CeraVe

CeraVe Micellar Cleansing Water.

Cleansers

About this product

A micellar cleansing water formulated with ceramides and niacinamide, designed to remove makeup and cleanse the skin without stripping.

Full ingredients

Aqua/Water, Glycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Poloxamer 184, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Disodium EDTA, Niacinamide, Polyaminopropyl Biguanide, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, BHT, Ceramide NP, Phenoxyethanol, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ceramide EOP

Guru Score

61%

Mixed

5 experts · Moderate agreement

What the gurus are saying

This micellar water earns consistent praise for its gentle formula, it contains ceramides and niacinamide that support the skin barrier rather than strip it, making it a solid first cleanse for makeup removal. It's budget-friendly, fragrance-free, and low pH, and works well applied with a cotton pad or fingertips. One reviewer found it irritating to the eyes and less effective at removing makeup, so those with sensitive eyes may want to patch-test first or consider it alongside other options.

Synthesized from 5 expert reviews · most recent take November 2024

What they liked

Gentle enough to use with fingers or cotton pads
Budget-friendly price
Fragrance-free and low pH

What they flagged

Can sting and irritate eyes
Struggles to remove makeup fully

Best for

Dry skin Sensitive skin

Type

CleansersLiquid

Key actives

NiacinamideCeramides

Formula notes

Fragrance-freeNo drying alcohol

Where to buy

Ulta → Amazon → Google →

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Scan it in the shopFree iPhone app. Scores in the aisle.

What the experts use it for.

The concerns the experts tie this product to, in their own words. Paid and founder takes don't count.

Skin barrier support2 experts

“I've got [...] the CeraVe Micellar Cleansing Water which obviously contains the three essential ceramides and niacinamide to help with your skin barrier.”

Dr. Somji Skin, watch at 10:12

Breakouts and acne1 expert

“CeraVe Micellar Cleansing Water is low pH, great for your skin, has niacinamide which is great for your skin for acne, blemishes, dark spots, barrier support.”

Doctorly, watch at 11:59

Dark spots and post-acne marks1 expert

“CeraVe Micellar Cleansing Water is low pH, great for your skin, has niacinamide which is great for your skin for acne, blemishes, dark spots, barrier support.”

Doctorly, watch at 11:59

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

Dr. Somji Skin

361k subs

~Yay

"If you wear makeup, micellar water is fantastic as that first cleanse. I've got [...] the CeraVe Micellar Cleansing Water which obviously contains the three essential ceramides and niacinamide to help with your skin barrier. This is fantastic you can massage this into your skin with a cotton pad or even with your hands to really give you that first step clean and sometimes for some people that's enough."

All 2 takes from Dr. Somji Skin

The Doctor's Guide: Perfect Cleansers for Your Skin Type

Doctor's Advice: Selecting the Best Cleanser for Your Skin Type!

"The CeraVe one has three essential ceramides in there so it's not going to strip the skin. You can work this in with your fingers or you can use cotton pads if you want to, but this is quite nice."

Doctorly

3.59M subs

~Yay

"CeraVe has a micellar water that's perfectly fine. I like that as well, budget friendly."

All 2 takes from Doctorly

Saturday Skincare Live!

"CeraVe has a micellar water that's perfectly fine. I like that as well, budget friendly."

DOUBLE CLEANSE LIKE A DERMATOLOGIST | Doctorly Routines

"CeraVe Micellar Cleansing Water is low pH, great for your skin, has niacinamide which is great for your skin for acne, blemishes, dark spots, barrier support. It's super straightforward, simple, and fragrance-free, so that one is also outstanding."

No BS Beauty

89k subs

~Nay

"My eyes are not terribly sensitive but this one makes my eyes water and I just didn't find it did a really good job removing any extra makeup or anything like that so this one was not my favorite product from them and it became a really easy pass."

Dr. Jenny Liu

324k subs

~Yay

"I use this to cleanse my skin with a cotton pad and if I didn't have this I would probably make my own. I've talked about this in my previous travel skincare video where I would basically pre-fill a Ziploc bag with a cotton pad soaked in micellar water from home and then just use that essentially like my makeup wipes but it's a lot more gentle."

Dr Dray

2.69M subs

~Nay

"A long time ago I reviewed the CeraVe micellar water, I hated it, it burned my eyes like none other."

All 2 takes from Dr Dray

ALL THE NEW SKINCARE AT TARGET 🛍 DERMATOLOGIST @DrDrayzday

"A long time ago I reviewed the CeraVe micellar water, I hated it, it burned my eyes like none other."

NEW SKIN CARE AT WALMART FOR SUMMER 2022 🛍 @DrDrayzday

"I like pretty much all of CeraVe's products, except their micellar water was horrible. Did they still make that? That was a bad product."

What the evidence says.

Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.

Niacinamide

Niacinamide has evidence behind it for redness, uneven tone and supporting the skin barrier, and it is usually well tolerated even by skin that reacts to most things.

Source: DermNet

Ceramides

Ceramides are part of the skin's own barrier, and moisturisers built around them have evidence for holding water in and settling the tightness and flaking that come with a damaged barrier.

Source: DermNet

Frequently asked.

What is CeraVe Micellar Cleansing Water?

A micellar cleansing water formulated with ceramides and niacinamide, designed to remove makeup and cleanse the skin without stripping.

Is CeraVe Micellar Cleansing Water worth it?

The gurus are split. 3 of the 5 gurus give it their stamp of approval while 2 would skip it, which lands it in the middle at a Guru Score of 61%.

What is CeraVe Micellar Cleansing Water's Guru Score?

CeraVe Micellar Cleansing Water holds a Guru Score of 61%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 5 expert reviewers we have collected.

Who is CeraVe Micellar Cleansing Water best for?

CeraVe Micellar Cleansing Water is generally suited to dry skin and sensitive skin.

What is CeraVe Micellar Cleansing Water good for, according to the experts?

In their reviews, experts say CeraVe Micellar Cleansing Water is good for skin barrier support (2 experts), breakouts and acne (1 expert) and dark spots and post-acne marks (1 expert).

Is CeraVe Micellar Cleansing Water good for skin barrier support?

2 experts who reviewed CeraVe Micellar Cleansing Water say it is. Dr. Somji Skin put it this way: “I've got [...] the CeraVe Micellar Cleansing Water which obviously contains the three essential ceramides and niacinamide to help with your skin barrier.”