I try almost every new micellar cleansing water that comes on to the market, simply because I get through gallons of the stuff. I use it as an eye makeup remover; for sweeping away the hundreds of stripes and smears of testing makeup drawn on my hands each week; for removing the bulk of makeup before proper night-time face cleansing with a balm; for overtired, tipsy cleansing from the comfort of my own bed; and for swift, neat lipstick changes on shoots.
I have tried hundreds, from dirt cheap to silly expensive, and Simple’s Water Boost micellar cleansing water (£6.99 for a huge 400ml bottle) is the best at any price. Here is why: unlike many micellars, it doesn’t give me spots. If ever I am testing anti‑blemish treatments on my dry, normally clear face and I use an inferior micellar for a few days, a spot or two will materialise. Not with this – however frequently I use it. It removes everything, even stubborn matte lip stains, with ease. It leaves my skin neither greasy nor tight. It is cheap enough to be used lavishly and has a proper squirty bottle instead of the stupid, wasteful and messy pump dispensers favoured by several luxury brands. At this stage, I see no reason why anyone would pay more.
On the subject of great products you can chuck in your basket for less than the price of a bottle of laundry detergent, have a look at CYO, a new high street makeup brand exclusive to Boots. I am impressed with the Sweeping Statement metallic eye sticks (£4.50), which stroke softly into the inner lash line for wide-eyed sparkle without the hassle of shadows and brushes. They are similar to several I have tried at three to four times the price. There is also Shade To Last (£5 for 6ml), a rosy lip and cheek tint that blends more smoothly than – and lasts just as well as – the leading luxury version that seemingly inspired it.
Not everything I tried was great, or even remarkable, but This Line’s A Keeper semi-permanent liquid eyeliner (£5 for 3ml; not the felt-tip variety) went on smoothly, didn’t crack or flake and stayed dense, sharp and straight for an extraordinarily long time. “Semi-permanent” is an overstatement, but only just – it hung around until I got out the Simple micellar again.
