As sustainable development and careful economic and environmental planning are taking place, each country is patiently moving forward with the steps to curb the evils of global warming, water scarcity, and pollution.
With people becoming more environmentally conscious and taking active measures to check their consumption and waste management systems, it becomes important to become an aware consumer and know whether the products we are using in everyday life are impacting nature and the environment in a bad manner.
In case some products are negatively affecting the environment, we can look to replace them and opt for better alternatives. Today, with more than a million global companies and start-ups, there is a better alternative to everything.
One such product is micellar water. It is a popular cosmetic product that has often been surrounded by debates about not being ideal for the environment. So, in this article, we would be discussing it.
Firstly, we would discuss what exactly is micellar water, then we would discuss the effects it has on nature and how can we find the right alternatives to it.
What is Micellar Water?
Micellar water, a famous cosmetic product is often used to cleanse the face and remove dead skin cells, makeup, oils, and other forms of dirt from the face.
It is constituted mainly of water and other chemical substances like humectants and other inorganic constituents to induce a good fragrance.
These chemicals, are hydrating in nature to ensure that they are suitable for application on the face. It is indeed toxic for internal use and is strictly advised not to be consumed.
It shall also be prohibited from use in the eyes, as it can lead to severe burns or pain in the eyes which can ward off after a while.
The application of micellar water is often with the use of cotton swap or stripe, using which you wipe your face and then wash it off with the help of water.
In recent years it has become a well-known skin product and is also used as a moisturizer. One of the biggest groups of consumers constitutes women who also use it to remove makeup easily.
Not only has micellar water faced criticism for harming the environment but has also been allegedly known to induce the growth of cancerous cells in the body.
However, nothing conclusive has been found in the studies related to their impact on the growth of the cancerous cell, but the presence of PHMB has known to be dangerous if used excessively.
Micellar water is also accused to be only a surface-based product, as it does not go deep inside your skin to cleanse the deeper impurities and dirt.
But these products, should anyway not be used by people who seem to be prone to acne breakouts or have a rough skin structure that is extremely sensitive.
Effects of Micellar Water
Let us now look at the effects of micellar water. It has been known to be safe for use when in smaller quantities, however, if used in excess, may lead to skin irritation and rashes.
Environmentally, expired and defective micellar water products are almost impossible to recycle or decompose.
They often lead to the mixing up of toxic chemicals and substances with the soil and water and pass on the substances to farms or crops that people eat further.
Since some manufacturers even utilize alcohol with micellar water, it is not only a bad product for disposing of but can prove to be dangerous for children as well.
In a nutshell, micellar water is nothing but water mixed with toxic chemical substances. In this case, even the production of these chemicals is unknown to common people, far in the labs where we have no clue what is being mixed and what is being hidden with the code names in the ingredients list.
Many people don’t know that some ingredients used in micellar water products are banned in many countries since they are proven to be harmful and toxic to human skin and the environment as well.
Even though the claims of micellar water-inducing cancer are not yet proven, it cannot be denied that it is inherently harmful and toxic and must be substituted with a better alternative.
If you care about your health and the betterment of the environment, it is ideal to look away from most chemically induced products and look for healthier and organic alternatives.
There are several companies these days that have products that do not harm the skin and are preferably cheaper than chemical products.
Alternatives of Micellar Water
In case you are alarmed by the use of micellar water, we suggest you look at some other alternatives.
Whenever you go shopping for skin care products, look for a cleanser that does not have PAPB and PHMB as well. Without these two questionable products, your makeup and skincare are considerably safer.
You can look towards an anti-oxidant cleanser or Verso micellar water that is considered largely safe.
In case you want to look towards organic cleansers, you can look at alternatives like aloe Vera gel, milk-based products, or other moisturizer-based products that are a bit easier on your skin.
In general, even regular natural face washes, preferably organic can be easily used as replacements and alternatives for micellar water.
They can easily remove deeply placed dirt while moisturizing your face and helping in makeup removal without really affecting your skin negatively.
Conclusion
Therefore, in this article, you learned about the use of micellar water and its impacts on your skin and the environment.
It is quite apparent that it may not be the best product that you can use for removing makeup and as a face cleanser, since it has several negative effects, which outweigh the benefits.
In a time when we have hundreds of alternatives for each product in the market, there is no need to stick to something inherently bad for the environment.
In case you are still doubtful, talk to your dermatologist and look to follow their advice.
