YSL Top Secrets Toning and Cleansing Water 200ml, €34. No press samples featured.
I’m a fiend for micellar water. Actually, I’m a fiend for sitting down and avoiding the rigmarole of a three-step cleanse by the sink, and micellar water is key in that avoidance. All the ones I’ve tried and love have cost just a few euro, so I was really interested to see if this YSL Top Secrets Toning and Cleansing Water warranted its bigger price tag. Well, let’s face it, its much bigger price tag.
What’s Micellar Water?
First, a little explainer for those who haven’t had a go of a micellar water yet. It’s a watery makeup remover, suitable for use on your face and eyes. There are tiny drops of oil that are carried in that water. They’re so small that you can’t feel them, the liquid feels just like what comes out of your tap. Despite that, they work really hard, eating up every little bit of makeup and grime.
To properly clean your skin, you follow up with your regular cleanser. This just cuts the time you’d spend scrubbing off your slap, and you don’t have to rinse it.
Yves Saint Laurent Top Secrets Toning and Cleansing Water
Victory by design, it’s got a pump! Yep, shut up and take my money, I love a pump. It’s so much easier to use that the tip-and-pour bottles I’m used to. Also, you completely control how much you use, and there’s no way you can spill it. That touch alone means I’m using less product than I used to.
In terms of product performance, it’s a hair above the others that I’ve tried. Makeup removal is easier and faster, even though I’m using much less liquid. If you’re looking to justify a splurge, that’s as good a reason as any. When you look at how much longer this will last, the gap in prices closes.
Little luxe touches come in the form of plant extracts and fragrance, as well as that pump that I waffled about above.
Whether it’s worth the splurge or not is up to you and your budget, but there’s no denying that it works beautifully – not a glitch or downside about it.



Beautylymin
Ooh, I love the sound of this! Will add it to my wishlist! xx
Beautylymin
Sue
I find micellar waters to leave a sticky-icky residue, which is why I’m not a fan. Does leave a tacky feeling behind, or…? I like the idea of them in theory but haven’t found one I like in practice.
Lorraine Haigney
Kinda sticky around my eyes, where I feel like it collects in the creases. It’s not uncomfortable, like some of the crap micellar waters I’ve tried, but it might annoy some people. That being said, it melts away after a short while, assuming I’ve not worked up the energy to move on and do a full cleanse.
LindaLibraLoca
I´ll stick to my Bioderma, I guess, I am not so keen on pumps.
Linda, Libra, Loca: Beauty, Baby and Backpacking
tiny_pepper
I think La Roche-Posay Physiological Micellar Solution is pretty good. I don’t know if Koh gen do cleansing spa water is available in Ireland, that’s a pretty awesome product too.
Lorraine Haigney
Huge La Roche Posay fan, and the Physiological Gel Cleanser is one of my all time favourites so I’ll keep the micellar version in mind!
Shireen L. Platt
I’m currently using one by Marcelle and it’s brilliant. I think this would be great if I receive it as a gift but I can’t justify that price for a micellar water. Eep!
Shireen | Reflection of Sanity
Lorraine Haigney
I do think that it comes out a little cheaper when you take how much less you use, but it’s totally still a huge amount to put out in one go!