Micellar water is finally having its moment. The year has just started but four new micellar waters have already hit the drugstore shelves. Well, being a huge fan of micellar waters, I am definitely not complaining!
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Bioderma Sensibio H2O was the first micellar water I ever tried and fell in love with it! It definitely lives up to the hype! Not only does it wipe away all makeup (even waterproof variety) effortlessly but is also very gentle on sensitive skin and doesn’t sting the eyes.
Then I tried Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water (pink bottle) and found it incredibly similar to Bioderma (and just as gentle) yet much cheaper…in fact it is a great drugstore dupe for the Bioderma Sensibio H2O!
Even better, now there’s a variety of micellar waters out there…all at the drugstore! With my dry skin though, I have been particularly interested in the new crop of hydrating micellar waters.
On a recent trip to Ulta, I spotted two new hydrating micellar waters, one from CeraVe and another one by SheaMoisture. Both of these had a Buy 1, get 1 at 50% off discount, so I snatched them up quickly!
As their names suggest, both the CeraVe Hydrating Micellar Water (10 oz for $12.99) and SheaMoisture 100% Virgin Coconut Oil Daily Hydration Micellar Water (8.5 oz for $10.99) have been formulated to not only cleanse gently and remove makeup but also leave your skin feeling soft and hydrated.
The CeraVe Hydrating Micellar Water is formulated with three essential ceramides, plus other good-for-your-skin ingredients like hyaluronic acid to make good on its claim of cleansing as well as hydrating skin. Here’s the ingredient list:
Water, Propanediol, Peg 6 Caprylic/ Capric Glycerides, Glycerin, 1,2 Hexanediol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Niacinamide, Biosaccharide Gum 1, Glucamine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Rhamnose, Glucose, Glucuronic Acid, Ceramide Np Ceramide 3 , Ceramide Ap Ceramide 6 Ii , Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Ceramide Eop Ceramide 1
On the other hand, the SheaMoisture Daily Hydration Micellar Water contains a blend of 100% Virgin Coconut Oil and Coconut Water plus shea butter to moisturize and soften skin. Here’s the ingredient list:
Water, Glycerin (Vegetable), Sorbitan Oleate Decylglucoside Crosspolymer, Sodium PCA, Rosa Centifolia Flower Water, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Juice, Acacia Senegal Gum Extract, Sodium Phytate, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter*+, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Gluconolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Fragrance (Essential Oil Blend).
First off, the similarities between these two hydrating micellar waters –
- They do a great job of gently removing face makeup (even waterproof) with minimal effort, but none of these remove waterproof mascara very well
- They don’t sting on my face nor irritate or break me out (both have an alcohol-free formula)
- They don’t leave a sticky or tacky residue
- They have a no-rinse formula so there’s no need to rinse with water after removing makeup (although I always do a quick rinse out of habit!)
- They leave my skin feeling smooth and hydrated
Both the micellar waters have a lightly hydrating formula and straight up, I couldn’t tell any difference between these two when it comes to the hydration aspect!
Also, I wouldn’t bother using any of these to remove waterproof mascara because you’ll be rubbing that delicate skin unnecessarily! I wear waterproof mascara only occasionally but whenever I do, I prefer to use this gentle makeup remover …its dual-phase formula quickly sweeps away all eye makeup without any greasy feel or irritation.
Now let’s talk about the differences:
- SheaMoisture has a soft coconut fragrance (from essential oil blend) whereas CeraVe is completely fragrance-free.
- SheaMoisture is gentler on the eyes than Cerave’s formula. The CeraVe micellar water tends to sting slightly, if it accidentally gets in the eyes.
- SheaMoisture micellar water is more sensitive skin-friendly.
Wondering why I think Shea Moisture micellar water is gentler on sensitive skin? I happened to use a high concentration retinol cream a little too over-enthusiastically for 2-3 days in a row last week (big mistake!) so my skin is highly sensitive right now.
When I used CeraVe Micellar Water, it stung for a few seconds whereas when I used SheaMoisture micellar water, it didn’t sting much at all.
Honestly, it’s not a big deal for me because my skin is not that super sensitive usually so I wouldn’t even have known the difference if it were not for this retinol induced sensitivity! However, it might be an important consideration for those who have very sensitive skin.
Bottom Line
Overall, SheaMoisture Daily Hydration Micellar Water is the winner for me.
Both these hydrating micellar waters are equally good at removing makeup and impurities, and leave skin smooth and hydrated.
However, CeraVe Hydrating Micellar Water can cause mild stinging if it accidentally gets in the eyes while removing makeup. Although the effect doesn’t last long, it can be a deal breaker if you want to use this micellar water mainly to remove eye makeup, or if you have sensitive eyes.
Are you a fan of micellar cleansing waters too? Do you have a favorite? Please share in the comments below!
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