Cleansing your skin after a long day is very important to ensure that it stays soft, smooth, and blemish-free. Nowadays, one of the most popular ways to do that is by using simple micellar water to remove makeup, dirt, and grime on your face. If you struggle with oily or acne-prone skin, you'd be happy to know that there are many micellar water formulations designed for you.
In this article, we will be showing you our buying guide and our list of top 10 picks, which also include the best drugstore micellar waters for oily skin that are highly recommended by skincare experts. Some reputable brands like Nivea and Garnier have also released their own versions, so no matter what you’re looking for, you’re bound to find it here!
Our recommendation articles are carefully researched and crafted by the mybest Philippines team of writers and editors. To stay true to our company’s mission and vision to help users’ selection process easier, we also collaborate with experts from various fields to ensure that our content stays factual and useful.
Table of Contents
Yes! Micellar water cleanses and moisturizes your skin while removing makeup, dirt, and oil. It’s highly effective in clearing out your pores and toning your skin, plus, it's less harsh compared to traditional cleansers since you don't have to rinse it. So even if you have oily skin, it won’t cause irritation.
Adding micellar water to an oily skin routine improves skin health and aids the power of other skincare products. Just remember to check the ingredients to prevent further irritation.
There are key ingredients to look for and avoid for you to get the right micellar water for oily skin. To know more about it, read our buying guide below.
Micellar water for oily skin should deeply cleanse the pores, restore moisture balance, and control oil. Here are some of the most commonly used ingredients that are beneficial for oily skin.
To maximize the benefits of your micellar water, look for additional ingredients like charcoal, tea tree extract, and zinc, which are all great for those who have oily and acne-prone skin. These ingredients have the ability to absorb excess oil, remove deep-seated impurities, and keep you looking fresh.
Aside from that, tea tree and zinc both have anti-inflammatory properties. These are useful for relieving irritation and healing wounds. They may also help reduce the appearance of scars caused by acne. You can also look for ingredients with antifungal and antiseptic properties like salicylic acid, thyme, and witch hazel. Niacinamide is another beneficial ingredient, as it can reduce sebum production and inflammation.
Many people are surprised to find that oily skin can suffer from dehydration. This is normally caused by products that dry out your skin. To keep your skin hydrated, look for moisturizing ingredients like glycerin and hyaluronic acid, which act as humectants that draw in moisture from the air and keep it locked into your skin.
You can also try out micellar waters with ingredients like ceramides, aloe, green tea, centella asiatica (Cica), copper sulfate, and those that are rich in vitamin B, such as panthenol and niacinamide. These go a long way in replenishing lost moisture, strengthening your skin's moisture barrier, and giving your skin a plump, youthful look.
Thermal spring water has high mineral content, which soothes and calms skin and has anti-inflammatory effects for acne-prone skin. It can also protect the skin from UV damage. Thus, it can reduce redness and prepare the skin for the next skincare step. This ingredient does not irritate and dry the skin, making it more nourished.
Micellar waters with nourishing ingredients like vitamins A, C, and E can help give you a fresh and radiant complexion due to their antioxidant properties. They help prevent sun damage, speed up healing, and prevent breakouts. They also have a moisturizing aspect and promote collagen production to give you firm, youthful skin that glows.
For those who have oily skin, it would be good to pick a mattifying micellar water. This ensures that after it lifts up makeup, dirt, and other impurities from your skin, it will leave behind a natural finish without any greasy residue. This will also keep your face shine-free throughout the day or night.
In addition, other skincare products won’t work well if you have excess sebum on your skin. You can select micellar water with ingredients that absorb oil, such as charcoal, tea tree, or zinc.
When choosing micellar water, double-check if the product contains synthetic fragrances, alcohols, and other harsh ingredients. Though they may be delightful to the senses, synthetic fragrances can trigger allergic reactions in some people. Similarly, alcohol can be irritating to the skin and may lead to even more dryness.
However, it does depend on the type of alcohol. Some alcohols are skin-friendly, like cetyl, stearyl, cetearyl, or lanolin alcohol. These are fatty types of alcohol often used in skincare due to their ability to provide hydration. It’s also best to opt for a non-comedogenic micellar water to avoid clogged pores and prevent acne breakouts and blackheads.
Some skincare brands have released micellar water wipes or pads that make them more convenient to apply. If you prefer using makeup remover wipes, this is a good alternative to that since you can now get the benefits of micellar water in a more handy way. This is recommended if you travel a lot since it’s spill-proof and easy to bring.
Key Ingredients | Magnolia Bark Extract, Natural Pearl Extract, Licorice |
---|---|
Mattifying | No |
Fragrance-Free | Yes |
Alcohol-Free | Yes |
Net Weight | 125ml |
Key Ingredients | Portulaca Oleracea Extract |
---|---|
Mattifying | No |
Fragrance-Free | Yes |
Alcohol-Free | Yes |
Net Weight | 400ml |
Key Ingredients | Tea Tree, Niacinamide, Witch Hazel |
---|---|
Mattifying | No |
Fragrance-Free | No |
Alcohol-Free | Yes |
Net Weight | Not Specified |
Get a refreshing cleanse with Farmskin’s Fresh Food for Skin Micellar Water. For oily skin, this variant contains apple extract, which soothes troubled skin and evens out the skin tone. Besides apple, the cleanser also has green tea, tea tree leaf water, lemon extracts, and other natural ingredients for clean and flawless skin.
