Sunday 22 June 2014

Bioderma Sensibio H2O vs. Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water


Micellar waters have become the cleanser and makeup remover of choice since the boom of Bioderma's Sensibio/Crealine H2O Micelle Solutions which I reviewed here last year. What makes these micellar waters popular is their ability to remove makeup from even the most sensitive of skin and eyes without irritation, and not needing to be rinsed off. I have adored my Bioderma Sensibio H2O and have finished a whole 500mL bottle already, as well as stocked up on a few large bottles from overseas! The Bioderma does come at a price though, retailing in Australia at $29.95 for a 250mL bottle (I haven't seen the 500mL sizes in store). So when Garnier released their rendition called Micellar Cleansing Water for $11.99 for 400mL, I had to see how it performed. Being at a fraction of the cost, I was curious to compare Garnier's version to the cult favourite Bioderma Sensibio H2O.



Seeing as we all know what the fuss is about micellar makeup removers, I'll let the photos do the talking. The Garnier version is made in Poland whereas Bioderma is made in France and  since being both European countries, this does not bother me the least. Packaging wise, I have no issues with the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water as it is housed in a plastic bottle with a cap similar to Bioderma's. Its solution is clear, water-like and not unlike the Bioderma Sensibio H2O. So far, they are looking quite similar.



Nothing better than a test to compare these two directly! Here I swatched two eyeliners, one being a long-lasting one, another a gel, and one eyeshadow in the middle. On the left I will trial the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water, and on the right, the Bioderma Sensibio H2O.

L-R: Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner in Brown, The Balm Shade Lady Palette Vol.2 Shade Feisty Felicia,  Maybelline Eye Studio Gel Liner in Brown
L-R: One swipe of Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water, one swipe of Bioderma Sensibio H2O
The photo above is the remnants of the eye products after placing a cotton pad soaked in each micellar solution for 5 seconds and swiping once only. I found that they performed quite similarly with the one swipe test, and that both did not manage to budge either of the two eyeliners, although the Bioderma did manage to take a little off the gel eyeliner on the far right.


This is the residue left behind after rubbing the soaked cotton pad about 8 times over the makeup. If you look carefully the Bioderma has performed a bit better than the Garnier.


The final result after vigorous rubbing with the cotton pad- you can see some redness from how much I rubbed! Both micellar solutions did not completely remove the makeup as there is still minor marks leftover. Overall, the performance of the Garnier is near to similar as the Bioderma. The only one problem with the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water is that it leaves a slightly soapy residue afterwards that may need to be rinsed off, whereas the Sensibio H2O has no residue at all. This may be a deal breaker for some!

All in all, I like both the micellar solutions. Nothing can replace my beloved Bioderma Sensibio H2O as it is foolproof, does the job and doesn't leave any residue behind. However, the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water is just so much affordable and accessible (I can even buy it in the pharmacy I work at) and is regularly discounted. It performs nearly as well as the Bioderma- sans the soapy residue- but at a fraction of the cost, you can't go wrong.

Have you tried any of these micellar solutions? Which one do you prefer?





Monday 2 June 2014

Review: Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip Balm


Monkey see, monkey do. Isn't it always like that in the beauty world? This time it's the popular Nuxe Reve De Miel Lip Balm which I emptied my wallet for. I purchased this from the UK online store Escentual before Nuxe was available in Priceline. Declaring itself as a "cult" and "ultra-nourishing" lip balm are huge claims, as well as boasting about how one Reve De Miel Lip Balm is sold every 28 seconds across the world. So does this luxurious lip balm live up to its hype?



Housed in a solid luxurious glass jar, the Reve De Miel Lip Balm presents itself well. Retailing at $19.95 in Australia, it is by no means an affordable product to have- but perhaps a great product for those who really love their lip products (me!) and as a nice little gift. Nuxe describes the Reve De Miel Lip Balm as a repairing, nourishing lip balm with a rich, delicious texture that can restore suppleness and comfort to dry and chapped lips. As an avid lip balm user, I was keen to see how this matched up to its claims.  

Tested in the Canadian cold? It should definitely survive in the Melbourne cold then!


The Reve De Miel Lip Balm presents as a golden paste which is thick with a slight grainy texture- it is  something that isn't like your regular lip balms. I love this texture as it isn't greasy and stays on the lips for a long time without wearing off (pawpaw ointments, I'm staring at you). The scent is very fresh, and smells like orange peel mixed in with a little honey- strange I know, but it does work! It feels very nice on the lips as it has a matte finish and sits very well, making it perfect for using as a base underneath lipstick.

I love to lather this onto my lips before bed as a nice sumptuous lip treatment which is such a treat. Hey, it's the little things in life that makes us happy, right? Understandably the jar form makes it "unhygienic", however this isn't much of an issue for me as I only keep it by my bedside table to use. I personally wouldn't take the Reve De Miel Lip Balm in my hand bag as it isn't the most convenient of lip balms, but by all means feel free to take it away travelling if you like!



The final verdict? I love this lip balm!  Although it hasn't reached "holy grail" status, that's reserved for another lip balm which I will review sometime in the future (and with my sporadic blogging habits, who knows when that'll be). The Reve De Miel Lip Balm is definitely worth a try if you are a lip balm lover or are looking for a nice lip treatment to use under lipstick or just to treat your lips.


Have you tried the Nuxe Reve De Miel Lip Balm before?