Garnier Micellar Water Review // SKIN BREAKOUT STORY

by - 21:43

Hey guys! I am back with a review blog on this garnier micellar water. 






I have been wanting to talk about this issue for so long, but yet I was so embarrassed to even mention it, I brushed it under the rug. I thought about doing a youtube video (which I did last year, and I deleted it within like 2 days because I was petrified of what people were going to say).

Last night I was sitting in bed thinking about this, and I thought I'd google the fact  'GARNIER MICELLAR WATER MADE ME BREAK OUT CRAZY'. 
Yes, Garnier Micellar water made my skin react and has now left me with hyperpigmentation (there were forums on this products agreeing with this statement). 

I initially bought this because I saw everyone on youtube / blogpost rave about this product, and just the thought of it being able to remove your makeup and hydrate your face as well seemed to be the ideal product for me. I went out to purchase this product and me being me was super super excited to try it out. Bare in mind this happened last year 2015 around May - June time. 

This product did exactly what it stated, it felt really good on the skin, it removed the most stubborn waterproof makeup and I was delighted to have purchased this product. BUT what I didn't realise that until maybe two weeks ago  that THIS PRODUCT CAUSED MY SKIN TO FREAK OUT. As you may have seen I was using this product in one of my youtube videos ( I don't really use micellar water as I don't really wear makeup to university) .. and a couple of days later, I started noticing bumps on my face making my skin feel so uneven and gross, very small spots appearing out of nowhere, and it was mostly on my cheeks and forehead. It was actually bad and I will definitely briefly talk about it and show you guys pictures in my youtube video soon (I'll be talking about my skincare routine so definitely need to mention it). I was most definite it was the micellar water as the other products were nothing new and as soon as I picked it out as being one of the culprits, it was quickly backed up as one of my friends agreed it caused a reaction. It's now been two weeks since picking it up and my skin is now coming around but obviously left me with fresh pigmentation..
I feel glad to have picked it up, but as some of you guys know it has literally left my once clear skin face with now hyperpigmentation making me extremely self conscious.

Now let me give you a background story about this.. (I'll answer it in Q&A form as I know I can write a story book about this but I feel it's important YOU guys should know so that you wouldn't have to go through what I went through).

How was my skin before this happened?

My skin, I was beyond thankful for. I never suffered from acne / spots (appart from that monthly visit). My skin was super smooth. I never had a skincare routine because I didn't need it - if you guys get me.
It was super clear and I was just super happy with my skin.

When did I notice my skin wasn't right?

So as I mentioned before, I bought this product during May-June time and I was working full time too. But let me make you aware it was an extremely sunny period last summer, I mean heat wave situation.. so I was wearing the clinique bbcream (which was a contributing factor too) everyday to work and I would use this micellar water to wipe away my makeup before going in with my all time favourite simple face wash.
I went home at the end of July and as soon as my mum saw me, her comment was 'why are you breaking out so bad' ... uh oh... bad move mum..
I then began to realise, when I properly looked in the mirror.. this is bad. why I didn't pick up on this before was way beyond me.. BUT the comments on how bad my skin had become quite frequent to a point I was self conscious. I mean it is understandable when you go from super clear skin to all of a sudden spotted face.

So what did I do next?

As the days went on, my mum suggested home remedies such as tumeric, and I googled home remedies such as lemon diluted in water. I became so worked up about this, it got to a point where I was constantly putting something on my face ( I was freaking out big time and I'm the kind of girl who likes to resolve things ASAP). Me being stupid I was just probably ruining my skin even more and as days turned to weeks my skin took a turn for the worst. During this period I purchased the whole vitamin E range from The Body Shop costing me over £100, I purchased coconut oil, face wash lemon from superdrug, witch hazel from boots.. I MEAN I WAS DESPERATE.  At one stage my face became too dry, it was peeling to which I had to apply ALOT of moisturiser and it would actually sting.
I was getting more and more spots as the days went on, and I couldn't get a doctor's appointment, and everyone was telling me it was an allergic reaction to something, and I was getting mixed messages which really did mess with me. They were recommending me different products and the naive desperate girl I was, I'd buy it.

How did it make me feel?

