I'm not joking. If you're anything like I was, you're probably getting goosebumps and even feeling a bit nauseous at the mere thought of not being able to properly cleanse. I'm right there with you -- or at least I was.

Flashback to the insecure, pimple riddled days of being 16: scrubbing my face once in the morning, once at night and mid-day if I was having skin-issues. I think I had tried every cleansing wash available at my local drugstore. I tried the night-time washes, the morning washes, the washes with micro-burst beads, the foaming washes, the gentle washes, the organic washes, the calming washes, the deep-cleaning washes, the oil-control washes, the hydrating washes and finally, the apricot exfoliating wash. I always thought that I had properly cleaned my face when I could feel all of the oil stripped away.

Many problems ensued from how often I would wash my face. Immediately after each scrub, my skin would become extremely dry and coarse, often flaking. It was difficult to apply makeup, so I almost always had to apply a moisturizer. Perhaps it was because I was young and didn't have much money to spend or just because I didn't realize it was important, but I never really put much thought into what moisturizer I was applying. Every moisturizer I would use would either irritate my sensitive skin, simply not work in moisturizing or — worst of all — cause further breakouts. More acne prompted me to wash my face more, dry it out, moisturize, and the cycle would continue. This routine outlined the course of my skin history for four frustrating years.

Last summer, I was preparing to go on a six-week road trip across the country via car. As plans became more set-in-stone, it became evident that we were going to be camping out and sleeping in the car for most nights. I was very excited for this rustic twist to the trip, but then it dawned on me that I would not have access to running water most days. This posed the question — what about my face? Should I not wear makeup so I don't have to wash my face? What about how oily my face gets, and what about the dirt that will collect? I was becoming genuinely stressed out about this. I began to think about the practicality of my skin regimen; did it make sense to continue on this horrible cycle of drying out and irritating my skin? I knew that there had to be a way of having normal, clean skin without adding all of these stripping and pore-clogging chemicals.

Around a week before we left, I stumbled upon an article about the skincare regime of many French women (or lack of skincare regime). I discovered micellar water, a cleansing water that contains tiny oil molecules that pick up the dirt and oil on our face. Essentially, it's like a cleanser, toner and moisturizer all in one... Eliminating the need to wash your face. micellar water is best when applied to a cotton pad and used to tone the face and décolletage once or twice daily. I researched the best kind of micellar water and found that Bioderma was a recognized and reliable brand from France. I ordered a 500 mL bottle of the "Sensibio" (as well as a pack of cotton pads) for the trip and wished myself luck. I stopped washing my face the day the package arrived.

I didn't experience one breakout the entire summer. micellar water became my best friend. Without having access to running water, this was the perfect way to remove makeup and take off the grime of traveling. I also found it really handy after a day at the beach, to remove sand and sunblock. After the gym is a great time to use it as well. My favorite part about micellar water is that it doesn't strip all of the oils from my face--which means my skin is hydrated when I use it and I don't have to apply moisturizer. The bottle wasn't exactly cheap, but it lasted me all summer and into the fall semester. Aside from transforming my skin, micellar water freed up some time and shelf-space because it's a one-step skin regime. Not washing my face has been easier than expected -- and I don't feel the least bit dirty.

I've tried several brands of Micellar water and have found that Bioderma is definitely the most trusted. I would advise against using drugstore brands... if you're only using one product on your face, it's worth paying a higher price for better quality. My current skin-care routine still involves micellar water every day, but I've added a mask once or twice a week, still a relatively simple system. I avoid washing my face and putting moisturizer on unless I absolutely need to. I believe that the less I put on my face, the better. I've gotten friends and even my brother hooked on the anti-washing/micellar water cleanse. Whether you have dry skin, oily skin, acne-prone or combination, curbing face-washing and adding micellar water to your skin-care regime is worth the try.