Since I get tons of questions about my skincare routine, I think it’s time to reveal more of the products I use. I’ve already done posts about my everyday serum, and the sunscreens I use year-round. And in this post, I’ll talk about the Micellar Solution from Filorga, a cleansing water loved by me and my hyper-sensitive skin. I will also talk about some of the ingredients that make it unique, especially Zinc PCA. 

Zinc PCA not only helps to restore collagen. It also increases the production of it. On top of that, it prevents acne, soothes and moisturizes the skin, and it calms irritations.

Before I continue though, I just want to be clear about one thing regarding my product reviews.

I’ll only write about products that I use (and have been using for at least 3 months) and love. And nothing else. I won’t try products just for the sake of it or just because companies send me free stuff to write about.

I am extremely picky when it comes to what I put on my face. And you can therefore be certain that the products I write about are what I have considered being the best possible for my skin.

With that said, this Filorga review of their micellar water will cover: why I use it, how I use it, and what makes it unique from other micellar waters out there.

I will also go in-depth with the ingredient Zinc PCA due to the reasons I just mentioned. And that I think it’s an ingredient that probably every skin type will benefit from. 

This is my table of content and as always you can jump to any part of the text by clicking on the headlines below:

• Filorga Review: Anti-Ageing Micellar Solution
• Zinc PCA for anti-aging and acne control
• Toner vs Micellar water – how do I use this product?
• Summary

Filorga Review: Anti-Ageing Micellar Solution

Let’s jump straight into the product itself. What it is, what it does, and what makes it special compared to others. And of course, what it cost and where to find it.

Purpose of this product

In case you are not familiar with the concept of this kind of product. Here comes an explanation of the purpose of it.

A micellar water is designed to cleanse your skin without the use of water. I will explain more about the technology behind micellar waters further down the post. But in short, what they do is they remove dirt and make-up from your skin without water and without a regular cleanse. 

This product from Filorga also has the purpose of moisturizing your skin, working anti-aging, and preparing your skin for the coming skincare products. Just like a good toner does. 

In case you are confused about the difference between micellar water and toners, I will explain all you need to know under the section Toners vs Micellar waters. But what I really love about this Filorga product is that it can be used as both.  

So does it do the work when it comes to cleansing? Yes, I really think it does, at least for the way I use it.

I use it in the morning by itself (no other cleansing). And in the evening after my regular cleanse (for that I use this super mild gel cleanse from Bioderma), as a second cleanse and toner in one. 

I have never experienced any visual dirt or make-up after using my gel cleanser. But just in case, I still know this will give my skin a chance to be super clean.

At the same time, it restores my pH (see below) and provides me with many beneficial ingredients that my face seems to love.

Not sure how well it will remove waterproof makeup though because I don’t use that. But if you are using make-up I think you should always perform a double cleanse in the evening regardless. 

Ingredient list and PH

Here is the full ingredient list of Filorga Micellar Solution: 

Aqua, Propanediol, Sodium Citrate, Trehalose, Disodium Edta, Peg-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Zinc Pca, Cetrimonium Bromide, Citric Acid, Rhamnose, Glucose, Glucuronic Acid

The pH of the product is between 5.70 and 5.90, which is close to the skin’s natural pH of 5.4-5.9. This is important to know because the right pH will promote healthier skin. 

Tap water has a PH of around 7, which isn’t optimal for your skin. Because, even though temporary, when a product (or tap water) is too far from our own skin’s PH-balance, this can cause increased growth of harmful bacteria.  

What makes this Micellar Water special?

So why do I like this product so much? And why is it better than other micellar waters?

Well, first of all, it’s completely free from fragrances and other irritants, and designed to work on all skin types. Even the most sensitive ones (like mine).

As mentioned earlier my skin is hyper-sensitive and most micellar waters I’ve tried have caused my skin to burn and turn red as a tomato. This one does not.

Instead, it calms my skin and gives me a hydrated and healthy glow at the same time. Because besides being fragrance-free and gentle, it has some really powerful ingredients that moisturize, soothe and work anti-aging. 

I want to pay some extra attention to some of them. Zinc PCA will have its own section further down. But first, let’s briefly talk about two interesting sugar molecules. 

Rhamnose and Trehalose

Filorga Micellar Solution is enriched with the two sugar molecules Trehalose and Rhamnose. Both interesting agents when it comes to delaying the skin’s aging process.

Trehalose is a sugar used in cosmetics and personal care products for its rehydrating and water binding properties, as well as its antioxidant powers. Helping our skin with protection against free radicals. 

The sugar Rhamnose is even more interesting and has shown high potential in several anti-aging capacities.

First of all, it’s renowned for its ability to improve the production of both collagen and elastin, as well as cellular turnover. And this is made by reacting in the papillary dermis (the layer of skin that is most responsible for the maintenance and regeneration of collagen and elastin).

Secondly, another interesting fact is that it has been shown to have significant protection against AGE-induced cytotoxicity.

AGEs stand for Advanced Glycation End Products and these bad guys induce oxidative stress and inflammation. Which both play a major role in skin aging.

We can keep AGEs manageable by avoiding high blood sugar and by getting our beauty sleep (see this article to learn more). But It’s good to know that using rhamnose topically will help too

How much does it cost?

*Please note, this post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission if you purchase through any of those links. It doesn’t cost you any extra and I only recommend products I truly love and use myself. You can read my full disclosure here.

The price for this bottle is 29 dollars. I find it really cheap considering it’s a high-quality product and the bottle is quite huge; 400 ml – 13.5 fl. Oz. 

You can find it in different stores, for the same price. For example from Lookfantastic by using this affiliate link.

Zinc PCA for anti-aging and acne control

Ok so let’s move over to the favorite ingredient of them all! I have done quite a lot of research on Zinc PCA and the more I learn the more I love it!

