I know I’m a few years late to the Bioderma party, and while I’ve tried other micellar water in the meantime, I finally got a chance last month to try The Original & The Great™: Bioderma H2O Micellar Water.
![Simplifying my skincare routine with the Bioderma H2O Micellar Water](https://www.geekyposh.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/bioderma-h2o-micellar-water-review-1.jpg)
I was fortunate enough to receive 3 flavors of their all-star micellar water:
- Bioderma Hydrabio H2O – for dehydrated & sensitive skin
- Bioderma Sensibio H2O – for sensitive to intolerant skin, the original of originals
- Bioderma Sébium H2O – for combination, oily, or blemished skin
Since winter makes my skin on the drier side, I decided to start with the Hydrabio H20, which also happens to be the least discussed (and I guess least common) out of the 3. I haven’t tried the other 2, because it doesn’t make sense to have 3 bottles open. Remember, I’m all about minimalism now.
First look at the Bioderma Hydrabio H2O
- What is it
- A micellar water that gently removes makeup and dirt while hydrating the skin. Its Aquagenium™ complex retrains the skin to activate its natural moisturizing capacities by stimulating the production of aquaporins, water channels in the skin, and retain the water it needs to be balanced. Me likey!
- How I use it
- Soak a cotton pad, wipe, and repeat until cotton pad shows no residue. Easy peasy. This is now my default AM cleanser and 1st PM cleanser (which is then followed by a super gentle 2nd cleanser). Waterproof eye makeup is still removed with a separate eye makeup remover.
- Best suited for
- All skin types, but especially dry or dehydrated folks.
- Key ingredients
- Micelles, Aquagenium™ complex (full list here)
- Irritants
- Contains allergen-free fragrance (whatever that means), but otherwise is paraben-free, non-comedogenic, and hypoallergenic.
- Scent
- a light fresh scent
- Texture
- like water, but with a slight slip
- Size & Price
- $11.90 for 250ml, $16.90 for 500ml
- Where to buy
- Beautylish (I would highly advise against buying from Amazon or eBay to avoid fakes)
The entire Bioderma Hydrabio line boasts the inclusion of their exclusive Aquagenium™ complex, which after some researching and ingredient cross-checking, is a combination of the following: mannitol, xylitol, rhamnose, fructo-oligosaccharides, niacinamide, and apple fruit extract.
The first 4 are moisturizing agents, and niacinamde is a skincare rockstar that brightens/moisturizes/soothes and just makes your skin friggin’ fantastic. In the case of a regular cleanser, I’d disregard its benefits, but since the micellar water is non-rinse, the niacinamide will actually stay on your skin long enough to work its magic. Lastly there’s apple fruit extract, which is another great ingredient with antioxidant and mild exfoliating properties (resource). Overall I’m very happy with the ingredients of this micellar water, even with its added fragrance (which is super easy on the nose, I barely recognized it was there).
The only cleanser I really need
I still believe in double cleansing, as clean skin is the foundation of which to build the rest of your routine. However, I also think a lot of cleansers out there, especially those high-pH, SLS-laced ones, are an overkill. Our skin has a moisture barrier in place to help keep the bad stuff out and good stuff in, and using a super harsh cleansers is like dropping an atomic bomb on it. Yeah, you get rid of all the dirt and oil, but you’ve destroyed your moisture barrier as well.
![Simplifying my skincare routine with the Bioderma H2O Micellar Water](jpg/bioderma-h2o-micellar-water-review-2.jpg)
All Bioderma H2O Micellar Waters are formulated to mimic the the phospholipids of our skin cell membranes, and it has a beautiful pH of 4.5, which is very close to our skin’s natural pH level. The Hydrabio H2O goes above and beyond with extra hydrating ingredients, something you’ll appreciate if your skin is on the drier side.
Despite its super skin-friendly composition, the Bioderma micellar water does a killer job of removing sebum, dirt, and makeup, all while leaving your skin hydrated and soft. Even with the gentle CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser, my skin would start to feel dry after a few minutes if I don’t moisturize immediately. But with the Bioderma Hydrabio H2O, my skin feels completely fine, as if I hadn’t cleaned it at all, so I panicked. IS MY SKIN CLEAN OR NOT CLEAN?? Short answer: Yes.
