Can Micellar Water Cause Acne? [Answered In-Detail]

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Tired of commercial cleansers? Well, switching to different products from time to time can add new spices and flavors to your skincare routine.

That is why people, these days, have started to test out micellar water instead of cleansers. 

Guess what? The formula used in micellar water works great at cleaning the skin and even destroying germs. But, when it comes to the application of the micellar water, many people mess it up!

And, when people apply the product in the wrong manner, they develop skin problems which is a sight no one wants to witness. 

That is why people ask- can micellar water cause acne?

No! Micellar water itself doesn’t cause acne. If you’re applying the micellar water as advised then you’ll get benefits from it. In fact, micellar water treats acne. But, when you’re applying micellar water in the wrong way, you can experience breakouts.

That was just the start, though! By now, you could be confused about what are the right ways and wrong ways of application. Calm down! We’ll guide you through. 

Let’s go-

Will Micellar Water Cause Acne?

No! Micellar water doesn’t cause acne at all. In fact, micellar water will do the exact opposite. If someone has acne with a clogged pore then using micellar water will help in this situation rather than worsening it.

This is because micellar water ensures that it removes germs and dirt buildup from the skin. At the same time, it will even act as a cleanser and remove all the oils from the skin. 

If someone is thinking of switching from a commercial cleanser to micellar water, they can do that as well. As a matter of fact, micellar water can be used on a daily basis and will be a great addition to a skin-care routine. 

The best part about micellar water is that you won’t have to worry about skin type. Because this water works on all types of skin. 

To summarise, micellar water doesn’t cause acne. Rather, it focuses on cleaning all the germs and bacteria from the skin. It even acts as a cleanser and ensures that the skin is clean and glowing. 

When Does Micellar Water Cause Acne?

Normally, micellar water won’t cause acne. But, there is one time when micellar water has problems. And, it can even cause breakouts. But, this takes place because of how the micellar water functions. 

Now, the thing about micellar water is that it leaves a surfactant on the skin. Here, the surfactants on the skin are minimal and most people won’t even feel it. 

But, people with sensitive and dry skin will definitely feel the surfactant on their skin. Here, the surfactants left in the skin could block off the effectiveness of moisturizer and serum altogether. 

All of this leads to breakouts in the skin. 

Normally, the micellar water will never cause acne. But, these surfactants from the water will cause breakouts. Usually, only sensitive and dry skin individuals will face this problem. 

But, there is a fix for this. Since you know that surfactants will be left on the skin after using micellar water, it’s better if you wash the face thoroughly. 

This means rinsing the face properly with water until all the surfactant/residue has been gone from the skin. 

So yeah, the surfactants from the micellar water could cause a breakout problem in the skin. 

But honestly, you can fix this problem. 

Will Using Micellar Water in a Wrong Way Cause Skin Problems?

Yes! The application of micellar water is everything. If you’re using micellar water in the wrong way, you will face a lot of skin problems. Yep, there are even chances of having breakouts when you’re using them wrong.

So, it’s quite important that people use micellar water in the “right way”. Usually, it’s not that much of a fancy job. I mean, you won’t have to put much effort into the micellar water application. 

But, still, the wrong application will bring tons of problems. 

Wrong Ways of Using Micellar Water 

Let’s see what are the wrong ways people are using micellar water-

Scrubbing too Harsh

Yep! Some people just like to take things overboard every time they get the chance. But, honestly, to remove makeup, you don’t need that much micellar water at all. Just take it on a cotton round and swipe across the face in a gentle manner. 

Here, take your time. There’s just no need to rush through. 

But, the people just rub and cause excess pressure to the skin by excessively rubbing through! The excess friction and pulling cause skin irritation and this can increase acne breakouts. 

Someone who already has acne will suffer even further because frequent rubbing will cause additional inflammation. It will cause a reddish color as well. If you mistakenly pop pimples out in this process, the pus will spread out as well. 

So, you don’t need to rub everything too harshly. Just take it slow. But, the thing you need to do is select the right micellar water for the type of makeup. 

