I am a big fan of the French brands because normally they offer higher quality ingredients when compared to American brands which 89% of the ingredients used in the cosmetic industry have never been evaluated for safety by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are used in more than 99% of all products on the market. (Source: EWG)

In the U.S. major loopholes in the federal law allow the cosmetics industry to put thousands of synthetic chemicals into personal care products, even if those chemicals are linked to cancer, infertility and even birth defects. That being said, in terms of the ingredients, U.S. has the 7th highest cancer rate in the world and those are the reasons I become more careful in selecting the beauty products for my skin. The difference you should know between the French and American cosmetic regulations (Read more)

Today I will introduce a product from one of my favorite French drugstore brands, Avène. Eau Thermale Avène Micellar Lotion Cleanser and Make-up remover is a 3-in-1 gentle no-rinse cleanser that can also act as a make-up remover and toner at the same time. I am not a fan of oil-based cleanser and have always been fascinated by a water-based cleanser. Avène is using Micellar technology to make their lotion cleanser and make-up remover. Micellar water isn't just a marketing strategy, it has some interesting science behind its hype.

Micellar water is basically made up of Micelles (tiny balls of cleansing oil molecules) suspended in soft water. Surfactants are the molecules that do all the hard work to create Micelles. The Surfactant molecules work to bring the oil and water together into one family. The idea is that Micelles are attracted to dirt and oil, so they are able to draw out impurities without drying out the skin. For more science details behind the formation of Micelle, you can find a valuable post at Lab Muffin who will explain the process in diagrams.

I bought this product before I went on my trip to Iceland because I ran out of make up remover. I decided to buy the smaller size so that I could easily bring it to my trip without any hassle. Avène Micellar Lotion's packaging is very slender with crystal clear bottle and white lid, looks elegant yet simple. I also love the fact that the lid is holding strong, so I do not need to worry about spilling it all over my suitcase.

As a cleanser, it works like a charm to remove dirt from my skin while as a make-up remover, it is pretty effective yet gentle at the same time. My skin is very sensitive and other make up removers will usually leave my eyes area a burning sensation (inflammation) after the application. However, Avène Micellar Lotion works differently on my sensitive skin, it works like a miracle in calming my irritated skin. The key ingredients Glycol helps in hydrating the skin and instead of using water, it actually uses Avène Thermal Spring Water which is known for soothing, softening and calming the skin.

If I don't wear any heavy make-up, then this product will definitely become my go to cleanser. However, with a heavy make up on, this cleanser could give me some difficulties in cleaning a stubborn eye make-up such as heavy waterproof mascaras and eyeliners. To sum up, this is a great cleanser for my daily routine with the maximum gentleness.

Since now on, this make-up remover has become my routine daily cleanser. As for the stubborn make-up, I prefer to remove them with my old buddies, Clarins One-Step Facial Cleanser or Garnier Skin Active Micellar Cleansing Water & Waterproof Make-up Remover. I'll make a review of them as well next time.


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