La Roche-Posay Micellar Water Ultra for dry sensitive skin
La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water
Poloxamer 124
Glycerin
Peg-7 Caprylic Capric Glycerides
Peg-6 Caprylic Capric Glycerides
Average
- HighDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for dry sensitive skin; other products fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry sensitive skin: flakiness, tightness, redness, fine lines, and wrinkles. 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 and hydration for your dry and sensitive skin, as glycerin and peg-7 caprylic capric glycerides provide humectant action, while poloxamers gently lift impurities without stripping natural moisture.
- The formula is generally safe for your dry skin, with no harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing glycerin.
- While it offers basic skincare benefits like hydration and cleansing, these are mostly supportive and not directly targeted at addressing your dry or flaky skin concerns.
How to apply
- Use your micellar water in your AM or PM routine. Start using it 3 times a week and move to daily use if your skin likes it.
- Apply this micellar water after your cleanser and before your toner or moisturizer. Follow with SPF if you use it in the morning .
- Pour a little micellar water onto a cotton pad and gently wipe it across your face. Avoid rubbing your dry skin too hard.
- Apply the micellar water on dry skin to keep your sensitive face calm and happy. This helps avoid extra irritation .
- Do a quick patch test before your first use to stay safe. Avoid getting the product directly into your eyes .
People Say
★4.5Overall rating based on 1.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with sensitive and reactive skin frequently praise this product for its ability to remove makeup and impurities without triggering redness or tightness. While the "Sensitive Skin" version contains a light fragrance that divides opinion, the formula is widely celebrated for leaving the skin barrier feeling hydrated and intact rather than stripped.
Highlights
Effective cleansing Mostly Mentioned
- “removes waterproof mascara”
- “melts foundation”
- “cleans pollution”
- “no harsh rubbing”
Gentle on sensitive skin Often Mentioned
- “no stinging”
- “calms redness”
- “soothing sensation”
Convenience Sometimes Noted
- “no rinse needed”
- “quick morning cleanse”
- “great for travel”
- “easy glide”
Hydrating finish Sometimes Noted
- “no tight feeling”
- “skin feels soft”
- “contains glycerin”
- “moisturizing residue”
Fragrance presence Sometimes Noted
- “strong floral scent”
- “irritating perfume”
- “smell lingers”
- “unexpected in sensitive product”
Price point Sometimes Noted
- “expensive”
- “pricier than Garnier”
- “small bottle for price”
- “costly daily use”
Eye irritation Rarely Noted
- “stings eyes”
- “blurry vision”
- “burns slightly”
- “irritates contacts”
Sticky residue Rarely Noted
- “leaves tacky film”
- “needs rinsing”
- “feels heavy”
- “slightly sticky”
Sources: lovi.care, dermstore.com, ulta.com, lovelyskin.com, target.com, beautycrew.com.au, and more
Questions and answers
How well does La Roche-Posay Micellar Water Ultra work for dry sensitive skin?
La Roche-Posay Micellar Water Ultra works moderately well for dry and sensitive skin, providing basic cleansing and hydration with soothing glycerin and gentle cleansers. However, it is mostly supportive and does not directly target flaky skin concerns. A product of this type needs multiple types of hyaluronic acid or rich emollient oils for deep hydration and optimal moisture retention.
Which ingredients make this micellar water a good fit for dry sensitive skin?
Glycerin and poloxamers make this micellar water a decent fit for dry and sensitive skin by providing gentle cleansing and basic hydration. However, a product of this type needs richer hydrating ingredients and deep-moisturizing oils to truly fit this skin type.
What does Thermal Spring Water do for dry sensitive skin?
Thermal Spring Water helps calm red, dry, sensitive skin and keeps it comfortable. It reduces stinging, boosts hydration, and supports your skin barrier so it feels much softer and smoother.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2020The Medical Journal of Malaysia, 2024
What does Poloxamer 124 do for dry sensitive skin?
Poloxamer 124 helps cleanse dry sensitive skin gently while keeping it soft and comfortable. This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation, making it a safe choice for delicate skin types.
Where does it go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
La Roche-Posay Micellar Water Ultra goes in the evening routine as a makeup remover before cleansing, or as a gentle cleanser in the morning. It offers basic cleansing and hydration, but dry and sensitive skin needs a product with extra nourishing oils and rich hydrators to effectively calm tightness and flakes.
Can I use it with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this micellar water in your routine, but dry and sensitive skin needs a product that also delivers rich barrier-repairing ingredients to keep skin comfortable alongside retinol.
How often should I use it?
You can use this micellar water daily as part of your evening routine to gently lift makeup and impurities without stripping your skin. To properly care for dry skin, products of this type also need richer hydrating ingredients and barrier-supporting oils that actively relieve flaky dryness.
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
La Roche-Posay Micellar Water Ultra is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for dry sensitive skin. This type of skin needs gentle cleansers that lift impurities without stripping natural moisture, along with hydrating ingredients like glycerin.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A 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, 2017Balneotherapy with thermal water altered specific skin microbiota at genus and species levels in healthy female volunteers compared to tap water, which produced no significant microbiome changes.
Life, 2023Malaysian thermal spring water as an adjunct to standard acne therapy improved skin hydration, reduced dryness and stinging, enhanced overall tolerability, and improved the acne disability index in patients with mild to moderate acne.
The Medical Journal of Malaysia, 2024A 2% Sphingomonas xenophaga ferment extract cream applied twice daily for 4 weeks significantly decreased facial vascular disorder scores compared to vehicle in 86 Caucasian female subjects, alongside dose-dependent inhibition of pre-kallikrein activity in vitro.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025The 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, 2012
Why other products fit dry sensitive skin better
Camellia japonica oil activated the human COL1A2 promoter, induced type I procollagen synthesis, inhibited matrix metalloproteinase-1 activity, and reduced trans-epidermal water loss without inducing adverse reactions in human skin.
Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2007Topical formulation containing beeswax-based nanoparticles decreased transepidermal water loss and increased stratum corneum water content after 28 days of treatment.
AAPS PharmSciTech, 2017
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Peg-7 Caprylic Capric Glycerides, Poloxamer 124, Poloxamer 184, Peg-6 Caprylic Capric Glycerides, Polysorbate 80, Disodium Edta, Bht, Myrtrimonium Bromide
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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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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Victoria Derkova, MS
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How does it fit your skin?
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