Oh this question.. to sum everything up I honestly felt SHIT. It got to a point where I was actually embarassed to leave the house, I was crying everyday, my self esteem hit rock bottom ( and I'm sitting here typing this and thinking to myself I could have handled it better / how stupid I was for even crying about this but if you were in my shoes you'd understand).
 My only source of comfort was my family, especially my little sister who helped me through this. Til this day I would say I'm not 100% comfortable with myself, I have the days I look at myself in the mirror and I feel ugly and there are times where I am happy thinking about the fact on how much my skin has improved over the year. I also felt the need to explain myself to everyone about my face as I felt they were just staring at it and it's crazy the emotions I went through for a good 3 months. That is the only reason why I even actually stopped filming youtube videos :/ 

My current skincare routine

I knew I couldn't keep going on like this and after a little more experimenting I have now come up with my perfect skincare routine. I do handwash my hands before I start my skincare routine (we don't need no bacteria).
Facewash: simple face wash // Superdrug
Toner: Tea Tree toner // Lush
Serum: Nutriganic Youth Concentrate Serum // The Body Shop
Moisturiser:  Aloe Vera Gel // China

Conclusion

I got to London just before starting university, and I visited my cousin who is a GP and she looked at my face, and she told me I had acne... to which I ended up balling my eyes at. I know alot of people have it alot worse.. but I couldn't deal with everyone asking me why I had pigmentation on my face or why my face had broken out so badly.
She recommended me the obvious acne cream which my mum purchased for me.. and my mum, oh bless her she'd always tell me not to worry and she'd also get frustrated at the fact I was always doing something to my face and she had actually banned me from using makeup and took all my skincare products away from me so I wouldn't be tempted with experimenting with anything.
So as you can imagine I walked into uni, with no makeup.. I honestly couldn't look at anyone. I knew it was going to get easier..
The comments did keep coming in, and after the occasional breakdown at home, I picked myself up and after a week of using the acne cream I started seeing the difference.The difference only started kicking in late October when I had a set myself a simple skincare routine and when people started saying 'oh thevs your skin is getting better' yes I tell you that was the breakthrough I longed for.
Til this day for university I only wear powder foundation so that it hides my hyperpigmentation - nothing else whatsoever. The only time I would go all out with my makeup is when I do a youtube tutorial or if I'm going out somewhere special.

I know the hyperpigmentation will fade with time, hopefully. I just have to be patient and I am managing everything better but I have noticed my skin has become super sensitive to products which I have to be weary about.
I thought I'd write this from a first hand experience. I have learnt to be cautious in what I use, and hence why you may notice in my tutorials I would stick to one certain product. that is why.
Sorry that this is a long post but I really wanted to tell you guys the full story.
Well until next time. Hope you have a lovely day

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33 comments

  1. May I know what was the acne cream you've used?

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    1. hey! I used the acnecide gel with benzoyl peroxide because my GP recommended it, and you can get it over the counter.
      The only thing I heard about it was that apparently on asian skin it can cause pigmentation after.. so after a couple of weeks I stopped using it and started experimenting with products.
      Honestly the lush tea tree water toner and the body shop products are what worked for me best and now my skin atm is all calm except I still suffer from hyperpigmentation..
      Hope this helps! If you have any more questions feel free to ask away! :)

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  2. Hello, this is interesting. I started using micellar water to remove makeup/dirt/oil after a long day. I have had great skin all my life, no redness/bumps/dry patches until now. No matter what i do, i cant seem to get rid of these probs. I need to experiment if this product is causing my skin problems. It's suppose to be gentle on skin..

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    1. Hi, I have had the exact same issue! Always had clear skin then decided I should take more care and cleanse so I bought this Micellar water. Thought it must have been coincidence that my skin became bad at the same time, so I am so glad I have read this! Definitely going to stop using. My skin is now patchy and sooo blemished and spotty.

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  3. I know I am late to comment, but I googled Garnier Micellar Water and breakouts and found this. I just put two and two together- I have been trying to figure out why my forever perfect skin has become disgusting and developed tons of tiny bumps (some are not tiny anymore). I wish people would have to be warned about this before using this. I have zero self confidence now, everyone has been telling my that my skin looks TERRIBLE, and I can’t even go into sunlight without being embarrassed. I wish I could warn people before using this product. Thank you for sharing your story, it’s good to know I’m not alone

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    1. I'm going through the same red bumps like acne on my chin bone line.
      I had mild acne before now it's back

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  4. I am 64 years old and used the Garnier Micellar water for normal/sensitive skin (pink cap) for the first time two days ago. During the night my skin was itchy and painful. When I woke up my face and neck were puffy, red, hot and painful. I have never had sensitive skin so I was surprised by the reaction. It is now day two and my skin is still red, puffy, and it hurts. I like Garnier conditioner for my hair but I won't be using any of their face products ever again.

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    1. I have this week had the same reaction as you however I had been using the product for 5 months before I reacted. Same symptoms though - itchy, red, hot - an allergic reaction requiring antihistamines. I thought it must be something else but after reading your post I am sure it is the Micellar water. Thank you for sharing.

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  5. Huh and I thought I was the only one!!! In just a week (from the first day I've tried it), I already have 3 big bumps scattered all over my face (forehead, under my nose and right cheek).