Let’s talk about what this ingredient is and why your skin will love it too.

Zinc PCA (zinc l-pyrrolidone carboxylate) is a zinc derived ingredient with several benefits. It has been used for a long time in skincare for its antibacterial properties and is a great ingredient for anyone suffering with acne.

But it does so much more for your skin. Research has shown it has quite impressive anti-aging qualities.

What I’ve found most remarkable is that Zinc PCA suppresses collagen degradation caused by UVA radiation. In other words, it protects your skin from the aging UVA-rays.

And that is not all. Researchers have also found out that Zinc PCA enhances collagen production in cultured human dermal fibroblasts. Meaning that it does not just prevent collagen breakdown, it also seems to increase the production of more collagen in your skin. 

Zinc PCA is also classified as a humectant, which means it keeps moisture in your skin. Large doses of zinc can sometimes be drying, but zinc PCA is an excellent skin moisturizer and does not obstruct the normal function of the dermal barrier.

In short, Zinc PCA is considered to be an excellent anti-aging ingredient as well as anti-inflammatory. It is also mild and gentle to be used on sensitive skin types.

Tip: Another ingredient that I have just started using is Bakuchiol and I have a review post of it here. The product I use is well suited for sensitive skin, acne, and anti-aging. And I use it at night time after my Filorga micellar water.

Toner vs micellar water

For those of you who aren’t so familiar with toners and micellar waters, this is the section for you. 

Toners

I’d say a (good) toner’s job is to balance your skin’s pH and prepare your skin for coming products.

As mentioned before, tap water has a pH higher than our skin and can temporarily cause an imbalance in your microflora. A good toner will have a pH close to your skin’s, which is slightly acid.

And on top of this, a nice toner could add some properties such as extra hydration, anti-aging ingredients, exfoliation, brightening ingredients or whatever you are looking for. 

You may have heard that a toner’s job is to remove the last dirt and make-up that your regular cleanser did not manage to eliminate. But I personally wouldn’t recommend using a toner for that reason (unless it is a micellar water, which I’ll get back to). Because if your cleansing routine did not remove all the impurities, then you’ll probably have some left even after using your toner.  

Tip: I also suggest you check out my post about thermal spring waters. Since I have found them to be really nourishing to my skin. Not to be confused with a toner, but to be used whenever throughout the day.

Micellar water

Micellar waters are a kind of cleansing water containing small so-called micelles. These micelles are clusters containing molecules that have both a hydrophilic- and hydrophobic end. And they work kind of like small magnets, that pull away impurities from your skin.

Different brands use different ingredients as micelles, but they are all in the group of very mild surfactants. Even though some are better and more gentle than others. 

Mild surfactants are also found in many moisturizers, and foods too for that matter, in order to mix oil with water.

Do you need both?

So now that you know what they are, you might wonder if you need to use a toner after the use of micellar water? And the answer is probably not, but it depends.

There are just so many brands that offer micellar water these days. And I cannot speak for all of them because they differ widely. 

What I can say though is that Filorga Micellar Solution has a skin-friendly pH and it does not need to be complemented with a toner.

It also uses the mildest kind of surfactant, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides (typically sourced from coconut oil), which happens to also be classified as an emollient and helps with moisturizing your skin. 

I know from my own experience that other surfactants, commonly used in micellar waters, can be quite irritating. So if you have sensitive skin as I have, I definitely recommend you choose a micellar water with PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides. 

So to answer the question about using both a toner and micellar water. As long as you use a micellar water such as the one described in this Filorga review, then you do not need a toner to follow up with. If you are using any other brand that you like, I suggest you ask the manufacturer about the pH of that product. 

Summary 

Here is the short and non-juicy version of my Anti-Ageing Micellar Solution Filorga review:

• This product is a very mild, yet effective cleanser. It is well suited for sensitive skin types. 

• It can be used all over your face and eyes and is also a perfect way to get a good cleanse on your neck. 

• It has a skin-friendly pH that helps balance your skin’s microflora. And can, therefore, be used as a toner.

• It contains the anti-aging sugar molecules Trehalose and Rhamnose that have rehydrating- and antioxidant properties. And the effect of increasing collagen- and elastin production.

• It also contains Zinc PCA that enhances collagen production, protects from harmful UVA, and prevents acne.

• It cost 29 dollars and comes in a huge bottle of 400 ml. You can find it here.

This post is in no way sponsored and I use this product only because of the ingredients and that it makes my skin calm and glowy after every use.  

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So, there you have my full explanation of why I love this product so much. And I will continue to write about the other parts of my skincare routine.

The coming blog post will be about my super-gentle, yet effective, cleanser from Bioderma that I use on a daily basis.

The other products I use in my skincare routine are: an antioxidant serum from OZ Naturals, a light but highly protecting and healing moisturizer from Bioderma, and a retinol serum from Murad. I have a separate post for each one.

Just a reminder though. Keep in mind that skincare is just a small piece of the anti-aging puzzle. It is indeed important, and using the right products can make a huge difference with your skin. But you will have to make sure you have a few other things in place first. In order to truly get any distinguishable effects from the products you use topically.

I started this blog with writing about the 3 most fundamental rules to prevent wrinkles, and if you haven’t read it I urge you to do so.

I have also done an extensive post about the skin tightening foods you need to eat daily for younger-looking skin. And I encourage you to read that too.

Having those things in place will give your skin the best ability to embrace the skincare products you use on top. Hope that makes sense.

With that said, I’m looking forward to sharing my other favorite products in my coming posts 🙂 

Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions. Or if you have tried this micellar water from Filorga. Or anything else with Zinc PCA for that matter. I am eager to hear about your experiences!

Until next time, love your skin!

/Ann