Micellar Water: The French Makeup Remover Your Skin *Needs* (2024)

Ask any French person about their skincare routine (or, let's be honest, just Google "French beauty products") and I guarantee you'll see one product that pops up again and again: micellar water. The French beauty staple is basically a miracle water and has become incredibly popular in the U.S. Why? Because micellar water contains micelles (aka teeny-tiny surfactants) that act like magnets to attract makeup, dirt, and excess oil, but without stripping your skin or disrupting its protective barrier in the process. The result? Skin that's fresh, clean, and baby-soft.

And micellar waters are soooo easy to use: Just saturate a cotton round (preferably a reusable one, bc sustainability) with your micellar water of choice and sweep it over your face until your makeup is totally gone and your skin feels clean. No rinsing required. Sold? I thought so. Ahead, the 10 best micellar waters for all skin types, including dry, sensitive, oily, and acne-prone.

This is THE iconic micellar water that everyone raves about. The French pharmacy staple is loved by makeup artists, skincare pros, and beauty editors for its ability to easily remove everything from long-wear foundation to waterproof liner without being harsh or drying.

If you typically use an oil cleanser to remove your makeup, then you'll love this dual-phase micellar water from Glossier. The part-oil, part-milk formula melts away makeup (yup, even the waterproof kind) and leaves skin feeling supple and bouncy.

This Drunk Elephant micellar water is ideal for dry skin types. Inside the bottle: A milky cleansing liquid that's packed with ceramides (they're an MVP at keeping a healthy skin barrier and preventing water loss on your face), along with moisturizing wild melon seed oil.

If you have oily skin, you're probably thinking that a micellar water won't be enough to remove your makeup and deep-clean your skin at the end of a long day. DW though, this charcoal-infused option from Bioré def will. The charcoal acts like a magnet to suck up dirt, excess oil, and makeup to leave your skin matte and your pores nice and clear.

Thanks to a cocktail of antioxidants and vitamins (bless you, vitamin C and niacinamide), this micellar water doesn't just clean your skin and remove makeup—it makes it waaaay brighter too. Use it twice daily to fade dark spots and even out your skin tone.

Okay, so not only does this micellar water for acne-prone skin remove pore-clogging face and eye makeup, it helps clarify and calm skin too. It's all thanks to zinc (which has purifying properties) and soothing aloe vera extract.

Made without fragrance and other potential skin irritants, this micellar water from Clinique is perf for anyone with sensitive or redness-prone skin. The creamy, milk-like formula comes in two versions—one for drier skin types and another for oilier skin types.

This is another great micellar water for sensitive or stressed-out skin. The gentle, pH-balanced formula dissolves makeup and is infused with soothing chamomile extract to reduce inflammation and minimize redness.

Green beauty lovers, this one's for you. The three-in-one micellar water from eco-friendly beauty brand Klorane uses all-natural cornflower water to gently dissolve eye, lip, and face makeup, eliminate dirt and excess oil, and tone skin all in one quick step.

This drugstore micellar water from Garnier does not disappoint. First, it's free-from oil, drying alcohols, and fragrance (making it suitable for just about every skin type), and second, it quickly erases face and eye makeup without having to use a bunch of cotton rounds to get the job done.