Korean beauty lovers will like this cleanser because it's made from natural ingredients and it melts away makeup and other impurities from the face. Moreover, it's rinse-free! Per user reviews, the product instantly reduced oiliness and leaves a fresh feeling. Also, the scent made users buy this micellar water again!
Key Ingredients | Apple Extract, Green Tea, Tea Tree Extract, Lemon Extract, Pot Marigold Flower Extract |
---|---|
Mattifying | No |
Fragrance-Free | No |
Alcohol-Free | Yes |
Net Weight | 400ml |
Garnier’s micellar water has a 3-in-1 formula that acts as a cleanser, toner, and makeup remover. It is also no-rinse and fragrance-free, so it is gentle and safe to apply in the eye area.
Since it is specially made for oily and acne-prone skin, it has a mattifying effect, which absorbs excess sebum and prevents breakouts. This highly-rated product is a hit among skincare enthusiasts—they say it is indeed effective at lessening their pimples, though some felt a stinging sensation due to its denatured alcohol content.
Key Ingredients | Glycerin |
---|---|
Mattifying | Yes |
Fragrance-Free | No |
Alcohol-Free | No |
Net Weight | 125ml |
Key Ingredients | Natural Activated Charcoal, Prebiotics |
---|---|
Mattifying | No |
Fragrance-Free | No |
Alcohol-Free | No |
Net Weight | 400ml |
Key Ingredients | Organic Peppermint |
---|---|
Mattifying | Yes |
Fragrance-Free | No |
Alcohol-Free | Yes |
Net Weight | 200ml |
Simple, one of the trusted micellar water brands, incorporates micellar in facial wipes for quick cleansing on the go. With one wipe, it removes makeup and impurities. Its formula is hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic, and infused with vitamins B and E and hydrating triple purified water for hydration.
If you are mostly outside or traveling, these micellar wipes can help you stay fresh. Even if it contains alcohol and is on the pricier side, users love how gentle the wipes are. They even recommend it for sensitive skin! Each pack has 20 biodegradable wipes, so use them wisely.
Key Ingredients | Vitamins B&E, Triple Purified Water |
---|---|
Mattifying | No |
Fragrance-Free | Yes |
Alcohol-Free | No |
Net Weight | Not Specified |
Bioderma offers a no-rinse micellar cleanser for oily and acne-prone skin. Its dermatological advanced formulation boosts skin resiliency, making it softer and more radiant. On top of that, it's non-comedogenic, so it won't clog your pores.
It has a gentle formula that's similar to the natural composition of the skin, thus, it limits sebum for a less-greasy face. Buy this micellar water to address oily skin problems such as pimples, blackheads, and clogged pores. Though it contains a bit of fragrance, plenty of reviewers mentioned how they love the product and are most likely to buy it again.
Key Ingredients | Zinc Gluconate, Copper Sulphate |
---|---|
Mattifying | No |
Fragrance-Free | No |
Alcohol-Free | No |
Net Weight | 100ml |
Key Ingredients | Activated Bamboo Charcoal Powder, Tea Tree Oil, Aloe vera |
---|---|
Mattifying | No |
Fragrance-Free | No |
Alcohol-Free | No |
Net Weight | 100ml |
Below are some of the most asked questions on the web answered by the mybest team.
Yes, you can use micellar water to cleanse your face and remove tough makeup. Micellar water removes dirt, oil, and other impurities for clean and refreshed skin.
If you have oily skin, you can use micellar water every day because it has a gentle, mattifying formula. Just remember to look for micellar products that have no alcohol, fragrance, parabens, or other harsh ingredients.
For most micellar products, it is not necessary to rinse after application. However, you can still rinse afterward if you feel that there is residue on the skin. Then, you can use another cleanser for a double-cleanse.
To keep your oily skin at bay, it's important to build a good skincare routine. After using micellar water, you should consider adding these items to your arsenal of skincare products so that you can achieve soft, smooth, and clear skin. Check out our other articles below for our curated top picks.
Author: Bianca Angela Dela Cruz
Editors: Aprille Jarcia, R. Umlas
Re-editor: Mary Adeliz Tabaloc
Our buying guide was carefully researched and crafted by the mybest team of writers and editors. We used the buying guide as a basis for choosing and ranking the product recommendations, and we looked at reviews and ratings from different E-commerce sites like Lazada, Shopee, and more.
When you purchase products mentioned in the article, part of the sales may be returned to mybest.
The descriptions of each product is referenced from the content available from the manufacturer, e-commerce sites etc.
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