Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water with Rose Water for sensitive skin
Rose Water
Glycerin
Salicylic Acid
Coco-Betaine
Propanediol
Average
- SuperiorNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for sensitive skin; other products fit it better.
- International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024
- Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with sensitive skin: redness, stinging, and reactions to new products. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers moderate cleansing for your normal skin with sensitivity, as coco-betaine and caprylyl capryl glucoside effectively remove impurities while glycerin and propanediol provide humectant action.
- The inclusion of Rosa Damascena Flower Water offers general soothing benefits for redness and irritation, though the unspecified concentration of salicylic acid may pose risks for your sensitive skin.
- The safety profile is good, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing rose water.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM or PM routine. Start 3×/week and move to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply your micellar water as your first cleansing step before your regular cleanser and toner. Always follow with a soothing moisturizer.
- Saturate a soft cotton pad with the micellar water and gently sweep it across your face. Avoid any harsh rubbing to protect your skin barrier.
- Use on dry skin to ensure better tolerance for your sensitive, reactive skin. There is no need to rinse it off afterwards.
- Avoid direct contact with your eyes and do a patch test before your very first use to check for comfort.
People Say
★4.7Overall rating based on 3.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with dry and sensitive skin frequently praise this product for its ability to cleanse and remove makeup without stripping moisture, often citing the rose water and glycerin formula as a key factor in leaving their skin feeling hydrated and glowing. While the majority find it gentle and effective for daily use, a subset of users with specific sensitivities report that the fragrance can be overpowering or irritating to the eyes.
Highlights
Gentle and hydrating Mostly Mentioned
- “Does not strip skin”
- “Face feels like rose petals”
- “Leaves skin hydrated”
- “Good for sensitive skin”
Convenient and easy Often Mentioned
- “No rinse needed”
- “Quick routine”
- “Easy to use”
- “Perfect for travel”
Effective daily cleanser Often Mentioned
- “Removes makeup well”
- “Skin feels squeaky clean”
- “Lifts away dirt”
- “Great morning refresh”
Pleasant rose scent Sometimes Noted
- “Smells really good”
- “Light rose scent”
- “Smells like a spa”
- “Lovely floral fragrance”
Waterproof makeup removal Sometimes Noted
- “Doesn't remove waterproof mascara”
- “Requires harsh rubbing”
- “Left mascara residue”
- “Not strong enough”
Eye irritation Rarely Noted
- “Stung my eyes”
- “Burned my eyelids”
- “Irritating to eyes”
- “Caused redness”
Scent sensitivity Rarely Noted
- “Smell is overpowering”
- “Perfume is too strong”
- “Odd chemical scent”
- “Headache inducing”
Sticky residue Rarely Noted
- “Leaves a sticky feeling”
- “Feels soapy”
- “Foamed up on face”
- “Had to rinse off”
Sources: lovi.care, walmart.com, target.com, ulta.com, iherb.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Garnier Micellar Water with Rose Water work for sensitive skin?
Garnier Micellar Water with Rose Water works moderately well for sensitive skin, as gentle cleansers and rose water help wash away impurities and calm redness while glycerin keeps skin soft. However, the unspecified amount of salicylic acid may sometimes cause irritation on sensitive skin. A product of this type needs multiple soothing and hydrating ingredients to calm irritation, along with skin barrier support and zero allergens to truly fit sensitive skin.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for sensitive skin?
Glycerin, propanediol, and rose water make this cleanser a good fit for sensitive skin by helping calm redness and keep skin hydrated. A product of this type needs more soothing and hydrating ingredients, like Centella Asiatica and Sodium Hyaluronate, along with an absence of allergens, to be a better fit for this skin type.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
What does Rose Water do for sensitive skin?
Rose water helps calm sensitive and dry skin by providing gentle hydration and soothing irritation. It is unlikely to cause issues when used daily, leaving your skin feeling soft and refreshed.
What does Glycerin do for sensitive skin?