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  6. Me too :( big bumps all over my chin... I used the Simple one though

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  7. I was on the internet looking to see if there's a connection between micellar water and acne breakouts. Glad I'm not the only one. I tried the Simple Micellar Water last week, and my skin freaked out. Small white bumps all over my forehead, right cheek and chin. I stopped after a couple of days, but my skin still isn't back to normal. I continue to have small bumps though significantly fewer. Hopefully within a couple of weeks, my skin will recover.

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  8. Omg me tooooooo i never hv acne prob but since i use that micellar water my skin breakout like crazy i hv this small pimple all over my forehead and it’s been more than a month idk what to do

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  10. I am having the same reaction just now. 😭😭
    I'm new to skin care routine hence I like to experiment first. Both my toner and moisturiser ran out at the same time and my cleanser is about to as well. I bought new toner, moisturiser and cleanser and it wasn't the same product I've used before. I did a 24 hour test for my new toner where I apply it at the back of my hand first and I didn't get any reaction same with my moisturiser. Since the two has ran out first I used them first as well and I didn't get any reaction. My previous cleanser was cetaphil and it ran out yesterday so I used garnier micellar water last night. I don't really wear make up but I use it to remove dirt and oil especially I have oily skin.
    I didn't get any reaction but earlier after using garnier micellar water I've noticed a red patch in my left cheek and a couple minutes later another one appears in my right cheek. I know it's the garnier micellar cleansing water becuse it's the only new product I've used in less than 24 hours. I've got like a 5 minute panick attack so I decided to look up allergic reactions to garnier micellar cleansing water and saw this blog.
    I will never use it again. I'll probably go back to cetaphil as it is much safer.

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  11. I am having the same reaction just now. 😭😭
    I'm new to skin care routine hence I like to experiment first. Both my toner and moisturiser ran out at the same time and my cleanser is about to as well. I bought new toner, moisturiser and cleanser and it wasn't the same product I've used before. I did a 24 hour test for my new toner where I apply it at the back of my hand first and I didn't get any reaction same with my moisturiser. Since the two has ran out first I used them first as well and I didn't get any reaction. My previous cleanser was cetaphil and it ran out yesterday so I used garnier micellar water last night. I don't really wear make up but I use it to remove dirt and oil especially I have oily skin.
    I didn't get any reaction but earlier after using garnier micellar water I've noticed a red patch in my left cheek and a couple minutes later another one appears in my right cheek. I know it's the garnier micellar cleansing water becuse it's the only new product I've used in less than 24 hours. I've got like a 5 minute panick attack so I decided to look up allergic reactions to garnier micellar cleansing water and saw this blog.
    I will never use it again. I'll probably go back to cetaphil as it is much safer.

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  12. I have the worst skin allergy after using Garnier Micellar water and fell prey to it twice. I could not pinpoint what caused the allergy the first time. I had itching from my neck upwards to my forehead. My skin got uneven, lots of bumps and red rashes and there was swelling and my face looked pink and it was hot to the touch. I visited a skin specialist and got some tablets and medicated ointment. It took about 10 days for my skin to get back to normal.Unfortunately, I happened to use the same Garnier Micellar water on day 11 when my skin was back to normal and within moments I had the same pricking sensation which started around my jawline and then neck and it spread everywhere else. It has been a second attack of allergy back to back and today is like day 5 since the allergy started and I really feel devastated as I had very good skin and a healthy glow and now I look and feel very sick. I have constant itching and nothing seems to help my skin. I would NEVER RECOMMEND GARNIER MICELLAR WATER to anyone with sensitive skin though it says it is for sensitive skin. It is dangerous and it can mess your skin leaving you helpless.

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  13. I too had an awful experience! I used the face stuff which inflamed my eyelids. I was on prescription meds and creams to heal them. Not only that, but I used Dove’s micellar water body wash and two months later, with help from a dermotologist, I’m still battling the rash on my body!

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  14. I am having the same reaction too. I don't know what's wrong. Is it me or the product? Last month, i bought this garnier micellar water and broke out so bad. I've got tiny little BUMPS around my nose and under eyes. I thought it was my period but my period passed and the break out was still there. :( last week, I tried to change into NIVEA micellar water and it made my skin worst. I think i'm allergic to micellar water now. :"(

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  15. OHMYGOSH I'm so grateful that I foud this blog. I've been struggling with acne ( small bumps on my forehead and sometimes on my cheek and under my nose, red rashes, itchy skin) for like 5 months. I've tried various skincare, and also tried to stop using them and still havent foaund the cause yet until today I usee the garnier micellar water to clean my makeup and seconds after I used it my skin was itching like crazy ajd red bumps appeared. So I started googling and found this! Thankyou so much. I've been wondering for 5 months trying to figure out whats wrong with my skincare.. I stipped using everything excepy that micellar water bcs I thought it contains the least chemical ingredients than other products and it's been my third bottle :(

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  16. Found this blog too late, i wish i had found it before buying garnier micellar water. Now i actually know the cause behind my sudden erythematous rashes,acne,dryness and hyper pigmentation. I hope my skin comes back to normal..

