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Have you also been thinking about making micellar water, but are discouraged by the use of often aggressive surfactants (cleansing and foaming substances)? We have prepared for you a version of micellar water containing saponins – these are natural substances obtained from camellia seeds that help remove impurities from the skin and gently degrease it.
The basis for making micellar water is always demineralised water and/or hydrolat in combination with a cleansing substance, in our case saponins. Because of them, the micellar water has a brown colour, since the saponins come from camellia seeds. In the final step we adjusted the product’s pH to an acidic level so that it would be close to the physiological pH of the skin. In addition, the micellar water contains soothing substances that help to hydrate the skin and reduce redness.
Apply the micellar water to damp skin; it is suitable for removing regular make-up and for degreasing the skin. When removing waterproof make-up, it is advisable to first remove part of the make-up with an oil-based cleanser and then finish cleansing the skin with micellar water. Avoid applying micellar water around the eye area. After applying to the skin, rinse the face with water for better cleansing; a disadvantage of saponins is that without rinsing they may cause slight irritation on the skin of more sensitive individuals.
Making micellar water is really simple, it is enough to mix the prepared ingredients, you do not need to heat the product. The only more demanding part is the pH adjustment, so we bring you a few tips on how to manage this step when preparing micellar water.
Adjusting the pH is necessary not only for better tolerance of the micellar water by the skin, but also for the proper effectiveness of the preservative, so do not skip this step. To adjust the pH, add lactic acid drop by drop, stir thoroughly and check the pH continuously until you reach a value in the range of 4.5 to 5.5. The stated amount of lactic acid is only indicative, since the actual amount depends on the accuracy of dosing, the quality of the ingredients and other factors.
Below you will learn more about the individual ingredients and their significance in the recipe for making micellar facial water. At the same time, you will find out further information about their substitutions or other options for adapting the micellar water exactly for you.
The basis of most cosmetics is demineralised water and this substance must not be missing from micellar facial water either. Do not replace demineralised water with filtered or boiled water, as the minerals may not have been completely removed, which can affect the effectiveness of the preservative and the stability of the product.
A possible substitute is distilled water or floral hydrolats. You can also try a blend of different hydrolats or increase the proportion of lavender hydrolat in the formula. However, bear in mind that every change in the formula will also cause a change in the amount of lactic acid needed to adjust the pH.
The floral hydrolat with a pleasant floral scent is lavender water, or in other words, lavender hydrolat. This hydrolat has soothing effects on the skin and at the same time gently perfumes the product. If you want a more intense lavender scent, you can increase the proportion of hydrolat in the formula or add 0.1 – 0.2 % of lavender essential oil (thanks to the saponins, the essential oil disperses well in the product even without using an emulsifier or solubiliser).
You can replace lavender water with another hydrolat or with demineralised water.
The main active and cleansing substance in micellar water is saponins. Without saponins, you will obtain only a regular facial toner without cleansing and make-up removing effects. Saponins also give the micellar water its brown colour. To increase the degreasing and cleansing effects, increase the dose of saponins by a few percentage points, and vice versa.
Saponins represent an alternative to classic surfactants, which can often excessively degrease the skin, often do not come from plant sources, and can also be contaminated with other chemicals during processing. This is why many people are increasingly turning to saponins when looking for alternatives to surfactants.
One of the main humectant and hydrating substances in the micellar water recipe is glycerin. Glycerin is not an essential component of micellar water, but it provides hydration to the skin and helps to keep it moist. You can play with the proportion of glycerin and thus tailor the product to your needs. Likewise, if you do not like glycerin in products, sodium PCA shows very similar properties to glycerin in terms of skin hydration and moisturising.
For moisturising and hydrating the skin, sodium PCA is part of the micellar facial water. You will appreciate this ingredient not only as a replacement for glycerin, but it also helps to gently supply sodium to the skin and thus balance the mineral content in the skin. However, if you do not have sodium PCA at hand, you can omit it and replace it with glycerin or demineralised water.
The sodium salt of lactic acid is another hydrating ingredient in micellar facial water. It is worth having sodium lactate on hand not only because of its hydrating effects, but it is needed for dissolving salicylic acid or for increasing the hardness of soaps made by the cold process, so you will use this ingredient in other cosmetic projects as well.
If you do not have sodium lactate at hand, you can replace it with demineralised water or with other hydrating ingredients in the formula (glycerin, sodium PCA).
Provitamin B5 is a great addition for the skin because of its soothing and also moisturising effects. It can bring relief to dry skin and reduces the occurrence of dry patches on the skin; this is why you will find it as a component of many after-sun products and products for sunburnt skin.
Panthenol is an active substance, and therefore it is not important for the cleansing effects of micellar water, so it can be omitted from the product. However, if you want a product with more intensive caring properties, do not omit panthenol. You can, however, decrease or possibly increase its dose as needed (within the recommended dosage range).
The ingredient for adjusting the product’s pH in micellar facial water is lactic acid. Do not skip the pH adjustment for the reasons mentioned in the Tips and tricks section. A substitute for lactic acid is citric acid, which, however, must be dissolved in demineralised water before use (prepare a 1:1 acid:water solution), and then adjust the pH with this solution. You will, however, need a different amount than in the case of lactic acid.
As a broad-spectrum preservative, Euxyl K903 was chosen for this product. Do not omit the preservative from the product, since due to the high water content, micellar water would last without preservation for only a few days in the refrigerator. An alternative to Euxyl K903 is other broad-spectrum preservatives. Before using a preservative, check in which pH range it is active (some preservatives are effective only in acidic pH, so add them only after adjusting the pH to the required value).
As mentioned, you can experiment with homemade recipes to achieve the desired properties. However, the final result can be influenced by many factors, such as humidity, temperature, quality of the ingredients or their storage.
Before you use any ingredient to make a cosmetic product, familiarise yourself with its properties, recommended dosage, storage conditions and safe handling. Each ingredient may have the potential to cause an allergic reaction in sensitive individuals, so before using the product we recommend finding out whether you are not allergic to any of the ingredients or to the finished product, for example by a patch test.
If you have very sensitive or very acne-prone skin, or if you have other skin or health problems, we recommend consulting a medical professional before applying a new product to the skin, whether it is a homemade cosmetic product, a pure ingredient or a commercially available product.