For the heavier makeup, take oily micellar water. And, for waterproof makeup, it’s better to select micellar water of that type. 

Using Harsh Micellar Water

We have already told you that micellar water works on all types of skin. Well, this is still true! But, you need to check whether the micellar water you’re using contains alcohol or any harsh ingredients. 

Because using these harmful and harsh chemicals will only dry out the skin even further and cause dehydration. This will even trigger the skin at producing excess oil. And then, dirt accumulates in that oil, and acne is produced. 

Plus, some people these days go for perfume micellar water. Well, we feel this could be a gimmick and you should definitely avoid them if you have sensitive skin.

Leaving Micellar Water on Skin for too Long

We’ve discussed this earlier. Leaving the surfactants from micellar water causes acne. And this statement doesn’t change here as well. 

Basically, some people have the knack of leaving micellar water on the skin for far too long. We don’t blame them. The company claims a “leave-on formula”.

But, you should never cross the limit. Doing this will only clog the skin pores out. And then the dirt and excess oil combined will just produce more and more acne. 

On top of this, micellar water itself leaves a surfactant on the skin. This residue can be mixed with oil and dirt already. So, leaving micellar water for too long over the skin is just a recipe for disaster. 

So, it’s important that you wash everything properly. Doing this won’t clog your skin every time you reach out for a moisturizer. 

Frequently Using Micellar Water on Skin

Let me give you a scenario! If you’ve slept after using micellar water on your skin then you won’t need to use micellar water again when you wake up. Because the skin already went through cleansing from micellar water. There’s no point in doing it again. 

Besides, when you’re waking up, the skin already has tons of oils in it. Plus, you might have sweat from the night before. That’s why you shouldn’t use micellar water on top of all this. 

Just basically, go ahead and use a normal cleanser. And, if you feel like your face is clean and doesn’t have any trace of oil or sweat, just wash with normal water.

How to Use Micellar Water in the Right Way?

There isn’t any right way of using micellar water. At least that’s what people have to say. 

Honestly speaking, there is a specific way of using micellar water. And, we’ve decided to include that in this section.

Micellar water works great with a cotton pad. Just take it on the cotton pad and start gently wiping it over the face. Don’t rush through the process. 

After finishing the wiping, you can continue with the next step of skincare. But, we’ll advise you to wash it off because you shouldn’t keep the micellar water for too long.

FAQs

Question: Is micellar water for everyone?

Answer: No! Even though micellar water works great on all skin types, it’s not for everyone. The ones who have congested skin shouldn’t really use micellar water. Also, people who already have breakouts shouldn’t use it because it leaves a residue that can clog the pores even more. Then, the excess oil will get mixed with dirt and create more acne.

Question: Does micellar water have any side effects?

Answer: Yes! Micellar water has side effects. Normally, micellar water leaves residue/surfactants on the skin. This residue causes moisturizers to not function properly and can even cause breakouts since pores get clogged.

Question: Will micellar water cause dryness in the skin?

Answer: No! Micellar water will not cause dryness in the skin. Compared to commercial cleansers, micellar water doesn’t dry out the skin that much. But since micellar water leaves a surfactant on the skin, it makes the later moisturizers not function properly. And, it can make the skin oily. 

Question: Will micellar water solve acne?

Answer: Yes! Micellar water can solve acne. It can unclog the pores and even clear out the dirt and bacteria from the surface of the skin. This will definitely decrease the chances of acne and can clear clogged pores.

Parting Words

Now, this will be the last part of the informative guide. By now, we believe you’ve got the answer to your concern- can micellar water cause acne?

Well, the thing you need to worry about is not clearing the residue/surfactant from the micellar water. Because micellar water itself won’t cause acne. But, if you’re not using it in the right manner then you’ll get breakouts. 

Worry not, we’ve already shown you the wrong ways of application that can take a toll. Just don’t follow them. And, we’ve shown you the right ways too. 

So, follow them if you want clear and healthy skin! Good luck!