Love BIODERMA Micellar Water? It’s Time to Explore the Entire French Pharmacy Collection
Maddy is Adore Beauty's Retail Media Specialist. She spends most of her spare time listening to podcasts, perfecting her slicked-back bun and searching for her next almond latte.
In Partnership With BIODERMA.
Long before I ever worked at Adore Beauty, when I was a teenager in the 2010s, my mum introduced me to the gloriousness that is the BIODERMA Sensibio H2O Soothing Micellar Water Cleanser.
I was very prone to both acne and not cleansing my face (I know, I know) so she walked into my room one day with a pink-lidded bottle and some cotton rounds.
Fast forward to now and there’s still a bottle of the same micellar water in my bathroom, and I refuse to travel without it.
Safe to say I loved it, right?
But BIODERMA is much more than just their iconic micellar water. They’re a French pharmacy brand with over 40 years of experience creating products “Based on the idea that a product should not take over the skin’s job but should help the skin to do its job better.”
Think dermatologist-recommended products that work hard, suited for many skin types.
From blemish-prone skin to very dry sensitive skin, BIODERMA has you covered, especially as all of their products are made with sensitive skin in mind regardless of skin type.
But before we get into the products that are right for you, let's get into the brand.
What Is BIODERMA?
BIODERMA was founded in 1977 in the gorgeous town of Aix-en-Provence in the South of France (where, fun fact: its headquarters is still located today).
Imagine a quintessential French town, full of gorgeous scenery just a quick 40-minute drive from Marseille.
But back to the topic at hand.
To make it nice and easy to decipher, BIODERMA has sorted their skincare products into five main categories: Sensibio, Atoderm, Sebium, Hydrabio and Cicabio.
Each range has a specific purpose to help a specific skin concern, with all products formulated with the “Purest active ingredients to help preserve, activate or restore the skin’s natural functions.”
Let's take a closer look.
BIODERMA Sensibio.
First up, we have Sensibio, a range made specifically for sensitive skin.
Fast facts:
- Designed to help support sensitive and sensitised skin–think redness or tightness when using certain products.
- This range is also good for those who experience sensitised skin. Overdone it with the actives? This is the range for you.
- The most iconic product in this range is no doubt the micellar water, however, the range also includes gorgeous creams, cleansing oils, cleansers and soothing moisturisers to defend against external aggressors.
My BIODERMA Sensibio review:
So you know that I have a history with the Bioderma Sensibio H2O Soothing Micellar Water Cleanser, but let me get into why.
- This stuff is gentle. Never have I swiped this across my face and been left with that scrunched-up paper bag feeling. There’s no stinging, and it has always effortlessly removed even the most stubborn makeup I’ve put on my face. And I went through a glitter eyeshadow phase in the mid-2010s.
- This stuff works. I often use this as a cleanse in the morning and I’m always surprised when the cotton pad comes back a little dirty.
- I apply it to a Q-tip and use it to clean makeup mistakes or clean up my lips to apply fresh lip products.
- It comes in multiple different sizes, meaning I can have one in my travel bag, my gym bag, my pilates bag, on the countertop at home…
Now with that out of the way, there are actually two other products from this range that I’ve had the chance to try and equally loved.
The Bioderma Sensibio Defensive Lightweight Soothing Moisturiser and the Bioderma Sensibio Soothing Defensive Serum for Sensitive Skin.
I’ve gone through periods of incredibly sensitised skin, and my skin drank up both of these products. They were gorgeously light and didn’t pill on my skin - and the serum is now in my daily routine.
Next is the Sebium - another range that’s a perfect match for me with my blemish-prone, oily skin.
BIODERMA Sebium.
Fast facts:
- This range includes multiple cleansers, moisturisers and treatments all aimed at those with oily skin, or with the goal of a clear complexion.
- The Sebium formulations BIODERMA has made are designed to mattify the complexion and bring the pores back to neutral- so the creams and cleansers don’t get too heavy or clog pores that are already active at producing oils.
My BIODERMA Sebium review:
I also have personal experience with a few of these Sebium range products, so let's get into my thoughts.
By far my favourite of the range is the Bioderma Sébium Anti-blemish Hydrating Serum.
You read that right, the hydrating anti-blemish serum.
This serum is so light that it was so incredibly easy to add to my existing routine, and it didn’t leave me stinging or red-faced.
It also includes some of my favourite ingredients - salicylic acid and hyaluronic acid - meaning you know that it gets right to work.
