I've blogged about my love for the bioderma micellar water before (check out that here), so I was excited to see garnier launch their drugstore version, micellar cleansing water. I'll admit- I was a bit skeptical if it would be as amazing as my beloved bioderma, but decided to give it a try. it's clear from the pink packaging that garnier wasn't messing around creating a dupe, but whatevs, I love a good dupe. (fyi there is another version for waterproof makeup remover that has blue packaging that is super oily and nothing like bioderma- be warned!) even though bioderma is much easier to get your hands on now (beautylish is my go-to, but amazon carries it as well for $$$), nothing beats being able to pop into a drugstore and picking up a bottle when you're running low. the garnier version is available at pretty much any drugstore, big box stores like target/etc, and online which is a major plus. the price point is also significantly cheaper ($7 - $8), which is nice since it is a product that you will be going through and repurchasing more regularly than your moisturizer or eye cream.
I used both versions on their own cotton pad and let them soak on my lash line and lids to break up the makeup, before wiggling and wiping it away (my preferred method). I love micellar water's ability to remove makeup without having to rub and cause damage to the delicate eye area, which is why I've repurchased the bioderma time and time again. the garnier version definitely removed the majority of my makeup in the first swipe, but my eyeliner (I've blogged about it's budgeproofness here) was still going strong. I was able to remove it completely by going back in with a q-tip soaked in the garnier, but was bummed that it didn't break the eyeliner down as easily as the bioderma. using micellar water to clean up any mistakes or smudged lower lash line is another favorite use, and the bioderma cap has an opening that is the perfect size of a q-tip. it makes it super easy to not waste any product/make a mess with the opening. the garnier top had a much smaller hole that made it a bit more challenging to get the perfect amount on the q-tip, and definitely isn't waste/mess proof. the garnier also specifically says that there is no need to rinse, but I found that I felt the product leaving a little something behind on my skin that I didn't love. I always rinse after using bioderma (there is no instruction saying that you don't need to) just because I like my skin to be fully clean, but even before rinsing I've never felt the residue I felt with the garnier.
the garnier version is definitely a solid micellar water. if I had never tried/fallen in love with bioderma than I would for sure integrate this into my daily skincare routine (I recently spotted it in my mom's medicine cabinet on a trip home #heygirl), but I've been to the promise land and know how good a product can be. if you're interested in trying a micellar water, and don't want to order online/deal with shipping/invest in a bit more expensive of a product- give the garnier version a try! but between the two- bioderma is hands down the winner.
have you ever used either of these micellar waters? which one is your favorite?
xx, marissa