Long answer: Ever since I switched out all my cleansers (except for my 2nd PM cleanser, because I’m still mildly paranoid) to Bioderma, I stopped breaking out. This could also be due to me simplifying my routine in other aspects, but no break outs + better product absorption are both good signs that my skin is indeed clean. It took me a while to accept that no, my skin didn’t have to feel dry for it to feel clean, and that no squeaky clean feeling ≠ dirty face. And evidently I’m not the only one who feels this way.
Some people complain about micellar water leaving behind a film on the skin, something I can attest to with past products I’ve used *cough* Lancome I’m looking at you *cough*. However, I’ve never experienced any film or residue on the skin with Bioderma, though I do use multiple cotton pads until they wipe clean. This may be caused by the use of Hexylene Glycol in other micellar waters, which is slightly comedogenic.
![Simplifying my skincare routine with the Bioderma H2O Micellar Water](jpg/bioderma-h2o-micellar-water-review-3.jpg)
Thanks to the Bioderma H2O Micellar water, I no longer need a cleansing balm/oil or a separate AM/PM cleanser. Yes for money saved and a simpler skincare routine! But most importantly, YES to a cleanser that effectively cleans and improves the condition of my skin.
Final Verdict
- Packaging7.5/10
- Ingredients9.5/10
- Texture/Application9/10
- Performance9.5/10
- Price8.5/10
If you feel like your skin is stuck in a rut no matter which products you use, there's a good chance your cleanser is the culprit. I'd highly recommend giving Bioderma a try, and you might be pleasantly surprised. I can't speak for the Sébium version, but the Hydrabio H2O has definitely made my skin happier and less dry in the winter-time. I'm now a firm believer of the awesomeness of micellar water, and the Bioderma H2O will be a staple in my skincare routine.
Have you tried micellar water or more specifically, Bioderma’s micellar water before? Let me know your experiences in the comments below!
Ahh I love micellar waters! I have eczema so they’re the only things I trust to clean my skin without having that dry feeling on my skin! Bioderma is the best but I’ve also found Garnier makes pretty decent micellar waters as well. Have you tried those?
Thanks for reading and commenting Deborah! I haven’t tried Garnier micellar waters yet but I do hear great things about them. Maybe I’ll give them a go once I finish with Bioderma :)
Ive used micellar water for a long time when I was younger, don’t know why I stopped using it! I think like you said that we don’t know for sure if all the dirt is away with “water”. The pink bottle was something I really wanted to try out but now I see they have two others I would prefer the one for oily skin. We don’t have Bioderma here but Garnier instead which also offers almost the exact same ingredients. Maybe I should give it a try because my current micellar water is almost empty (I use it when I’m too lazy to walk to the sink ;p). Great review and all the information are so well presented!
X, An | https://thebeauparlour.com/
Thank you An! :) For evenings I still use a second cleanser for those exact reasons, but it works perfect for mornings!
I hear a lot about the Garnier one, makes me want to try it and see how it compares!
I know it’s wrong, but I still equate that squeaky-clean feeling to actual cleanliness of my face :( I’m gonna finish up my Pond’s facial wash then I’m going for a milder cleanser.
I’ve felt that way for a long time too, it definitely took me a while to adjust :)
I was using Bioderma but then I switched it to Garnier because it worked just as well. These days I’m starting to be more careful about the ingredient list and I plan to switch back to Bioderma as soon as I’m done with my current Garnier micellar water. I still do double cleansing though but with a sulfate free cleanser. The one I am loving now is Boscia Purifying Cleanser.
