Here's When You Can Use Micellar Water

Listen up, skincare minimalists: there's a new product in town, and word's traveling that it's going to shake up your entire skincare routine. An old school French skincare concoction that has made the leap across the pond straight into a drugstore near you, micellar water could revolutionize your skincare routine. Producers of this multitasking product claim that it can replace the sacred trifecta of skincare — makeup remover, cleanser, and moisturizer — and still leave your skin cleansed and hydrated. In short, micellar water is the heavy lifting product you need to try.

It certainly seems counterintuitive to rely on water to remove makeup — which often contains silicones, oils and other non-water soluble substances — but micellar water is more than the stuff in your tap. As Dr. David E. Bank at The Center for Dermatology in Westchester, NY, told Bustle's Lindsey Rose Black, that the secret lies in the micelles, or cleansing oil molecules. "The idea is that the micelles are attracted to dirt and oil," Dr. Bank says, "so they are able to draw out impurities without drying out the skin." Sounds great, but is micellar water really tough enough to remove a full face of makeup? Er, not so much. Bank admits that you'll need something a little tougher to take off that waterproof mascara.

Simple Micellar Cleansing Water, $5, Amazon

So micellar water has its limitations, but that doesn't mean that it isn't a great addition to your kit. There's a reason makeup artists carry gallons of the stuff around, after all. Read on to find out how you can incorporate it in your routine.

After A Workout

Nobody wants to wash their face three times in a day, but let's face it: sweat after a tough workout can leave your skin feeling grimy. Enter: micelle water. Its gentle formula will cleanse but not dry out your skin like your go-to foaming cleanser. Did I mention that you don't need to rinse it off? Rather than fighting for a sink in the locker room, you can just wipe your face with a cotton pad and get out the door.

While Traveling

If you're the type who prefers to travel light, save space by sliding some micellar water into your carry on. Even if you wouldn't use it on a regular basis, micellar water is the perfect cleanser when you're 35,000 feet in the air and sandwiched between a wall and a seatmate who just won't. Wake. Up.

In The A.M.

Micellar water may not remove all traces of makeup, but since you remove your makeup nightly, it's the perfect morning cleanser.

In The P.M.

Tired of wasting an entire makeup wipe on minimal makeup? Let your micellar water shoulder that burden. Just don't rely on it to remove a full face of contouring.

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