little white truths

I must say, I do like the packaging of this cleanser: it's different from many other Nivea products I've tried and I think the rich blue colour of the tube makes the product look a little more 'special'. (Other Nivea cleansers I've used have been eg white, transparent, 'tinted plastic' etc.)

My thumbs up to the packaging isn't hugely relevant of course(!), but it's worth mentioning all the same because good-looking products do help some of us feel good when we use them.

Verdict

We all know by now that I'm something of a skincare junkie so I've tried a truckload of products (my poor wallet) and I'm comparing this one to many budget and high-end cleansers I've used, which in part may be why it hasn't 'grabbed' me as much as it has other reviewers (the comments I've seen on this product have overall been very positive indeed).

It's a cream product (obviously ; )) with that familiar Nivea scent that's not unnatural and not overpowering, and it feels like a moisturiser in texture. It applies and spreads beautifully, and I have no complaints about how it feels on my dry, dehydrated skin. The product also hasn't irritated my sensitive eye area so ticks on that front too.

As to performance, the cleanser dissolves most makeup ok but it doesn't remove eye makeup (few things do for me), so you'll probably need a separate remover for your eye area in particular and I personally wouldn't rely on this product for makeup-removal anyway.

My main issue with this product is that it leaves a slight, tacky film on the skin, which admittedly feels hydrating but I don't want that from my cleanser - that's my moisturiser's job! Plus I reckon said film interferes with my serum/moisturiser's ability to absorb, so I prefer to use this product as a first cleanse and then go in with something else to remove the residue this one leaves.

For me, this is best-used as a first, gentle cleanse in the morning. What I've also done with the product (and it's something I do with balm/oil cleansers too), is applied it liberally without water and left it on for half an hour as a 'mask' to keep my parched face feeling comfortable while I'm rushing around changing nappies/feeding kids before I have time to do my full skincare routine. I'm happy to say that it works beautifully for this purpose - something to consider if you wake up with dry skin like I do but can't address your face before your other...'responsibilities'.

In terms of claims, I'd say it generally meets those but I don't feel it cleanses my skin 'thoroughly'.

So in sum, this is a good, budget option if you're in the market for a gentle cleanser - it's just not the right product for me. I would however recommend it to anyone who wants something simple that's readily available at the chemist/supermarket and won't break the bank.