Micellar cleansing waters are designed to remove stubborn makeup and grime. ANNIE TAN tests the following to find out if they live up to the hype.
Micellar cleansing waters are designed to remove stubborn makeup and grime. ANNIE TAN tests the following to find out if they live up to the hype.
What are micellar cleansing waters?
They contain microscopic micelle molecules that lift waterproof makeup, oil, and other impurities from the skin with the swipe of a cotton pad.
1 Caudalie Make-Up Remover Cleansing Water, $32 (200ml) If you’re a fan of one-step solutions, this is your fix. Even my sports-grade waterproof mascara, eyeliner and lip stain melted away, so I didn’t need a separate eye and lip makeup remover, or double cleansing. Organic grape water and camomile help neutralise free radicals and calm skin, leaving it soft, smooth and supple. 9
2 Ren Rosa Centrifolia 3-in-1 Cleansing Water, $33 (200ml) This removed long-wearing foundation, blusher and eyeliner pretty well, but left traces of waterproof mascara and lip pencil, so I had to go over these areas again. It also balanced my sebum levels – perfect for those with oily skin – and soothed with polyphenols, tannins and two types of rose oil. What I loved about this was how comfortably clean my skin still felt an hour later. 8
3 Kenzoki Amazing Cleansing Water, $63 (200ml) This gently removed makeup, dullness and debris, and left my skin refreshed. It contains ginger plant essence – said to revitalise skin – and yuzu extract to replenish moisture. The invigorating ginger fragrance was strong and lingered. However, I needed separate removers for waterproof eye and lip makeup. 7.5
4 Dior Instant Cleansing Water, $58 (200ml) The exotic floral notes and silky after-feel made this exquisite product almost addictive. Enriched with pure lily extract, it is said to strengthen skin against environmental aggressors. While it didn’t completely remove my waterproof makeup, it easily removed impurities and longwearing formulas, and left my skin supple. 8.5
5 La Mer The Cleansing Micellar Water, $175 (200ml) This effortlessly lifted off the sticky residue of the day’s makeup, dirt, sebum and sweat for a fresh, dewy finish that left my skin purified and charged with moisture, thanks to sea minerals and algae. I also loved the refreshing scent and cooling sensation. However, while it worked on long-wearing and smudgeproof makeup, it was not as effective on extremely waterproof formulas. 8.5
WHAT I’M LOVING...
Beauty editor Simone Wu’s pick for this month.
Beat the Haze
Apart from shielding your skin from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays, the paraben-free Elizabeth Arden Prevage City Smart Broad Spectrum SPF50/PA++++ Hydrating Shield ($99 for 40ml) purportedly offers protection against ambient particulate matter. These air pollutants contain skin-damaging free radicals that compromise the skin’s ability to repair itself.
Tested against pollutants in heavily polluted cities such as New York, Paris, Beijing and Mumbai, the sheer, hydrating sunscreen has a DNA Enzyme Complex designed to strengthen the skin. It also has an anti-pollution complex, comprising antioxidants such as Idebenone, green tea and ferulic acid, to counter free-radical damage caused by pollution and UV exposure.
“I’m trying to keep my makeup pouch light and that’s why I’ve filled it with a few Etude House Play 101 Blending Pencils ($16.90 each). The multi-tasking pencil – it can be used as a blusher, a concealer, an eyeliner, an eyeshadow and a lip colour – comes in 25 highly pigmented hues and four finishes, two of which are waterproof.”
THE ULTIMATE RELAXATION
Yunomori Onsen & Spa, #02-17/18 Kallang Wave Mall, tel: 6386-4126, www.yunomorionsen.com Pay a nominal entrance fee – $38 for adults; $28 for those aged 15 and below, and 65 and above – and you can spend the day soaking in different pools, enjoying a therapeutic massage or two (treatments start from $38), and even catching some shut-eye at this spa. There are 11 onsen pools here – five in the women’s section and six in the men’s. Common to both are the Bubble Bath, Soda Spa, Jet Bath, Silk Bath and Cold Bath, while the Hot Bath, with water heated up to 44 deg C, is only found in the men’s section.
On the spa menu: a foot massage, a head-and-shoulder massage, two full-body massages – Traditional Thai Massage (from $88 for 60min) and Aroma Therapy Body Massage (from $138 for 60min) – and Thai Herbal Compress (from $206 for 90min). Note, though, that you can’t return to the onsens after an aromatherapy or foot massage, as the oils used during the treatments may contaminate the baths. If you want some pre-soak pampering, opt for the oil-free Traditional Thai Massage.
VERDICT “The Cold Bath is strictly for the brave – I could only dip my toes in. The Steam Room was quite lovely, and more comfortable than expected. Thanks to the quality time in the onsens and the therapist’s deft strokes, I fell asleep quickly during my Aroma Therapy Body Massage.” – Mia Chenyze, consumer and lifestyle writer.
