Simple Micellar Cleansing Water for combination skin
Niacinamide
Glycerin
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract Matricaria Flower Extract
Peg-6 Caprylic Capric Glycerides
Cetrimonium Chloride
Average
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for combination skin; other products fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with combination skin: an oily T-zone, enlarged pores, and dry cheeks. 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 benefits for your combination skin, as niacinamide helps regulate oil production and panthenol provides hydration, addressing your oily shine concerns. Glycerin and hexylene glycol work effectively to cleanse impurities without stripping the skin.
- The formula is generally safe for your combination skin, with soothing ingredients like chamomile extract and panthenol minimizing irritation potential.
- This product is well-suited for combination skin and provides general skincare benefits like hydration and cleansing.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM and PM routine. Use it daily to help control excess oil.
- Apply this micellar water before your cleanser as a first step.
- Soak a cotton pad and gently sweep it across your face without hard rubbing.
- Apply it on dry skin to effectively remove makeup and impurities.
- Avoid getting the micellar water directly into your eyes.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 2.5k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with sensitive and dry skin frequently praise this product for its gentle, non-irritating formula that effectively removes daily grime without stripping moisture. While it is highly rated for preventing breakouts and soothing redness, some long-time users note a decline in quality due to a formula change, and others find it struggles with heavy, waterproof makeup.
Highlights
Gentle on sensitive skin Mostly Mentioned
- “Does not cause any form of irritation on the skin which I love.”
- “My face hasn't felt this pure and cleansed in years... no fancy smells or dye.”
- “Perfect for sensitive skin... feels like water.”
Effective daily cleanser Often Mentioned
- “Takes off any makeup residue and makes my face feel refreshed.”
- “Sucks up oil, dirt, and makeup like a mini Pac-Man.”
- “Great for small clean ups when you have a goof up.”
Non-drying / Hydrating Often Mentioned
- “Instantly boosts skin's hydration... face doesn't feel dry and tight.”
- “Leaves skin feeling soft, smooth and cared for.”
- “Keeps my face balanced — not too dry and not too oily.”
Struggles with waterproof makeup Often Mentioned
- “Did not remove my mascara very well at all.”
- “Takes several rounds of soaked cotton pads to get rid of heavy makeup.”
- “Doesn't work well on waterproof and long-wearing makeup.”
Convenient / No rinse Sometimes Noted
- “No need to rinse... perfect for traveling or lazy nights.”
- “Quickly removes makeup without rinsing.”
- “Answer to the inner lazy girl in all of us.”
Formula change complaints Sometimes Noted
- “New bottle ingredients do not match... lower amounts of beneficial ingredients.”
- “Since it's been 'cheapened' I will not purchase.”
- “Plant antioxidant is now last in the list.”
Leaves residue / Film Rarely Noted
- “Still feeling a little bit of a film on my skin.”
- “Leaves a soapy taste on lips if used there.”
- “Can feel sticky if you don't rinse it off.”
Packaging / Leaking issues Rarely Noted
- “Worried about the snap top bottle leaking when travelling.”
- “Cap can break easily if dropped.”
- “Hard to control flow, sometimes too much comes out.”
Sources: lovi.care, walmart.com, target.com, boots.com, makeupalley.com, skinsafe-products.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Simple Micellar Cleansing Water work for combination skin?
Simple Micellar Cleansing Water works moderately well for combination skin, as niacinamide helps control oily shine while glycerin and panthenol provide hydration and cleanse impurities. To achieve a better fit for this skin type, products need soothing ingredients, excellent hydration, and nourishing plant oils that balance both oily and dry areas without causing irritation.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for combination skin?
Niacinamide helps regulate oil production to manage shiny areas, while glycerin and panthenol provide hydration and soothe the skin. To work even better for combination skin, this type of product needs beneficial plant oils and squalane to nourish dry patches while keeping oil in check.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025
What does Niacinamide do for combination skin?
Niacinamide helps balance oily areas by reducing excess shine and pore size while keeping dry patches hydrated and smooth. It also works to calm redness and even out skin tone, making it very suitable for combination skin.
What does Glycerin do for combination skin?
Glycerin helps keep combination skin soft and smooth by pulling moisture in and keeping it there. It improves hydration and supports your skin barrier, which is unlikely to cause irritation.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This cleanser works best as an evening makeup remover step in your routine to clear away impurities. Combination skin needs products with ingredients like niacinamide to balance oil and hydrating agents like glycerin to keep skin soft.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser before applying retinol, as it helps wash away impurities and prep the skin without stripping moisture. Combination skin requires gentle cleansers and moisturizers with barrier-restoring ingredients like ceramides and soothing agents to prevent irritation when using strong treatments like retinol.
How often should I use this cleanser?
Simple Micellar Cleansing Water works for your combination skin, though other products fit it better. To get the best results for this skin type, look for a product that balances oil while keeping skin hydrated and calm with ingredients like niacinamide, glycerin, and soothing plant extracts.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
Simple Micellar Cleansing Water is generally safe for combination skin and is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts. Soothing ingredients like chamomile extract and panthenol help minimize irritation, while glycerin and hexylene glycol cleanse impurities without stripping the skin.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A panthenol-enriched mask significantly decreased erythema and hyperpigmentation, increased sebum and stratum corneum moisture, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to a saline dressing in 60 subjects undergoing facial laser treatment.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025A new topical panthenol-containing emollient significantly improved transepidermal water loss reduction, stratum corneum hydration, and intercellular lipid lamellae length compared with control in healthy subjects without negatively impacting bacterial viability.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017Topical dexpanthenol acts as a moisturizer, improves stratum corneum hydration, accelerates wound healing and epidermal regeneration, reduces erythema, and improves symptoms of skin irritation compared to vehicle or no pretreatment.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002A 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, 2017Topical post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2005The 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, 2012Apigenin protects against UVA-induced cytotoxicity and senescence in normal human dermal fibroblasts, decreases MMP-1 expression, and when applied topically as a cream in human subjects, increases dermal density and elasticity while reducing fine wrinkle length, skin evenness, moisture content, and transepidermal water loss compared to control cream.
International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 2016Topical chamomile oil combined with a night splint significantly improved the symptomatic and functional status of patients with severe carpal tunnel syndrome compared to placebo, while electrodiagnostic parameters showed no significant changes.
Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 2015German chamomile solution applied twice a day healed peristomal skin lesions significantly faster than once-a-day 1% hydrocortisone ointment in colostomy patients, with a mean healing time of 8.89 days versus 14.53 days.
Ostomy/wound Management, 2011
Ingredients
Water, Hexylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cetrimonium Chloride, Cetylpyridinium Chloride, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract Matricaria Flower Extract, Citric Acid, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Peg-6 Caprylic Capric Glycerides, Dmdm Hydantoin, Tetrasodium Edta, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Chloride, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
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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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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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
How does it fit your skin?
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