2024-02-12 19:54:55
Micellar water, a product found in supermarkets, pharmacies and bathroom cabinets around the world, is commonly used to remove makeup. It is a very effective cleanser, and many people use it as part of their skin care routine.
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So what is micellar water, and why is it so good for removing makeup and sunscreen? Here’s the science.
What are micelles?
Oil and water generally don’t mix, which is why you’ll have a hard time removing makeup and sunscreen (which contain oils) with water alone.
But micellar water products contain something called micelles – clusters of molecules that are very effective at removing oily substances. To understand why, you first need to know two chemistry terms: hydrophilic and hydrophobic.
A hydrophilic substance “loves” water and mixes easily with it. Salt and sugar are examples.
A hydrophobic substance “hates” water and generally refuses to mix with it. Examples include oil and wax.
Hydrophilic materials mix easily with other hydrophilic materials. The same goes for hydrophobic substances. But if you try to combine hydrophilic and hydrophobic materials, they won’t mix.
How are micelles formed? It’s all regarding surfactants
The micelles in micellar water are made up of special molecules known as surfactants.
Surfactant means “surface active agent”. These molecules looked at their hydrophilic and hydrophobic brethren and said, why not both? Typically, they are composed of two ends: a main group that is hydrophilic, and a “tail” that is hydrophobic.
When a small amount of surfactant is added to water, the two ends of the molecule have conflicting interests. The hydrophilic head wants to be in the water, but the hydrophobic tail cannot handle the water.
Add enough surfactant, and eventually we pass a critical micelle concentration, and the surfactants self-assemble into groups of approximately 20 to 100 surfactant molecules.
All the hydrophilic heads will be pointing outwards, while the hydrophobic tails will remain “hidden” in the center. These groups are micelles.
Micellar water in action
Surfactants are present in dishwashing detergent, liquid soap, shampoo, toothpaste and even many foods. In all of these cases, they are there to help the water interact with dirt and oils, and micellar water is no different.
When you apply some micellar water to a cotton pad, another convenient interaction occurs. Damp cotton is hydrophilic (loves water). Consequently, some of the micelles will detach, with the hydrophilic heads being attracted to the damp cotton.
Now, protruding from the surface will be a layer of hydrophobic tail groups. These hydrophobic tails can’t wait to attract makeup, sunscreen, oils, dirt, grease and other contaminants from your face.
When passing cotton over the skin, these products bind to the hydrophobic tails of the micelles and are removed from the skin. Some contaminants are also encapsulated in the hydrophobic centers of the micelle. Either way, a cleaner surface – your face – is left behind.
So why don’t I just use detergent to wash my face?
Technically, this would work, as detergent does indeed contain a lot of micelle-forming surfactants. But these specific surfactants would likely cause a lot of skin and eye irritation, as well as damage and dry out your skin. It is not good.
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The surfactants in micellar water are chosen to be gentle and well tolerated by most people’s skin. But micellar water isn’t the only skin care product that contains micelles. There are many other facial cleansing products that also make great use of surfactant molecules and work very well.
Now, it’s not perfect. While it is effective in removing a wide range of contaminants, thick or heavy makeup may not come off easily with micellar water (you may need to cleanse more vigorously). Some products say they leave “no residue,” even though the fine print clearly states that this refers to visible residue.
Many products also claim that rinsing is not necessary. Surfactants will remain on the skin following using the product, but for many people they do not cause irritation. If your skin is irritated following using a micellar water product, you can try rinsing it off followingward or discontinuing use. And, as is the case with many cosmetic products, you should test them on a small area of skin first before using them on your entire face.
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Article written by senior chemistry professor at Swinburne University of Technology, Australia, for The Conversation website.
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