E-Rase Milki Micellar Water
Gentle Cleanse Innovator
Verified reviewer
Pros & cons.
- +Triple ceramide complex with cholesterol and phytosphingosine actively replenishes barrier lipids during cleansing
- +Six-oil cleansing blend dissolves impurities gently without surfactant-based stripping
- +Exceptionally gentle — 96% of test subjects confirmed no eye irritation
- +Fragrance-free, sulfate-free, essential oil-free formula ideal for reactive skin
- +pH 5.0 matches the skin's natural acid mantle, avoiding barrier disruption
- +No-rinse formula works as a morning cleanser, travel cleanser, or light makeup remover
- +Milky texture feels nourishing and luxurious compared to standard watery micellar formulas
- −Underwhelming against heavy or waterproof makeup — requires multiple passes and wastes product
- −Cotton pads absorb the milky formula rapidly, leading to product waste and fast depletion
- −$32 for 240 mL is roughly three times the cost of equally effective drugstore micellar waters
- −Flip-top cap can accidentally open in bags — poor design for a travel-marketed product
- −Oily skin types may find the oil-rich formula leaves too much residue without rinsing
The full review.
Most micellar waters sit between lazy and efficient. They promise convenience—no rinsing, no fuss, just swipe and go—but many formulas use surfactant-loaded water that strips skin while pretending to be gentle. Drunk Elephant saw this category and decided the problem was execution, not the concept.
E-Rase rebuilds the micellar water format from the inside. Instead of using surfactant micelles to pull impurities from the skin (a mechanism that removes barrier lipids along with dirt), this cleanser uses six plant oils: marula, baobab, sweet almond, mongongo, watermelon seed, and ximenia. Oil dissolves oil. Cleansing balms have used this principle for years, but this milky, pourable format is clever.
Shake the bottle. What pours out isn’t the watery liquid typical of a micellar water. It is a creamy, milky suspension that feels like a lightweight lotion on a cotton pad. It sweeps across the face with almost no resistance, dissolving light makeup, sunscreen residue, sebum, and environmental debris. There is no tightness, no stinging, and no squeaky-clean feeling that signals barrier damage.
E-Rase earns its premium through three ceramides (AP, NP, EOP), cholesterol, and phytosphingosine. This is a full barrier lipid system—the same combination found in serious barrier repair moisturizers—embedded in a cleanser. As you remove grime, the formula deposits barrier-identical lipids onto the skin. Phytosphingosine is particularly interesting. Research in Lipids (2018) shows that phytosphingosine increases ceramide NP biosynthesis more than 20-fold by upregulating the DES2 enzyme. It doesn’t just replace barrier lipids; it signals your skin to make more.
The gentleness is measurable. In consumer testing, 96% agreed the product was gentle around the eyes, and 93% reported no skin irritation. The formula lacks sulfates, traditional surfactants, fragrance, essential oils, and drying alcohols. The mild emulsifier (sodium lauroyl lactylate, a food-grade ingredient from coconut oil and lactic acid) helps the oils emulsify and rinse cleanly without the stripping action of conventional cleansing surfactants.
The pH of 5.0 matches the skin’s natural acid mantle. This detail matters. Many cleansers—including some popular micellar waters—sit above pH 6 or 7, temporarily disrupting the acid mantle and creating a window for moisture loss and bacterial colonization. E-Rase avoids this.
Ingredient analysis.
Full INCI list · pH 5
Water/Aqua/Eau, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Propanediol, C15-19 Alkane, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Heptyl Undecylenate, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Schinziophyton Rautanenii Kernel Oil, Tocopherol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Citrullus Lanatus (Watermelon) Seed Oil, Ximenia Americana Seed Oil, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Polysorbate 20, Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin match.
The science.
The Science
E-Rase replenishes the barrier by supplying the three lipid classes that form the stratum corneum's intercellular matrix: ceramides, cholesterol, and free fatty acids. Kono et al.'s 2021 qualitative review in The Journal of Dermatology confirmed that external ceramide-containing preparations improve dry skin and barrier function; they noted that low ceramide levels in the stratum corneum directly compromise barrier integrity.
