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Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Review: Yves Rocher Hydra Végétal Hydrating Micellar Water

As promised, today I'd like to review for you an affordable option when it comes to skincare's Next Big Thing here in the US: micellar waters. Yves Rocher makes a few different micellar waters, but this one seems to have the highest reviews, which is why I purchased it a few months ago. Read on for my thoughts!

NOTE: If you're new to micellar waters and you're not sure exactly what they are, I urge you to check out the second paragraph of my post HERE for a quick definition and some reference material to get you up to speed. Thanks!

Yves Rocher Végétal Hydrating Micellar Water 2 in 1
(retail: $14, 6.7 oz)

This product retails for $14 on the Yves Rocher website, but if often goes on sale (as of the time of this post, it is on sale for $4 on the Yves Rocher site HERE). If you're new to Yves Rocher, they frequently offer shipping deals, gifts with purchase and sitewide sales, so there will always be chances to save on this (and any) product on their site.

Keep reading for my full review...



Whoops. I forgot to take a photo BEFORE  I started testing this product. I assure you, this bottle comes completely full when purchased. Also, it's not usually this bubbly--it was shaken up a bit as I brought it upstairs to photograph it.

Flip-top lid


It doesn't clearly state this on the bottle, but one of the selling points of micellar waters is that there's no need to rinse after use. 

Ingredients

The products in the Hydra Végétal line contain maple and blue agave extracts. Here's some info about those ingredients from the Yves Rocher site:
Yves Rocher Botanical Beauty Research chose botanical Maple and Blue Agave saps for their amazing moisture-capturing power. Combined with patented botanical Betaine, they create a genuine water reservoir within skin that: 
- offers a source of lasting moisturizing* 
- distributes moisture throughout the different layers of the epidermis, even the most dehydrated, to guarantee in-depth moisturizing.** 
Skin is filled with water, intensely and lastingly moisturized, as if plumped** and radiant with beauty! 
“Moisture Capture Botanical Saps have the ability to distribute moisture to all layers of the epidermis. And to respect nature, our saps are obtained through a natural extraction process.” Xavier Ormancey - Yves Rocher R & D Director

Made in France

Although micellar waters are extremely popular in Europe and Canada (the most popular of all seems to be Bioderma Sensibio H20, which is around $30 on Amazon), there aren't a lot of affordable options here in the US yet (the new Simple Micellar Water has just landed at Target and I will be reviewing that soon as well). Yves Rocher's Hydra Végétal Hydrating Micellar Water is actually the first micellar water I've ever owned, so this review is written as a complete newbie to the world of micellar waters.

The first thing I noticed when I opened the bottle was that this is very much water-like in consistency. It's not a thick, serum-type of product; it has the same look and consistency as regular water. There is a fragrance to this particular micellar water (some formulas are fragrance-free) and to me the scent is clean and fresh. It's not terribly strong, but I do notice it when I'm applying this product to my face with a cotton pad.

I've tried this product in a variety of ways, ranging from using it to remove a full face of makeup with long-wear foundation, waterproof eyeliner, etc. and also on light makeup days when I'm wearing just a BB or CC cream, blush and a bit of mascara. I do find it to be effective in removing a lot of makeup, but I prefer to use this product on light makeup days, because I find that I don't need to use as much to get the job done. When I'm wearing a full face of makeup with primer, foundation, concealer and powder, I notice that it takes several "rounds" of removal before every last trace of my makeup is gone. I sometimes have to use about six applications (six cotton pads) to remove both my face and eye makeup on heavy makeup days. Granted, I don't like to tug or pull at my eyes when removing my makeup (I always hold my fully-saturated cotton pad to my eye for several seconds to let the product loosen up my makeup before I swipe) so if you tend to be more aggressive with your makeup removal, you may be able to get the job done with less applications.

My very favorite way to use this product is to remove the last traces of makeup after cleansing my face the traditional way (at the sink with facial cleanser and water). I know that many of you like to use micellar waters in this way as well, and this really is a great use for this type of product. Sometimes when I'm testing out a new facial cleanser or using a cleanser that I know doesn't completely remove everything, I find that this product works beautifully to get those last little traces of makeup under the eyes and along the hairline. And I really love that, in this cold weather we've been having here in San Diego lately, this product does not in any way dry out my skin, which makes it really convenient to use right after a traditional cleansing. And when I'm feeling particularly lazy on certain nights, I can skip my nightime serums and moisturizers and my skin still feels quite hydrated in the morning. Unlike some toners, this product (which claims to be a 2 in 1 micellar water AND toner) does not leave the skin feeling dry or tight, so those with dry skin or dry patches might appreciate that you can remove the last traces of makeup without any added dryness.

I do want to mention that immediately after I use this product, I detect a bit of a sticky residue on my skin. But after about 3-4 minutes, the stickiness dissipates and it's completely gone after about 5-10 minutes. So if you don't like any type of residue on your skin, don't worry--it will disappear! After ten minutes, my skin feels completely normal, but it also feels gently hydrated and a little more plump. It's not the same type of hydration that a moisturizer imparts, but my skin definitely feels more hydrated than it usually feels right after cleansing with a regular facial cleanser and water. Put it this way: after I use this product, I don't immediately go running for my moisturizer due to a dry or tight feeling.