Glycerin helps keep sensitive skin soft and deeply hydrated while supporting the skin barrier. It is unlikely to cause irritation and may protect against dryness and roughness.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008Acta Dermato-venereologica, 1999
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This micellar water is used as a makeup remover in the evening and can also be used in the morning as a cleanser. An average fit for sensitive skin means this type of product needs gentle cleansing ingredients along with soothing ingredients to calm redness and irritation.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this micellar water before applying your retinol, but because it contains salicylic acid and an unspecified concentration of it, it may cause irritation on sensitive skin. To keep your skin calm and smooth, this skin type needs gentle cleansers with soothing ingredients like rose water and extra hydrating components like glycerin, without added acids.
How often should I use this cleanser?
This micellar water works as a makeup remover in your evening routine, though sensitive skin needs products that offer gentle cleansing along with soothing ingredients and glycerin to keep the skin calm and comfortable.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on sensitive skin, though the unspecified amount of salicylic acid may bring a risk of irritation. A product for this skin needs gentle cleansers paired with calming ingredients and proven soothing agents to keep skin soft and smooth without flares.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Topical application of 1,3-propanediol at various concentrations, alone or combined with butylene glycol and/or glycerol, increased skin hydration and reduced trans epidermal water loss in 30 healthy female subjects over an 8-hour period, with the 15% concentration and the addition of glycerol providing greater benefits.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Twice daily application of a multitargeted dermocosmetic cream provided comparable efficacy to benzoyl peroxide 5% gel in reducing inflammatory, non-inflammatory, and total lesions in 150 Caucasian subjects with mild-to-moderate acne over 56 days, while demonstrating superior skin tolerability.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024The use of a salicylic acid-based dermocosmetic significantly reduces the needed quantity of benzoyl peroxide without impacting efficacy in mild to moderate acne, and as maintenance post-benzoyl peroxide allows a significant reduction of acne relapse compared to vehicle.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023Treatment with a rose extract activated newly identified skin olfactory receptors and prevented epinephrine-induced skin stress responses in epidermal keratinocytes and human skin explants, while clinically decreasing the appearance of under-eye dark circles in stressed women.
Molecules, 2020Rose petal extract improves stratum corneum moisture levels in humans by upregulating HAS2 expression via the GLK-MAP2K-MAPK signaling pathway.
BioFactors, 2023Rosa gallica petal extract (RPE) exerts skin whitening by attenuating tyrosinase activity and melanin accumulation and exhibits anti-wrinkle activity by suppressing MMP-1 levels in human cells.
Journal of Medicinal Food, 2020The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen achieved a higher cure rate (39%) than salicylic acid (24%) and a wait-and-see approach (16%) for cutaneous warts at 13 weeks in primary care patients.
CMAJ, 2010A moisturizer containing licochalcone A, 1,2-decanediol, L-carnitine, and salicylic acid significantly reduced noninflammatory, inflammatory, and total acne lesion counts compared to a vehicle control in Thai patients during a 12-week maintenance phase.
BioMed Research International, 2020Treatment with 2% supramolecular salicylic acid hydrogel resulted in a regression and markedly improvement rate of 51.01% compared to 43.10% for Adapaline gel in patients with mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris, showing no significant difference in efficacy.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024The cytotoxic effect of sodium lauryl sulphate on normal human keratinocytes was significantly decreased when combined with cocamidopropyl betaine, Tween 20, and Tween 80 at concentrations well below the critical micelle concentration.
Skin Pharmacology and Applied Skin Physiology, 2003A mixture of propanediol, xylitol, and caprylic acid demonstrated in vitro antimicrobial activity against C. acnes and S. aureus, reduced 5-alpha reductase expression, and decreased skin oiliness, porphyrin, and inflammatory lesions in participants over 28 days.
Molecules, 2021Sustainable cosmetic products formulated with renewable PDO-based emulsifiers showed equivalent performance in sensory and moisturization evaluations compared to those formulated with petroleum-derived PEG-based emulsifiers.
Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2017
Ingredients
Water, Propanediol, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Glycerin, Coco-Betaine, Sodium Benzoate, Caprylyl Capryl Glucoside, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Arginine, Salicylic Acid
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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