We’re enthusiastic proponents of micellar water for every skin type, unless you happen to live in a pristine environment, eschew makeup entirely, and have lucked out with extremely soft tap water. If this is you—please write us to share where on this Earth of ours you’ve found such skincare-friendly air and water. Everybody else, please stay with us for a rundown on what a meeting of a humble cotton pad and micellar water can do for your skin.

But first! What is micellar water, anyway?

Invented by the French and pronounced in English as my-sell-ahr, this watery skincare product contains purified water and micelles, lipid molecules which both work to dissolve impurities and grab onto grime, makeup, and oil, making it super easy to wipe all that gunk away. Tap water in Paris, the birthplace of micellar water, is notoriously hard, i.e. it has a super high mineral content. Micellar water is thus used there as a gentle alternative to what flows from the tap, which can dry out skin, clog pores, and exacerbate conditions like eczema. Given its specific properties, micellar water is also a great first step in removing a full face of makeup, whether soft or hard water happens to flow through your taps. In recent years, the product has gained well-earned popularity as a gentle but effective step in any cleansing arsenal, and as such, there are tons of options on the market, so look out for a product that also contains ingredients your skin particularly likes, like nourishing vitamins, hydrating glycerin, or skin-clearing salicylic acid. 

Now, with your micellar water understood and in hand, here’s what you can do with it.

Replace your morning cleansing

As previously discussed [how often to wash one’s face?], twice-a-day face cleansing is not for everyone. Using a natural cotton pad dampened with micellar water, you can give your face a thorough all-over swipe to wipe away the residue of sleep in the mornings, for a clean base to start your skincare and/or makeup routines. 

Micellar water as toner

Whether micellar water can be subbed in across the board for toner is up for debate, since your product of choice may or may not offer the pore-tightening properties typical of a toner. However, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, particularly given that the astringency of toner doesn’t work for every skin type, and a swipe of hydrating micellar water applied to a NAKED COTTON Textured cotton pad may actually be just the smoothing, skin-prepping, gentle intermediary your face requires between rinsing/cleansing and applying your serum. 

Quick clean on the go

Here’s where micellar water shines for everyone. Whether it’s on an airplane, in the office, or at an unexpected sleepover, life eventually throws you moments when you’d like to wash your face and can’t break out a whole soap and water situation. A travel-sized bottle of micellar water and a few biodegradable cotton pads tucked into your bag are the key components of the easy, discreet, water- and soap-free two-item cleansing kit you seek, friends. 

If you’re sold on the powers of micellar water, may we suggest lint-free cotton pads to apply it? After all, if you’re swiping on micellar to take everything off, you certainly don’t want to use cotton rounds that leave anything behind.