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The 9 Best Micellar Waters For Acne Prone Skin
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If you have acne-prone skin, the products you use to cleanse your face are incredibly important. Keeping oil levels balanced, thorough but gentle cleansing, and unclogging pores are the keys to clearer skin — and the best micellar waters for acne-prone skin can help get you there.
While it's true that micellar waters are insanely popular at the moment, there are quite a few other great reasons to jump on board the micellar water bandwagon. The effective ingredient in these cleansing fluids is micelles, which are small oil molecules that attract dirt, oil, and residue from the depths of your pores. The lovely thing about these micelles is that they provide a thorough deep cleanse without stripping your skin of essential oils the way a lot of other cleansers do.
If you have oily, acne-prone skin, you may be asking yourself why it's so important to retain oils when you've been taught oils are your number one enemy in life. Well, oily skin actually needs oil because without it, your body might overcompensate for the reduction of oils by producing even more oil — and this is what can clog pores and contribute to breakouts.
Micellar waters that are formulated specifically for acne-prone or oily skin provide the cleansing you need (without fuss, I might add — a few swipes with a cotton ball and you're done) and they help keep your oil levels in check.
Ready to make the switch? These nine amazing micellar waters were practically made for acne-prone skin.
1A Non-Oily Micellar Water That's Ideal For Sensitive Skin
Vichy Pureté Thermal 3-In-1 One Step Micellar Cleansing Water, $15, Amazon
If you have both acne-prone and sensitive skin, this micellar cleansing water will soothe your skin with mineral-rich volcanic water and keep it fresh and clean by cleansing, toning, and removing every last stitch of face and eye makeup. It contains no alcohol or parabens and keeps your complexion soft and smooth with the help of vitamin B5.
2A Micellar Water That Will Help Mattify Oily Skin
Bioderma Sebium H20 Water, $15, Amazon
This paraben-free micellar water for combination/oily skin is described by one reviewer as "magic in a bottle." If you have acne-prone skin there's a good chance you wake up in the morning with an extremely oily T-zone or face. Reviewers say this water effectively removes makeup and dirt and mattifies your skin so that it appears soft and smooth — not oily and slick.
3A Cult-Favorite Korean Cleansing Water With Real Rose Petals
Neogen Dermalogy Real Flower Cleansing Water Rose, $19, Amazon
This Korean cleansing water contains real rose petals that swoosh around when you shake it up, but that's not even the coolest thing about it. The gentle formula is tough on waterproof makeup, and can even remove mascara with a few soft-handed swipes. It can be used alone as a cleanser, but it's also mild enough to use as a toner after washing your face.
4A Cleansing Water Gentle Enough For Baby's Skin
Mustela No-Rinse Cleansing Water, $20, Amazon
If you consider your skin type so sensitive that the very thought of an irritating chemical is enough to make you feel a pimple coming on, this no-rinse micellar water, which is so gentle it can be used on a baby's skin, will ease your mind. It contains no parabens or harsh chemicals and is infused with 98 percent plant-based ingredients that include aloe vera leaf extract and avocado perseose. It's also hypoallergenic and has been tested under pediatric and dermatological control — so you know it won't cause a reaction on your skin.
5A Micellar Water With Fermented Extracts That Help Fade Post-Acne Marks
Dr.Jart+ Dermaclear Micro Water, $26, Amazon
This gentle, fragrance-free micellar water is formulated with fermented yeast and sake extracts that helps promote healthy skin cell turnover, fade marks, and brighten skin over time. Hydrating royal jelly, soothing rose extracts, and toning willow bark make this micellar water a great option for any skin type, but those with sensitive, acne-prone skin will appreciate it the most.
6A 5-Ingredient Micellar Water That Removes Pollutants From Skin
Skintifique Micellar Water, $13, Amazon
In order to minimize negative skin reactions, this micellar water contains only five simple ingredients and is non-allergenic. It's free of mineral oil, parabens, fragrance, lanolin, and other ingredients that are bad news on acne-prone skin and stands out among a sea of cleansers for its ability to remove pore-clogging and potentially harmful pollutants and metals like nickel and chromium from the skin.
7A Micellar Water With Soothing Plant Extracts That Reduce Inflammation
Simple Water Boost Micellar Cleansing Water for Sensitive Skin Twin Pack, $15, Amazon
There's a common misconception out there that only dry skin types are sensitive and reactive to chemicals — but that isn't true. This micellar water nourishes oily and acne-prone skin that also happens to despise harsh chemicals and alcohols. In addition to cleansing with trusty micelles that lift dirt and sebum to the surface of skin, it's infused with soothing extracts like lavender, cucumber, sage, and calendula to help reduce inflammation from acne and soften and hydrate skin.
8Travel-Friendly Micellar Water Wipes For Gentle Cleansing
Simple Micellar Makeup Removal Wipes, $15 (2 Pack), Amazon
No need to have separate cotton swipes on hand — these travel-friendly micellar water wipes are perfect for on-the-go cleansing and makeup removal. In addition to being super convenient, these cleansing wipes are ideal for sensitive and acne-prone skin because they're gentle, free of harsh chemicals, and work well enough that no extra pulling, tugging, or scrubbing is required — all of which can contribute to irritated skin and more acne.
9An Oily Skin Cleanser That Even Removes Eye Makeup
Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water, $6, Amazon
This micellar water for oily skin does it all: removes makeup, cleanses, exfoliates dead skin cells, and tones skin to prep it for serum and moisturizer. Reviewers say it does an especially great job at removing heavy eye makeup and that you needn't scrub and pull or tug at your skin to see results.
