The 4 Best Micellar Waters, Evaluated and Reviewed

Micellar waters are quick, easy-to-use face cleansers that you apply with a cotton pad or ball and, depending on your skin sensitivity, either quickly rinse off or leave on. I’ve been a loyal user for years, ever since I had a baby and realized that even 2 minutes of traditional face-washing was time I didn’t want to spend on my personal care routine.

Four of us at CR tested nine micellar waters over two months, using them to cleanse the entire face or remove makeup such as mascara, eyeliner, and highlighter. We evaluated them for effectiveness and ease of cleansing or makeup removal (fewer wipes were better); how our skin felt and looked afterward (soft, hydrated, and clean but not stripped); and whether they caused reactions (redness, bumps, or other sensitizing effects).

There were none we truly despised—hooray!—and there were a couple that excelled. We include information and safety ratings from a CR partner, SkinSafe, an organization that uses Mayo Clinic data to determine overall safety, irritation potential, and allergenicity. SkinSafe “scores” rate products according to how many of the 11 most common allergens each one contains. The higher the score, the fewer allergens the product contains (the highest possible score is 100). People with sensitive skin (such as those who have rosacea or eczema) or allergies may find this info particularly useful, but most adults who don’t have allergies, a skin condition, or generally sensitive skin need not worry too much about this number. 

One note about fragrance: SkinSafe’s standard for fragrance ingredients differs from the brands’. This means that ingredients such as marula oil are considered fragrance ingredients by SkinSafe, even though manufacturers may claim their product is fragrance-free.

Sneak Peek: Bioderma Sensibio may have been the first micellar water on the market, but its performance left us wanting more.