I've been using this product for about two months now (my bottle's almost empty after two months of use, by the way) and I haven't experienced any irritation or breakouts from this product. Also, I have gotten it very close to my eyes and I haven't experienced any stinging, redness or cloudy vision.

One more thing I want to mention: sometimes when it's really cold at night, I hate to wash my face at the sink because it makes me even more cold, and sometimes the sleeves of my PJs get wet, etc. If you know what I'm talking about, then I think you can appreciate that this product can be used in place of standing at the sink and washing your face. Yes, I know that makeup remover towelettes serve the same purpose on cold and/or lazy nights, but if you don't like the feel or residue of a makeup towelette, then this could be a nice alternative on cold or lazy nights. Just wanted to put that out there...

FINAL VERDICT: Great for light makeup days, but be prepared to use several applications if you're wearing a lot of makeup. My favorite way to use this product is to remove any lingering traces of makeup after washing my face the traditional way (with facial cleanser and water). It's great for that, and I love that my skin feels hydrated enough after using this product that I don't feel the need to apply moisturizer immediately after use (perfect for lazy nights!). If you're not sure if micellar waters deserve a permanent spot in your skincare routine, this could be a great, affordable way to give one a try, since this product often goes on sale (as of the time of this post, it's $4). I also really love that on cold nights, or lazy nights, I can sit in my warm bed and remove my makeup and not have to stand at the sink. So for me, this product can come in very handy and it serves two different purposes (for full makeup removal on light makeup days, and also to remove lingering traces of makeup after traditional cleansing).

Do you own any micellar waters? If so, what's YOUR favorite way to use them? Please check back soon for my review of the new Simple Micellar Water--I'll be sure to compare it to this one in my upcoming review!

The products featured in this post were purchased with personal funds. For more information, click here.
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16 comments

  1. Thanks for the review, this looks pretty intriguing.

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  2. I find that Bio Derma takes off about 80% of my makeup.

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  3. Hi G! Very intrigued by micellar waters. May I ask what cotton pads you use (6 seems like a lot of cotton pads to use even with a full face of makeup)? Daiso has some sold in 180 count (2 pink boxes containing 90 each) which I love & I have heard are dupes for the Shiseido cotton pads.

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  4. I have been using the Sephora cleansing water which I love and I use it in the same way and for the same reasons as you describe in your post :-) Good to know that Ives Riches has a nice one that I can include in my next order.

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  5. Just ordered 3 bottles of YR micellar water. The Simple brand is at the $6/$7 price range, so this is a very good deal! Thank you for sharing!

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  6. G, I bought the Simple brand version. I agree with you. It took a lot of product to completely remove all of my makeup. And on the Simple bottle it says to keep product out of your eye. So I did a light pass but I still had a lot of mascara on my eyes after I got out of the shower. So yes, this is an ok product for light makeup days but not worth using (for me) on a daily basis. I just want one product to take off my makeup and clean my face and for me this is not it. I'll stick with my cleansing oil. That takes off every stitch of makeup (including waterproof mascara) and leaves my skin hydrated, not stripped. I'll keep the micellar water for days when I really don't wear much makeup which is only a few days out of the year!

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    Replies
    1. Ponds wet cleansing cloths are still the quickest way for me to effectively remove my makeup. For what it's worth.

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  7. Thanks for this tip! I found a lot of great deals, and while I was shopping the site changed the minimum for free shipping from $30 to $25. Also got a $5 coupon in my email for signing up to put toward my first purchase, so I saved loads.

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  8. Thanks G, for this great review! While I'm not new to the Yves Rocher brand, I am new to micellar water. I'll be taking advantage of the huge clearance on their website!

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  9. Love how thorough and detailed you review, G.!!! I tried Yves Rocher micellar water many yrs ago and it was tacky feeling, I never really gave it a chance to go away I remember just rinsing bc I couldn't stand the stickiness! I totally want to give it another go now. Been loving YR 15 yrs now! Interested in that grapefruit facial toning refresher spray too.

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  10. Btw- the wet sleeves ARE the worst, I hear ya! You know they actually make little headband microfiber type thingies for that purpose?...you wear them pushed up on your arms past the wrists a bit and it catches the drips. Lol

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  11. This sounds similar to my Chanel toner so I definitely need to give it a try soon!

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  12. Totally went to the website and got me some hydrating micellar water after reading your post. The package came in today. For my gift with purchase, I got the micellar cleansing water for face eyes and lips. Anyways, thanks for the tip on the huge sale!

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  13. Thank you for your review. I was looking for reviews of Yves Rocher products but they are hard to find in the US. I'm a great fan of Yves Rocher, but some products are hit or miss. I really like the micellar cleansing water, the one for face, eyes and lips. That one really does remove makeup. But I'm glad to hear that the hydrating one is good too.

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