There’s nothing I enjoy more than testing various potions and goos on my face.
Serums! Cleansers! Oils! Gels! Exfoliants! Masks! Jesus tears! Droplets from the faraway forest of Narnia!
Anything that falls into the realm of skincare is my kind of thing. It’s not particularly clever. It’s not ground-breaking or important. It’s actually all kinda self-indulgent and expensive. I’m sure my time would be better spent learning a second language or reading Dickens, but pah! Makeup and skincare make me happy, goddammit.
And so, over the last few years – particularly while I’ve been in the media – I’ve given everything a go. Bizarro facials. Japanese “aqua gel”. Microdermabrasion. Skin peels. Etc.
I have a rotating door of products. Every brand gets a call up every now and then, with just a few cementing a place in my lame fanatical heart (Aspect, Go-To and Garnier, for those who are curious).
But only one product has stayed put over the years. Never losing its place. Never being relegated from the bedside table to the bathroom cabinet. Never faltering or underperforming. Always being brilliant and snazzy and lovely.
That is Garnier’s Micellar Cleansing Water, which also happens to be the cheapest skincare product I own. If you pop into Priceline, a 400ml bottle will set you back a cool $9.79. I use it every morning and night on a Garnier makeup wipe. It baffles me how people use it with a cotton pad because I’m all about that fast and loose life.
When I first told my sister Claire about the wonders of micellar water - in, I don't know, probably 2014 - she laughed at me.
"You've fallen for such a scam," Claire said with a smirk. "I bet it's just water in a bottle."
I can tell you all right now that my sister was so, so wrong - and has lived to eat those words of stupidity ever since. Maybe I'll make her drink a bottle of micellar water as punishment the next time I see her, because it's now a staple in her routine, too.
Micellar water looks awfully basic, but is actually vastly different to traditional water. It's made up of micelles - tiny balls of cleansing oil molecules - that are drawn to dirt and oil, and can pull them out without drying the skin.
Listen: While we're giving recommendations...
According to dermatologists, it's a brilliant product for anyone with sensitive skin, or who is prone to dryness.
While it's often referred to as a makeup remover - I don't exclusively use micellar water for that. I actually only wear makeup once or twice a week, so mostly, this is the cleansing portion of my skincare routine.
If you find that you break out after wearing heavy-duty foundation, I seriously recommend you pick up a bottle of micellar water, and add a few splashes to your makeup wipes. A 400ml bottle will last you months, and will make sure every skerrick of gunk is out of your pores before you go to bed. If you have particularly oily skin, just follow this up with your usual cleanser, and viola.
Did I also mention it's bloody perfect for travelling, especially for camping or holidaying in the summer time? YEP.
Micellar water, you guys. Seriously. Get on it.