The Bioderma Sébium Mat Control Mattifying Moisturiser and Bioderma Sébium Gel Moussant Actif Anti-blemish Foaming Gel Deep Cleanser are the other products I slipped into my routine.
I loved how I was always left feeling clean and never stripped.
I put my skin through a lot as someone who is blemish-prone (think acids, spot treatments, accidentally using too many actives together etc.), and this range was like a gentle but firm hand guiding me to clearer skin.
For anyone seeking some extra hydration, there’s the Hydrabio range.
BIODERMA Hydrabio.
Fast facts:
- Made for those with dry or dehydrated skin - think you use a hydration mist to hydrate your skin after lunch to make sure your make-up doesn’t go flaky.
- Also perfect for anyone dealing with dull skin or environmental aggressors - such as pollutants, stress or even seasonal change.
Our Beauty Editor’s BIODERMA Hydrabio review:
Our amazing Beauty Editor Jas has been road-testing a handful of the Hydrabio products and has shared her thoughts with me below.
“Truth bomb: it's been ages since I’ve used micellar water. Shocking, I know.
It was my go-to before I discovered cleansing balms—a one-step wonder that wiped away makeup and grime while somehow leaving my skin soft and happy.
After this road test, I’m reminded of why I loved it so much.
It’s still just as gentle and effective as ever. I even use it to fix any heavy-handed makeup moments, dipping a cotton bud in to tidy up excess liner.
Micellar water, you’ve won me over again." - Jas, Beauty Editor.
“This is literally a hug in a bottle.
My dry skin has been soaking this up post-shower, and it's been an absolute treat to restore moisture and soothe tightness.
This essence is perfect for warmer weather—it’s lightweight, refreshing, and sits beautifully over makeup.
While each product stands strong on its own, together? They’re the ultimate skin-quenching dream team.” - Jas, Beauty Editor.
“If I had to sum up this serum in one word, it would be JUI-CY. Okay, that’s technically two, but I had to emphasise just how dewy this beauty is!
It’s silky, lightweight, and melts into the skin like an absolute dream while still packing a punch in the hydration department.
The glass dropper adds a touch of luxe and makes application easy.
Overall, it’s been a lovely addition to my dry skin routine—like a tall glass of water for my face.” - Jas, Beauty Editor.
Next, we have Atoderm, a range full of products suitable for very, very dry skin.
BIODERMA Atoderm.
Fast facts:
- This range is intensely repairing, designed to “restore the hydrolipidic film of skin severely lacking moisture and lipids.”
- Think skin that’s more than just ‘dry’, it’s tight, flaky, sore or even painful.
- This range also includes products specifically designed for in-shower use, such as the Bioderma Atoderm Ultra-Nourishing Cleansing Shower Oil and the Bioderma Atoderm Shower Gel 1L, made to clean without stripping.
BIODERMA Atoderm customer reviews:
Here are reviews on some of the most popular Atoderm products on Adore Beauty:
“I really enjoyed this product. I have really dry skin and it left me so soft and smooth! I love that I could use it in the shower because I usually hate moisturizing afterwards (hate feeling sticky!)” - Chloe.
Bioderma Atoderm Intensive Gel-creme Ultra-lightweight Nourishing Moisturiser for Very Dry Skin 500m
“This is one of the best moisturizers I've ever tried. Not at all sticky, super lightweight and soaks into the skin really well. I'm definitely buying this again.” - Ashwitha Jain.
Last but not least, there’s Cicabio: A range made to protect and heal damaged skin.
BIODERMA Cicabio.
Fast facts:
- To put it simply, from the horse’s mouth, “BIODERMA’s Cicabio range acts as an intense recovery duo to accelerate healing, reduce scarring, and feed the skin with moisture for optimal skin healing.”
- This range aims to nourish and strengthen skin that has been damaged across both the face and the body.
BIODERMA Cicabio customer reviews:
“My skin barrier has been damaged and this helped heaps. The consistency of the product is rather thick, so I only apply this at night.” Cathy.
“Awesome to use when your skin needs a bit of extra care” - Ari.
Final Verdict.
Now with all of that said, it’s clear to see that BIODERMA has something for everyone.
From taking care of skin that’s dull (hello Hydrabio) to cleaning skin in the shower (hello Atoderm Ultra-Nourishing Cleansing Shower Oil) to removing last night's makeup if you forgot to take it off before going to bed (hello 2012 me).
Surely there’s at least micellar water in your cart right now?
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