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  17. Thanks for info https://bit.ly/2PCkRw8

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  18. I've been using this for around six months now, before I started using it my skin was great, a little dry but I had no hyper pigmentation or spots. Never dealt with acne growing up as a teenager etc. I am now 26 and I'm the last 6 months ( mainly on my cheeks and jawline) I have developed lumps under the skin. My face is incredibly dry but oily at the same time. Definitely avoid this product. I am now scared of scarring on my skin. I don't mind the redness as much as the texture. I am really into makeup and now I feel like nothing sits nicely and its making me enjoy the process less and less. Hope people can read this and it's will help them stay away from this product if you can relate to my skin problems. Love to everyone! Stay strong xxx

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  19. did you guys rinse off the micellar water? it might cause breakout if you dont

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  20. There’s no warning on the bottle that skin should then be rinsed with water. So how would people know?

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  21. Re my comment above about lack of warning..... in fact the instructions on the label says “no need to rinse”. I’m glad I found this blog to confirm my suspicions about Garnier Micellar. My eyes are swollen and my neck has reacted with painful red lumpy blotches. I have thrown the bottle in the bin! I will send a complaint to the manufacturer and I suggest that all of you bloggers do too. Product is dangerous and should be taken off the market.

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  22. Re my comment above about lack of warning..... in fact the instructions on the label says “no need to rinse”. I’m glad I found this blog to confirm my suspicions about Garnier Micellar. My eyes are swollen and my neck has reacted with painful red lumpy blotches. I have thrown the bottle in the bin! I will send a complaint to the manufacturer and I suggest that all of you bloggers do too. Product is dangerous and should be taken off the market.

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  23. Thanks for writing this because I was exactly like you.
    I never had a skin care routine because my face was always clean and clear lol seriously never had acne either.
    Just a couple pimples here and there every couple months but now ever since I have used this micellar water,
    I have noticed my skin is red and irritated and I had noticed a change for the past year, but stupidly thought it was because I was flustered or I was hot from working out.
    It just hit me tonight and I’m so upset because I use 2 of them, I use the oil infused one for my eyeliner because that’s the only make up I wear.
    For the rest of my face, I also use the pink cap one that’s meant to be for sensitive skin also, even though my skin was never sensitive and it still doesn’t work.
    I will never use it again and hope my skin goes back to normal !

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  24. Thanks for writing this!! I use to have really severe cystic acne but about 3 years ago I went on Accutane for a 6 month course. My skin went from horribly bumpy, red, painful itchy etc. to completely clear and perfect! That is until I just recently started using micellar water 2 weeks ago. I could literally not wash my face for 3 days and my complexion would still be clear (the results of a successful Accutane treatment). NOW my face has broken out like crazy, its red everywhere like a rash with small and deep pimples everywhere which is different than my usual cystic acne. I thought it might be hormonal but after reading your blog and others on micellar water I 100% believe this is the culprit as it's the only thing I have changed in the last few weeks. I have just recently made an appointment with my dermatologist as I now may need a second course of Accutane which SUCKS. I will see how my face settles in the next couple of weeks but everyone be warned...micellar water does not work for everyone!!

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  25. This is what exactly happened to my face after using micellar make up remover. I never had pimple or acne.i started using this product last year and I could notice redness and small bumps on my face.it went really bad in December and January. Then I realized this is the only new product I used.it has made my skin sensitive. I cant use any face wash.i always used rose water on my face but that doesn't suit my skin after using this product.the last time I used micellar water on my face,it wash itchy and I woke up with redness and big bumps on my face.my face is settling now as I'm using a good toner .

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  26. Me too!!! I've never broken out this bad and I just noticed a new dark spot!!

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  27. This is actually good to read content of this blog. A is very general and huge knowledgeable platform has been known by this blog. I in reality appreciate this blog to have such kind of educational knowledge. 

    Regards,
    Hyperpigmentation specialist near me

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  28. same for me. my skin reaction was bad enough I got skin infection and had to go on antibiotics...never again!

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  29. Me too. My lips are red, sore and feel like they will split open and bleed every time I smile. This is the only new product in my routine. I have now stopped and hope my lips recover soon as this is horrible.

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