I kept this bottle on my nightstand for weeks testing exactly this.
Turns out — it’s actually better in the morning than at night. The chia seeds give it this weirdly bouncy texture that wakes you up more than any cold splash. Nighttime removal? It works. But you’ll use like 4 cotton pads for a full face of mascara. That’s annoying.
🌙 **What It Actually Is**
It’s UpCircle’s micellar water with chia, aloe, and chamomile. $16 for 200ml. I bought it because they claim it “nourishes while cleansing” — which sounded like marketing fluff. But the chia seed oil legitimately leaves skin less tight than drugstore micellars.
1. **Chia seed oil** — Sounds weird in a cleanser. Makes skin feel soft instead of stripped.
2. **Aloe + chamomile** — Calming enough that my rosacea didn’t flare.
3. **No rinse formula** — The label says skip the rinse. I don’t trust that. I rinse.
Photo: Poko Skincare / Unsplash
🧴 **Ingredients That Actually Do Stuff**
The chia is cold-pressed, not just sprinkled in for vibes. Chamomile is the second ingredient — not buried at the bottom.
– Chia Seed Oil: Omega-3s that don’t clog my pores (surprising)
– Chamomile: Takes down redness in about 90 seconds
– Aloe: Hydrates without sticky film
– Glycerin: The real MVP — keeps it from drying out combo skin
🔬 **Texture + Honest Update**
It’s thinner than Bioderma but thicker than Garnier. Smells like faint herbal tea — not perfumey. Absorbs into a cotton pad in like 2 seconds flat.
Week two: I stopped double-cleansing in the morning. Just this + splash of water. Skin didn’t rebel. Unexpected win — my husband stole it for his post-gym face.
💡 **One Thing**
Use 3-4 drops directly on fingertips for AM. Skip the cotton pad entirely. Your skin drinks it faster.
💡 **Real Results**
Morning redness dropped by maybe 30%. Breakouts? Same as usual. It didn’t change my life — just made mornings less angry.
✅ **Buy if** you have reactive skin that hates foaming cleansers
⏭️ **Skip if** you wear waterproof mascara daily (you’ll hate removing it)
💰 **Worth it?** For $16, yes. But buy the travel size first to test.
⏰ **Final Verdict**
Keep it on your bathroom counter for AM. Use a balm at night. That’s the real routine.
**7.2/10** — Solid morning micellar, mediocre remover
🛍️ **Where to Buy**
Their website or Credo Beauty. Travel size is $9 — start there.