Review: L'Oreal 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Water

As a loyal Bioderma Sensibio H2O fan, I was interested to see how this L'Oreal 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution compares as it is a fraction of the price. I use micellar waters daily to remove my eye makeup and the top layer of my foundation, before double cleansing with either a cleansing balm or oil to remove the rest of my base.

When I first started using the L'Oreal micellar water, I noticed it had a little bit of a plastic smell, but as I have used it more I don't notice it any more. I have quite sensitive eyes and have never found this to irritate them, unless there is too much on the cotton pad and some of the solution goes directly into the eye. After use, I don't find this leaves any residue on my skin and doesn't leave it feeling tight.

I find it removes the bulk of my makeup well, but occasionally leaves random patches of foundation on the skin, especially around the nose. This fares averagely on eye makeup removal, unless I'm prepared to rub with more pressure. I have never used this with waterproof mascara, but I imagine you may be there for a while trying to remove it. On the back of the packaging, it states that the micellar water "acts like a make-up remover, toner and skin soother", which is a little misleading as it sounds like they are suggesting that you can use this alone to remove your makeup, cleanse and tone. I have found that this doesn't leave my face completely makeup free after use, so this would never be a standalone cleansing product in my skincare routine and should be something to bear in mind if you're after a quick and easy makeup removal fix.

The packaging is extremely annoying, as the micellar solution flows out very quickly and you either end up with a drenched cotton pad or solution on the floor - both of which are super annoying and a waste of product. I've found the key to getting the right amount is to put the cotton pad directly on top of the hole (rather than a few cm away) and then just tip the bottle, but don't squeeze it.

While I remain a firm fan in the Bioderma camp, I would repurchase this again, as you can just nip to the shops to purchase this which is handy if you're running low and don't want to shop online and it's also well priced. I believe this usually retails around the £5-6 mark for 200ml, but I'd advise you to shop around, as it's always on offer somewhere. I bought mine for half price from Tesco!

Do you use micellar waters? I'm interested to try the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water, has anyone tried that?

Joy xx