Phytosphingosine — the ceramide precursor included alongside the three ceramides — adds an active dimension to this barrier system. Choi et al. (2018, Lipids) showed that phytosphingosine treatment increased ceramide NP biosynthesis by more than 20-fold by stimulating the expression of the DES2 enzyme (dihydroceramide C4-desaturase) in cultured human keratinocytes. This means the phytosphingosine in E-Rase does more than replace lost ceramides — it upregulates the skin's own ceramide production, providing a sustained barrier-building effect that lasts past the cleansing step.
The oil-based cleansing mechanism uses marula oil's high oleic acid content (approximately 69%) to dissolve oil-soluble impurities. Komane et al.'s 2015 study in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology confirmed that marula oil is non-irritating and has significant moisturizing, hydrating, and occlusive properties, with a fatty acid profile that closely mirrors the skin's natural lipid composition. This makes it an ideal cleansing oil — it dissolves sebum-based impurities through structural similarity instead of surfactant action, avoiding the lipid disruption caused by traditional cleansing surfactants.
Using sodium lauroyl lactylate as the primary emulsifier — instead of conventional surfactants — further reduces barrier disruption. Derived from coconut oil and lactic acid, this food-grade emulsifier provides enough detergency to emulsify and rinse the oil phase while maintaining a lower irritation potential than sulfate or sulfonate-based surfactants.
References
- Clinical significance of the water retention and barrier function-improving capabilities of ceramide-containing formulations: A qualitative review — The Journal of Dermatology (2021)
- Phytosphingosine Increases Biosynthesis of Phytoceramide by Uniquely Stimulating the Expression of Dihydroceramide C4-desaturase (DES2) in Cultured Human Keratinocytes — Lipids (2018)
- Safety and efficacy of Sclerocarya birrea (A.Rich.) Hochst (Marula) oil: A clinical perspective — Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2015)
Dermatologist Perspective
Dermatologists generally favor ceramide-containing cleansers, especially for patients with dry or sensitive skin facing barrier disruption from cleansing. Board-certified dermatologists note that the combination of ceramides, cholesterol, and phytosphingosine in a cleanser is unusual and scientifically sound — it mimics the key lipid classes of the stratum corneum. However, dermatologists advise that no-rinse micellar waters, even gentle ones, should ideally follow a water rinse or second cleanse when removing makeup, as dissolved impurities left on the skin can cause congestion over time. The absence of common irritants (fragrance, essential oils, sulfates, drying alcohols) makes this product suitable for dermatologist-recommended post-procedure cleansing when the skin barrier is temporarily compromised.
Where it fits in your routine.
Shake the bottle well to mix the two-phase formula. Soak a cotton pad and sweep it across the face, eyes, and lips. Use more pads to remove all makeup. Light cleansing for morning routines or minimal makeup needs no rinsing. When removing makeup, follow with a water-based cleanser to remove dissolved impurities. Apply directly to the face with fingertips and wipe off with a tissue to use less product and skip cotton pads.
At $32 for 240 mL, E-Rase costs more than drugstore micellar water, where $8-12 buys similar volumes. This price includes a ceramide-cholesterol-phytosphingosine barrier complex, six botanical oils, and a surfactant-free cleansing approach most drugstore options lack. A 100 mL mini ($14) exists for trial. The gentler formula and barrier support justify the price for dry or sensitive skin that reacts to standard micellar waters. For normal, resilient skin that only needs makeup removal, the cleansing performance alone does not justify a three-fold markup over proven drugstore alternatives.
Dry, sensitive, or barrier-compromised skin types find standard micellar waters too stripping. Use this as a morning cleanser, travel cleanser, or light makeup remover for gentle, barrier-supportive cleansing. It works well for post-procedure skin that needs minimal-contact cleansing without irritation.
E-Rase won't efficiently remove waterproof mascara for heavy makeup wearers needing a powerful first-cleanse step. Budget-conscious buyers get adequate micellar cleansing for much less. The oil-rich formula leaves residue on oily skin types without a follow-up rinse.
Product details.
A creamy, milky two-phase formula that requires shaking before use. It is thicker than standard micellar waters—a watery milk that turns into a clear solution on the skin. It feels smooth and non-sticky.
Fragrance-free. Most users detect no scent. Sensitive noses may notice faint notes of almond oil, but the scent does not linger.
White plastic bottle with a coral/pink flip-top cap. The clean, minimalist design matches Drunk Elephant branding. A 100 mL mini size also exists. Shake before each use because the two-phase formulation requires it.
