Learn how to make homemade micellar water
The micellar water is an essential product in skin care today. It has a scientific name, doesn’t it? The word micellar evokes images of test tubes, laboratories, and scientists in white coats.
It sounds like something is done to water at a cellular level to give it almost magical properties. And maybe it has them.
What is micellar water?
In its simplest form, micellar cleanser is a mixture of water and oil. Manufacturers of commercial skin care products add ingredients that reduce the surface tension of water and oils to help them mix better, and to remove dirt and oils from the skin.
That’s why they are so effective at removing any impurities you have on your face.
It has its origins in France. And if you’ve ever been to a French pharmacy, you’ve probably seen several iterations of micellar water.
You don’t need to go to France to buy this product, you have it practically everywhere, from supermarkets to beauty stores and, of course, online.
However, many of these formulations, especially the cheaper ones, can leave much to be desired. Their ingredients are not the best, they can even have some that irritate your skin. Plus, some leave the complexion sticky and gooey, yuck!
As you all know, I like to make my own skin care products with totally natural ingredients.
Although I don’t have any natural solution to reduce surface tension so that oil and water mix better, I managed to make my own “micellar water,” and the result is quite good.
Getting the oil and water to mix better is just a matter of shaking the bottle before using it.
This DIY micellar cleanser is one of my favorites because it’s very easy to make, you only need 4 or 5 inexpensive ingredients, so you can also save some money.
And it works for almost all skin types because it’s super gentle! However, if your skin is very sensitive, you might want to do a patch test on a small area of your jaw before using it on your whole face.
I use it as part of the cleansing process, and/or as a toner. Discover here the differences between these two cosmetics. And I like it because it meets my needs: it doesn’t dry out my complexion, it’s customizable, and it’s really soothing.
Instead of water, I have used rose hydrosol and witch hazel. Witch hazel is a natural astringent that comes from the bark of the witch hazel tree. It’s a wonderful natural remedy for all kinds of skin ailments, and a wonderful non-drying toner for the face.
To the witch hazel is added soothing rose hydrosol, antioxidant vitamin E oil, moisturizing glycerin, and essential oils of rose or lavender.
I really like to add glycerin, a humectant that brings water to the skin. Since this micellar water doesn’t require you to wash your face afterward, you’ll want to add some extra moisturizing properties to the formula.
Take note, these are the exact amounts.
Homemade micellar water: my recipe
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons of rose water
- 2 tablespoons of witch hazel
- 1 teaspoon of vegetable glycerin
- 3 drops of vitamin E oil (optional)
- 3 drops of rose or lavender essential oil
Instructions:
- Mix all the ingredients in a bottle or glass jar and shake it well.
- To use it, soak a cotton pad with the micellar solution and gently pass it all over your face to remove all makeup and accumulated dirt. You may have to pass it 2 or 3 times until it comes out completely clean.
- Use within a month or store it in the refrigerator to last up to 3 months.
I like to use it in the morning for facial cleansing (where only a very gentle cleansing is needed), before applying my serum. Here are more uses you can put into practice.
But as it’s a water-based product, it’s not meant to remove waterproof mascara or heavy foundation. To remove this type of more stubborn makeup, I use a makeup remover.
I also use it when I wake up with puffy eyes. I keep it in the fridge, cut a round cotton pad in half so it forms 2 half-moons, soak it and place it under my eyes (carefully avoiding the eyes) for 5 minutes.
This reduces the swelling thanks to the astringent and soothing ingredients that help me drain the area.
As I said before, it’s a completely customizable product, so I change some ingredients from time to time according to the needs of my skin, and you can do the same.
For example, if my skin looks reddened and stressed during allergy season, I add chamomile oil to relieve the redness.
And if I need extra hydration, I add aloe vera gel instead of witch hazel.
You can also use water from other flowers or hydrosols, or even plain distilled water. I recommend that you play with the ingredients and proportions until you find your ideal formula.
Not convinced? No problem, I’ve tried many commercial micellar waters since they hit the market, and the one I like the most is from Nezeni Cosmetics. Here is the full review for you to take a look.