Micellar Water and Me

     One of the dangers of watching too much television is that you might buy the products advertised during the commercial breaks.  After seeing the Garnier micellar water spot for the umpteenth time, I had to get some; but first, I did a little reasearch.
     Micellar water was invented in France around one hundred years ago.  The french water supply was harsh on skin, so women used micellar water to clean their faces.  The product is simply soft water (water with the minerals removed) combined with oily-ness.
     "What," you say, "oil and water don't mix."  Yes, they do if you mix water with a surfactant. Surfactants are compounds that reduce surface tension between two liquids.  You will see them listed as ingredients in laundry detergent and household cleaners.  Surfactant molecules have an oil seeking end and a water seeking end.  When you add just the right amount of surfactant to water, the oil seeking end of the molecules join together forming an oily center.  This leaves the water seeking end of the molecules on the outside.  These oily blobs called micelles are suspended in the water (not floating on top) protected by their water compatible shell.  When you wipe micellar water on your face, the oily part of the micelle grabs dirt, and the watery part floats it off your skin.  Because the surfactants used are low foaming and mild, you don't have to rinse after cleansing with micellar water - even when you use the cleanser to remove eye make up.
     Armed with this knowledge, I thought, "What the heck. I'm gonna get me some micellar water."  After one use I knew I was going back to my Wal-mart brand make up removing wipes. So what if I have to splash a little water in my face after wiping.  The micellar experience took me back to the 1970's when Johnson's baby products were marketed to adults - baby shampoo for soft hair, baby oil for tanning and for make up removal.  The micellar water left a greasy film on my face which quickly disappeared leaving an interesting feeling behind.  It's the same feeling you get if you rub baby oil on your skin when you are still wet from a shower, then towel off.  I didn't think the process was as quick and convenient as pulling a wipe out of the package, cleaning my entire face, and rinsing.  I used cotton balls to clean my face, and it took bunches of them to do the job.  Those little, round pads would have been a better idea.  Proponents of micellar water say that you will pick up all sorts of grime if you go back over your face with their product after you clean using your current method.  I look clean, I feel clean, and I don't have any break outs with my Wal-Mart wipes, so I think I'm clean enough.
     If you want to try micellar water, the Garnier brand is available everywhere.  I bought mine at CVS ($8.99) and paid too much.  It's cheaper at Shop Rite ($7.99) and even cheaper at Walmart ($6.96).  The only size is a 13.5 ounce bottle.  There is a regular version (pink label) and a version that works best with water proof eye make up (blue label).  One further tidbit: Micellar water works best on dry to normal skin.  It is not as effective for cleaning oily skin.  Bioderma makes a 16.91 ounce bottle of micellar water formulated for oily skin ($19.95 on Amazon).