Weird thing is, even 'good' products fail to make the cut. By 'good' products I mean the kind that actually improve my skin texture/appearance. For example the Una Brennan Facial Oil (see full review here) I LOVE this cleansing oil, but it just involves too much work on my part, and as a result I've been slipping out of using it lately (by slipping I mean hardly using it at all. Ok. Not at all).
My evening skin care routine basically has one key requirement. I need to be able to use it from my bedside table. Therefore water cannot be involved. I need to be able to remove my make-up and cleanse and moisturise from my cosy little bed. Lazy? Absolutely. But with skincare I think you sometimes just have to embrace your own routine-limitations.
So...massive intro to basically tell you that my laziness led me to start researching micellar waters. These first popped onto my radar when Bioderma Sensibio H20 launched in the UK and it was literally EVERYWHERE in the blogging world.
Seeing as I was getting increasingly uncommitted to my Una Brennan facial oil, my little ears pricked up after reading that this product was just a 'cotton-wool swipe' type jobby.
I then got further sucked in by the following information:- it is ideal for sensitive skin as it is a light but effective way of cleansing (tick); it is actually oil based which means it is good for dry skin (tick); it is used backstage at fashion shows on real-life models (tick!) and it is a one-stop easy way of removing make-up, cleansing and toning in one go (literally, get me involved).
Bioderma is no doubt the leader in the micellar water world, so I bought a 100ml bottle online (I got mine from escentual.com for £4.50) and gave it a go.
When it arrived, the first thing that struck me was how teeny tiny the bottle was. It is perfect for travel, but seeing as you have to "drench" your cotton wool pad, it didnt look like the bottle would go very far. And I was right. A couple of weeks of evening-only useage and my bottle was nearing on empty. In my opinion, this makes it a tad expensive on a cost-per-use basis.
I know some people might find this a bit mean, but I spend a fortune on cosmetics and haircare products as it is, so I am always looking to shave a few pounds off where I can.
The price issue aside though, I can completely see why this product has so much hype.
Bioderma Sensibio H20 Micellar water
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| By the way there is literally no reason for the random Christmas tree ornament....other than it's Christmassss!!! |
The product comes in a clear plastic bottle, and I'll be honest, whoever designed the packaging totally hit the nail on the head in my opinion. It looks clean and fresh, with an ever so slight medical hint (and medical stuff always works better, right?). And then the pink lid and accents keep it girlie enough that you want to keep it on your dressing table. I'll be honest, the packaging made me excited to use it. Bit sad? Definitely, but oh well.
The product itself is literally like water in consistency and appearance. You drench your cotton wool pad with it, and then simply wipe all over your face. I like that the bottle has a 'dropper' type dispenser in the screw lid to stop spillage or 'over-drenching.'
When it comes to make-up removal, this does remove like a dream. **Slight disclaimer at this point** I do not use this to remove my eye make up. I'm a die-hard devotee to my Simple Nourishing Eye Make-up Remover and nothing will drag me away from this. But I wanted something that would really cut through my face make-up and this definitely does it.
It's one of those products where you wipe it over your face, look at the cotton pad and go "woah, did I actually have THAT much make-up on!?" There's something really satisfying about seeing so much coming off in my opinion. You feel like you're really getting every last inch off.
It does leave my face a little wet after using it, and I generally have to wait a few minutes before applying my Hydraluron and moisturiser otherwise I find my moisturiser doesn't sink in as well.
Results-wise, I only used this for a couple of weeks before it ran out (I've repurchased a bigger 500ml bottle) but it didn't break my skin out and it also didn't irritate which I was impressed by, as my skin is very sensitive, especially in winter. I also didn't find it too drying which surprised me given the type of product it is. I didn't get that horrible feeling where your skin feels too tight for your face, and normally I find non-cream based products leave me with that sensation. So it was definitely a pleasant surprise.
Superdrug B-Pure Micellar Water
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| Ooo, there's the sneaky Christmas tree again... |
So after my interest in micellar waters had been peaked by the Bioderma product, I did a bit of research and went in search of a high-street alternative. A lot of bloggers seemed to be doing comparisons between the Bioderma and Superdrug's own micellar water, and there definitely seemed a lot more hype around the Superdrug product than any other high-street micellar waters. Superdrug's version was on offer at half price (£2.49 but normally £4.99 for 150ml) so I decided to give it a go.
The product comes in a tall, slim, clear plastic bottle and runs along a similar theme to the Bioderma in that it looks very fresh and minimal. However it does lack the girly twist. It looks a bit more functional than the Bioderma, however it has a dropper-type dispenser which is largely similar to the Bioderma. So functionality-wise there is barely any difference.
The consistency is, again, just like water although it bubbles up a bit more in the bottle than the Bioderma Sensibio does. It also has a slightly more chemical smell and (I know this is a really random point) it tastes a bit nail-varnish remover-ish on your lips once you've used it.
Having said that, it removes my make-up really really well, and in my opinion, pretty much on a par with the Bioderma.
I've been using this for over a month and am about halfway through the bottle (so it lasts really well) and I have also repurchased another 2 bottles when they were on buy one get one free. Results-wise, my skin hasn't reacted or broken out and I've had no problems with dryness or sore patches. In my opinion, my skin has actually been really good since using this. It has looked clearer and I've been getting fewer annoying little random spots.
Comparing the two.....
When it comes to a direct comparison, I honestly don't think there's much between these two products other than price, and bottle design. Although there is something just a bit more 'refined' about the Bioderma one. I don't know if it is the nicer bottle, or the slightly less chemical smell, but either way the Bioderma one just feels a bit softer and gentler than the Superdrug one. I've not had any soreness or reaction with the Superdrug one to suggest it is harsher to use, it is just a general 'experience' when using it.
As I said, I've bought a big bottle of the Bioderma to see how it lasts compared to the Superdrug one and I think my repurchasing future of these will depend on my bank balance at the time I run out. The Bioderma product is a joy to use, and if money isn't a concern then I'd say go for that one for definite. There's something that is just more enjoyable about using it, although I can't put my finger on what that is. But if you are hunting for a cheaper alternative, I genuinely found the Superdrug offering to be a really good dupe. It's effective, it's gentle and it's such a good bargain.
I only hope Superdrug don't discontinue it as high-street drug stores tend to have a habit if relaunching their stuff to keep their product lines fresh.
On a more general note, if you suffer from dry or sensitive skin and have previously found cleansing to be a bit of an issue then don't be put off by the micellar waters. They're so good at removing face make-up and leave your skin feeling amazingly clean and fresh. I'm definitely interested to see if they're a bit of a 'hype' product or whether they last as a skincare staple. I guess only time will tell..!
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