The milky texture feels different from standard micellar waters on first use — thicker and more nourishing, like a lightweight lotion on the cotton pad. It sweeps across the face to dissolve light makeup and daily grime without tightness or stinging. Skin feels soft and subtly hydrated afterward, not stripped or squeaky. Heavy makeup users may find the gentle cleansing power insufficient.
1-2 months with daily use
12 months
All Year
The backstory.
Drunk Elephant launched E-Rase in July 2020, during a period when gentle, minimal-step skincare was having a moment. Tiffany Masterson designed it as a no-rinse option that could serve as a morning cleanser, light makeup remover, or travel cleanser without compromising the brand's biocompatible philosophy. The formula reflects Drunk Elephant's conviction that even cleansing products should nourish rather than deplete the skin barrier.
About Drunk Elephant
Established Brand (5–20 years)Tiffany Masterson founded Drunk Elephant in 2012 in Houston, Texas. The brand gained fame as a top indie skincare brand using its 'Suspicious 6' avoidance philosophy. Shiseido acquired Drunk Elephant in 2019 for $845 million. Drunk Elephant does not conduct its own clinical research, but its formulations use well-studied actives at meaningful concentrations.
Common myths.
Micellar waters don't need to be rinsed off.
E-Rase uses a mild emulsifier system (sodium lauroyl lactylate) and requires no rinsing. However, some dermatologists still recommend a water rinse or follow-up cleanse to remove all dissolved impurities from the skin, especially when used as a makeup remover.
All micellar waters are essentially water and surfactants.
E-Rase uses a different approach. A six-oil blend provides its cleansing power instead of traditional surfactant micelles. It includes a ceramide-cholesterol-phytosphingosine complex that replenishes barrier lipids. The formula, texture, and mechanism of action differ from standard micellar waters.
FAQ.
Does Drunk Elephant E-Rase remove waterproof makeup?
It struggles with heavy or waterproof makeup. The gentle, oil-based formula cleans light to moderate makeup, daily grime, and sunscreen. Waterproof mascara or long-wear foundation requires multiple passes or a dedicated first-cleanse product. E-Rase works best as a light cleansing step.
Do I need to rinse off E-Rase Milki Micellar Water?
You do not need to rinse — the formula is a no-rinse cleanser using a mild emulsifier system. If you use it to remove makeup, a water rinse or second cleanse helps remove all dissolved impurities from the skin.
Is E-Rase safe for sensitive eyes?
Yes. Consumer testing shows 96% of participants agree the product is gentle around the eyes. The formula lacks common eye-area irritants: no fragrance, no essential oils, no sulfate surfactants, and no drying alcohols. The oil-based cleansing mechanism is gentler than surfactant-based alternatives.
Why do I need to shake E-Rase before using it?
E-Rase is a two-phase formula. The oil-based cleansing ingredients and the water-based ceramide complex separate naturally. Shaking creates a milky consistency that cleanses and supports the barrier in one application.
Can I use E-Rase as my only cleanser?
Use it for mornings or light-makeup days. The ceramide-rich formula cleanses gently without stripping. If you wear heavy makeup, sunscreen, or long-wear products, dermatologists recommend using a water-based cleanser after E-Rase to remove all dissolved impurities.
Is Drunk Elephant E-Rase worth the price vs drugstore micellar waters?
At $32 for 240 mL, E-Rase costs more than drugstore options. The price pays for a ceramide-cholesterol-phytosphingosine barrier complex and a six-oil cleansing blend that nourishes instead of stripping. If dry or sensitive skin reacts to standard micellar waters, the gentler formula justifies the cost. Drugstore options work for basic makeup removal on resilient skin.
Community
What the community says.
"Extremely gentle — no stinging or irritation even on sensitive eyes"
"Leaves skin feeling soft, hydrated, and plump rather than stripped"
"Milky texture feels nourishing and luxurious compared to standard micellar waters"
"No rinsing required — convenient for travel and morning cleansing"
"Fragrance-free formula appreciated by reactive and sensitive skin types"
"Struggles with heavy or waterproof makeup — requires multiple passes"
"Cotton pads absorb too much product, leading to waste and fast depletion"
"Price is significantly higher than drugstore micellar waters with similar basic cleansing power"
"Bottle runs out quickly given the amount of product needed per use"
"Pop-top cap can accidentally open in bags during travel"
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