• Skin

  Micellar Solutions

  Posted by wpring on January 9, 2015 at 2:08 pm

  Hi everyone,

  I’m wondering if anyone has thoughts on the explosion of popularity of micellar cleansers in recent years. The most popular one, the French Bioderma Sensibio H20, is a fantastic formulation I have used with great success. It is (supposedly) the best selling cleanser in France. Now that Bioderma is available in Canadian drugstores, other Canadian brands like Marcelle and Reversa are producing more affordable versions of their own (http://www.marcelle.com/en/essentiels-eau-micellaire-demaquillante-1 and http://www.reversa.ca/index_en/05_skincleanser_01/05_skincleanser_02.html). The trend is clearly catching on in North America. L’Oreal and Garnier have also released versions, from what I understand. In all of the social media/beauty 2.0 circles I frequent, people just can’t get enough of these cleansers.

  I am here to ask advice (for a novice) on how I might attempt a micellar cleansing solution of my own. I’d like to keep the cost of producing a very small batch minimal, but I’m open to suggestions of any kind. Based on limited early research, the ingredients I’m currently courting are:

  -filtered water
  -fractionated coconut oil
  -glycerine
  -polysorbate 80 (or 20?)
  -Disodium EDTA

  As I mentioned, I am a novice so please feel free to school me in all the ways I’ve got this backward. Any and all formulation and technique advice is welcome. Especially advice on percentages and how to achieve micelles! Many thanks in advance!

  wpring replied 9 years, 10 months ago 3 Members · 3 Replies
• 3 Replies

• 

  ozgirl

  Member

  January 11, 2015 at 5:51 pm

  Here is a starting formulation that might help you get an idea of quantities to use. These are basically leave-on products because you don’t rinse them off so the concentrations of surfactants are very low.

  http://www.colonialc…formulation.pdf

  Also don’t forget to include a preservative.

  Hope this helps.

• 

  OldPerry

  Member

  January 11, 2015 at 7:36 pm

  Every cleanser that has a surfactant is a micellar solution.  There is nothing special about these cleansers. You could make any cleanser with a detergent and call it a micellar solution cleanser.

  This is completely a marketing gimmick not any special technology.
• 

  wpring

  Member

  January 12, 2015 at 3:20 pm

  Thanks so much for the replies! That recipe is enormously helpful. I also had no idea the definition of the term was quite so broad. My aim is for something with a very minimal surfactant percentage, since it will be a no-rinse application.

  I’m learning a ton and have done some more searching. If anyone has thoughts on this latest version of a recipe, I’d be much obliged. I’m thinking of:
  
  86.48% Filtered Water
  10% Caprol Micro Express (INCI: PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides (and) Polyglycerol-6 Dioleate (and) Glyceryl Caprylate/Caprate)
  2.5% Willow Bark Extract
  1.0% Vegetable Glycerine
  0.02% Disodium EDTA

  I’m eying the willow bark extract for it’s preservative function and its ß-hydroxy acid content. Would that be enough on its own? Again this is only for personal use/testing at the moment.

  Using 10% CME is a guess based on LotionCrafter’s suggestion, but of course if it’s possible to used less, I’m open to that as well.

  Thanks in advance!
  

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