Product Review: Biore Charcoal Cleansing Micellar Water

I was never really a product guru. My skin survived perfectly well with regular soap, water and exfoliating once a month. One time, I won a soap in a giveaway with a certain brand. This was the beginning of my problems. I started to experience a condition called hyperpigmentation. Initially, I assumed it was one of those products that your skin takes time to adjust to, but one week down the line I decided to quit altogether. This was when I started trying products to get rid of the hyperpigmentation. I tried very many products, none of which seemed to work. Eventually, I decided to give up. My skin would heal itself even if it took time. After all, a watched pot never boils. It didn’t make sense to monitor the skin every single day. I chose to go back to the minimalist way.

Currently, my routine consists of an exfoliator, face masks and The Biore micellar water. I can comfortably say that these products have helped with the hyperpigmentation. I’m not saying you should go and buy these exact products expecting to see a change overnight. I’m saying, take time to find what works for you, and stick to it.

Funny background story about how I got hold of this product: my brother and I had used a charcoal scrub from the same brand. He suffers from acne. He got the product from one of our cousins in Canada who suffers from the same and thought it would help. At the time I used to use the scrub just so I could say that I at least have some sort of routine. I have since stopped using scrubs on my face, for the simple reason that they’re too rough on my skin. But that’s a story for another day.

One time another cousin of ours was flying in and she asked what we wanted from there. We were quick to mention this product. She even asked us for a picture so that she could confirm which one it was particularly. But what we forgot to mention was that we wanted the scrub, because the scrub and the micellar water look exactly the same, so even in the picture we sent they looked exactly the same. She brought back two bottles of micellar water. Now, I can comfortably say that this was a blessing in disguise for me. My brother never really used his, and I on the other hand quickly discovered its magic. I don’t think I’ll ever look back when it comes to this micellar water. It has worked wonders for me.

Manufacturers Claims

Specially formulated for oily skin, Biore Charcoal Cleansing Micellar Water delivers an all-in-one solution for a clean, refreshed face. Anytime and anywhere.

Makeup remover: Dissolves even heavy makeup

Cleanser: Removes dirt and oil from pores

Refresher: Absorbs excess oil

Let me just say, I don’t understand how this product could possibly be for oily skin. Acne is a condition that is associated with the overproduction of sebum and oils, yet this product does not work for my brother and it works perfectly for me. I have seen a skin specialist who confirmed to me that I have normal skin. Therefore I would comfortably recommend it to people with normal skin.

My face before using the Biore Micellar Water

Cost

As I’ve already mentioned, my cousin bought this product from Canada. At the time it was approximately $8.97 (Canadian Dollars) which is approximately 650 Kenyan shillings. This is the cost for one 300ml bottle. I am currently just finishing my second bottle, one and a half years down the line. I think that’s quite affordable.

However, I found out on an Instagram page that they were selling the same product for about 1,500 shillings. Crazy right? I guess the shipping costs are the cause of this price difference. Currently this product can be found in selected retail stores like Carrefour for about 800 shillings although the stock runs out quite frequently.

How I use it

I use this product for multiple things. First, it has completely replaced the creams, lotions and oils that I used previously on my face. I find that it’s very light and gives my skin a dewy and yet matte feel. It gives me a subtle glow. Some people don’t like this look, so if you’re one of those, I would suggest that you use very little product and then bloat it out with a clean piece of a serviette.

I also use this product to get rid of all my makeup. When I products such as foundation and concealer, I don’t use micellar water to moisturizing my face for the simple reason that I don’t like how the makeup sits on my face after the micellar water. I use it to get rid of the makeup. I think it does a good job in taking foundation, powder and concealer off but for mascara, you may have to find an alternative product.

My face after using Biore micellar water

Ingredients

The main products in this micellar water are:

Hexylene glycol which acts both as a humectant to keep the skin moist and a hydrotrope to improve the solubility of the makeup.

Glycerin which is another humectant that helps to absorb moisture from the environment to the skin.

Peg 6 caprylic/capric glycerides which provide oil-free moisturizing.

Overall Verdict

I would most definitely invest in this product, over and over again. As I’ve said, you need to find what works for you and stick to it. You can’t experiment with something as fragile and sensitive as skin. So once I found this product and discovered how to make it work, I knew I wasn’t moving away from it anytime soon.

Pros