Amazon – all the while keeping my fingers crossed for its eventual entrée into the US!

Have you ever tried these products? Do you agree with my choice? Let me know in the comments section below!

XO, J