Garnier has come out with their micellar water makeup removing liquid here in the States, so....rejoice!

What is a micellar water and why do I need it?

Micellar waters are water that undergoes a process called micellization, which in fancy terms means a process of aggregation of surfactant ions or molecules above a critical concentration (that is referred to as the critical micelle concentration, or CMC) to form self-assembly structures referred to as micelles.

What this means in layman's terms is...micelles in water act as oil-and-makeup-gobbling structures, which means you can have all the benefits of, say, a powerful makeup remover, without the residue and mess of an oil-based makeup remover. 

It's great for all skin types, including sensitive and oily. 

How is it applied or used?

You slosh this on a flat cotton pad until it is saturated and wipe it all over a dry face (with makeup or not--it will cleanse your face regardless). 

Watch as the makeup leaves your face and gets deposited onto your cotton pad like magic!

You can then cleanse your face as normal.

• Sensitive skin types will benefit greatly from this step as you can then proceed with a gentler, milder facial cleanser than typically required, since the cleanser doesn't have to be strong enough to take off makeup as well.
• Acne prone skins also benefit from this extra step since skin is more thoroughly removed of makeup (less clogged pores, skin that can "breathe" and receive acne treatments more effectively).
• Oily skins benefit because micelles are extremely good at removing excess oils from the skin without stripping (which is a nasty habit of cleansers that claim to be made for oily skin -- because stripped skin calls for more oil).

Let's all take a moment to appreciate how similar the packaging is to the cult-favorite micellar water which as of my writing this, is still only available in France....Bioderma Sensibio Micellar Water (aka The One That Started It All). My guess is, Garnier knows exactly what they're doing and they want it to look verrrrrrry similar. Well, kudos to them. Because in reality, this micellar water is just as effective (in my humble opinion), just as gentle, and a fraction of the cost. 

I have been using Bioderma for years (since 2010-2011) and this girl has been officially converted to Garnier. 

If you're wondering how this compares to Simple Skincare's micellar water makeup remover--this one is better, more effective, and a better value (more product).

I picked up my bottles at CVS in the beauty department for $7-8.