Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water with Rose Water for oily skin
Rose Water
Glycerin
Salicylic Acid
Coco-Betaine
Propanediol
Average
- HighOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for oily skin; other products fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. 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 oily skin, as coco-betaine and caprylyl capryl glucoside effectively remove impurities while salicylic acid provides mild exfoliation.
- Glycerin and rose water offer humectant and soothing benefits, respectively, which are beneficial for maintaining skin hydration.
- The formula is safe for your oily skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Use your micellar water for both AM and PM routines. Start using it daily since your skin is not sensitive.
- Apply the micellar water after cleansing and before toner. Follow up with your regular moisturizer or SPF.
- Pour a small amount onto a cotton pad and gently wipe it across your face. Avoid harsh rubbing to protect your skin.
- Apply the micellar water on dry skin to easily remove excess oil and shine. Clean skin helps the product work better.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area during application. Do a quick patch test before your very first use.
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 oily skin?
This micellar water works moderately well for oily skin by lifting away dirt and oil with mild exfoliants and gentle cleansers. It is safe and soothing, but an oily skin type needs a formula rich in oil-controlling ingredients and deep hydrators that do not add excess oil.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily skin?
Coco-betaine and caprylyl capryl glucoside help clean away impurities while salicylic acid provides mild exfoliation, and glycerin and rose water help keep your oily skin calm and hydrated. Oily skin of this type needs formulas rich in effective hydrating and soothing ingredients that provide deep hydration without adding excess oil, plus oil-controlling ingredients to manage shine.
What does Rose Water do for oily skin?
Rose water helps calm oily skin and is unlikely to cause irritation due to its gentle, soothing nature. Diluted forms may also help reduce redness and support skin comfort.
What does Glycerin do for oily skin?
Glycerin helps keep oily skin hydrated without feeling heavy and supports the skin barrier. Because this product is a weak fit for your skin, an ideal product of this type needs lightweight hydrators and ingredients that balance oil while protecting the skin.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008International Journal of Toxicology, 2019
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This micellar water works as a makeup remover in your evening routine, helping to gently lift away impurities with mild exfoliation. Oily skin often does better with a dedicated cleanser that thoroughly targets excess oil and shine.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this micellar water before retinol, but oily skin also needs a stronger targeted cleanser and pore-clearing ingredients to best manage excess oil.
How often should I use this cleanser?
This micellar water works for your oily skin as a moderate cleanser, though other products fit it better. Oily skin of this type needs products with ingredients like oil-controlling agents and deep-cleaning cleansers to keep pores clear and manage excess shine.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for your oily skin, as it contains salicylic acid for mild exfoliation and has a safe formula with no harsh ingredients. However, because it only offers moderate cleansing, oily skin often needs stronger pore-clearing ingredients like higher levels of salicylic acid or clay to fully prevent breakouts.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Twice 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, 2023A 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, 2017A 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, 2021Treatment 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, 2003Topical 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, 2024Sustainable 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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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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