Review | Garnier Micellar Cleansing Gel

I really love Garnier's Oil-Infused Micellar Cleansing Water (it even featured in my recent Ten Under £10 post!), so when I heard that Garnier were launching a new Micellar product, I was all ears - enter the SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Gel. This is a bit different from other micellar products on the market, by virtue of being a gel rather than a liquid. Garnier claim, "Our all-in-one rinse-off gel not only cleanses but also soothes and removes make-up, even on eyes and lips. For the first time, Garnier has integrated Micellar technology in a rinse-off gel wash. A new formula enriched with naturally-derived grape extract and active micelles that capture impurities, sebum and make-up like a magnet."

Whilst for a lot of people, the appeal of micellar waters lies in the fact that they don't need rinsing, I've never used them that way - I only ever use micellar water as a pre-cleanse and always follow with a proper cleanser. I figured I'd use this as my morning cleanse, and as my second cleanse in the evening to remove any last traces of the day.
As a straight-up face wash in the mornings, it works okay, but it's nothing special and it doesn't have the added benefits of, say, Una Brennan's SuperFacialist Salicylic Acid Purifying Cleansing Wash which is my favourite for blemish-busting and keeping my skin looking calm. If you're just after a basic, no-frills face wash, this is spot on; if you like your face wash to be a bit more skincare-y, it may fall short. In the evenings, I tried this (once!) as a make-up remover (it was pants) before switching to using it as a second cleanse - so, removing make-up with actual micellar water, then cleansing with an oil, then using this. Again, it worked okay, but nothing spectacular, and it doesn't half sting around the eyes - I'm really not sure how they can claim it's suitable for removing eye make-up!
Garnier Micellar Cleansing Gel is priced at £3.99 for 200ml of product, available from Boots here; it's actually currently on offer at a third off for just £2.66! Personally, I wouldn't buy it again, as I tend to want a little bit more from my face wash than just a basic product - I like the added skincare benefits of my Una Brennan, for example, but if you are after a very simple face wash, this could be for you!

xo
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