I’m pretty curious about the Garnier one myself because people compare it to the Bioderma one! The ingredients are slightly different though, so there is always the concern that one of them might irritate my skin.
bioderma is the thing eveeeryone raves about when it comes to removing makeup. i personally have never tried it and my first micellar water is one from corine de farme; it’s huuuge and i’m making it my mission to finish it because i don’t really like that micellar water even though it says it’s for dry to sensitive skin (and yet i sometimes get this uncomfortable sting when i use it). i’m planning on trying garnier’s next though because i’ve heard youtubers say that garnier is a more budget friendly alternative to bioderma.
i do want to try bioderma someday though and now i’m even more confused than ever on which bioderma i should choose. hm… i’ll probably go for either the hydrabio or sensibio though just because i have this mindset that if a product is meant for sensitive skin then it’s definitely super duper gentle. i think even if it does remove waterproof makeup very well, i’d still my trustworthy maybelline eye makeup remover just because bioderma isn’t the cheapest micellar water in my local drugstore :P *cheapskate mode on*
just curious, between cleansing oil and micellar water, which one do you like best? i’m torn between cleansing oil, milk and micellar water. cleansing oil gives that non-squeaky cleansed face and sometimes i’m confused whether all my makeup has been removed or not hahaha
Ok, what the heck, I know I definitely responded but for some reason the WordPress app didn’t save it? I’m so sorry, I just realized this now!
Anyways. I’ve heard a lot of comparison between Garnier and Bioderma as well, but since I haven’t tried Garnier, I’ll refrain from commenting. From the ingredients though they do use different cleansing agents, just FYI. As for which bioderma to choose, I think the sebium one might be a good fit for you. It doesn’t have alcohol or anything drying, plus it has a few ingredients that can help balance the skin. The sensibio (original) is always a good option too due to its super clean ingredient list :D For eye makeup I’d definitely use an eye makeup remover as well, they just work so much better for stubborn eyeliners and mascara!
Between cleansing oil and micellar water, I think I prefer the latter (and by that I really mean Bioderma) due to its ease of use and texture. Their cleansing abilities are about the same, and the issue with oil is that if it doesn’t emulsify properly it can leave traces on your skin. That’s not a big deal if you double cleanse, but it’s an extra risk. Neither really strip your skin, so if you’re used to the squeaky clean feeling, you might be confused either way :P
Huh, that seems like a cool product! May have to try that!
It’s definitely worth a try! :)
I can’t actually remember if I’ve already tried the original Bioderma H2o Micellar water or not, the light scent sounds familiar but I could be mistaken! They sound really nice and I’m not one of those who complain about the ‘film’ on the skin anyway since I always do a second cleanse after using a micellar water! Great review!
http://fannyanddailybeauty.com
Thank you lovely! Second cleansing is always an option, I do the same at night :)
I haven’t tried a Bioderma micellar water before but I keep hearing and read great reviews about them. Another great review from you and thank you for sharing! x
Yiota
PinkDaisyLoves
Thank you so much Yiota! They definitely live up to their hype :)
Jenny, what a great post! I am a fan of micellar water and have tried the Original Bioderma (the one with the pink cap) but never knew the brand has more options to offer. Now I’m very tempted to try this particular one you reviewed as my skin is dry and dehydrated this time of the year when the air is cool and dry. It sounds very gentle, yet effective. I also really love niacinamide in skincare so this definitely gets a bit thumbs up from me! Great review and beautiful photos as always! Keep us posted on how you get along with the other two Biodermas.
~ Cat L.
http://www.CatsDailyLiving.com
Thank you so much for reading Cat! I’m very curious about the Original Bioderma as well, as it has the least number of ingredients and I think it’ll be very refreshing on the skin. Might be a while until I get to the other 2 bottles though, as they’re quite large :P
I’m glad it passed your stringent review! I have long been fan of Bioderma’s Micellar water but have branched out a little bit to try other brands’ offerings. I wasn’t aware that Bioderma has niacinamde in it because that’s been something I’ve been obsessed with (Thanks to The Ordinaries!) Have you tried Deciem’s The Ordinary? It might be something you might be interested in!
Haha, thanks Stephanie! What can I say, my skin is super finicky :P I haven’t tried The Ordinary, but I did just buy the Hylamide SubQ anti-aging serum, which has a lovely texture! While The Ordinary has great prices, I’m a little worried that the texture might not be a nice. Have you tried any of their products?
I’m a huge fan of Bioderma Micelle waters and I especially love the Hydrabio H2O; it’s my favorite of all the others though I own and use them all. I love how gentle and effective they are on the skin and one or the other is a part of my daily skincare routine. Great review babe! xx
Ann-Marie | http://facetocurls.com
Thank you so much Ann-Marie! I totally agree with you, I see these as staples in my skincare routine form now on!