Buying make-up remover on the high street can be a bit of a minefield. Some are just for "eye make-up", some contain alcohol or fragrances, and some are way too expensive for a poor old students budget. Over the last year I have tried 3/4 different brands. My latest make-up remover was actually bought for me by my Mum, so I had some at home and didn't need to cart my current one back from uni with me.

Claims:


Garnier Skin Naturals with plant extract + pro vitamin B5, claims to be a 2 in 1 make-up remover, containing no perfume and alcohol, and is also suitable for sensitive skin.

Is Garnier Simply Essentials 2 in 1 Make-up remover right for me?
Yes, if your skin feels fragile when cleansing.
Yes, if changes in temperature, fatigue or stress leave your skin feeling more sensitive.
Yes, if you have sensitive skin and are looking for effective make-up removal.

Garnier Simply Essentials 2 in 1 Make-up remover contains Plant Extract and Soothing Pro-vitamin B5 in a 2 in 1 formula which combines the efficacy of a make-up removing oil (blue liquid) with the freshness of a cleansing water (clear liquid) in a single express wipe.


My Verdict:


The bottle has two liquids, a blue and a clear one, which you must shake quite well in order to mix the two solutions to then use to remove your make-up. As it has a watery consistency, you need to apply it to a cotton pad or facewipe in order to use it.

My personal preference is to have a creamier make-up remover which I can apply over the face and then wipe/rinse off. Needless to say, this liquidy consistency is a little tricky to remove all traces of my foundation evenly. However, my foundation is a heavy liquid foundation. I would say for lighter make-up, such as powders, blushers, eyeshadows etc, this would probably be adequate in removing all the make-up.

When applied to my foundation, it almost melts it into a white coloured formula, looking a bit like I had used soap. It has quite a pleasant smell to it, nothing too "fragranty" or overbearing, more a smell I would associate with Clinique products (without the alcohol).

After using this product, in my case with heavy make-up, I feel as if not all traces have been removed, so I like to use a good cleansing product afterwards, or perhaps an exfoliator and rinse thoroughly to make sure every trace has been removed. This is really my problem with liquid make-up removers, as they can be difficult to distribute across all the skin without simply running down my face. Using a cotton pad or facewipe is the best method with this product, however it all depends how you prefer to remove your make-up.

I also noticed it does leave a bit of residue on my skin once I have used it. This could be all the vitamin infusions it claims to have, however it's not a feeling I like on my skin, as it feels slightly oily. Although it's not majorly annoying, I always have to give my face a good rinse afterwards.

As for the packaging, the bottle is a light, translucent plastic. It's quite light to pick up, and certainly would be ideal for travelling with. The lid is a simple flip-up design, which seems quite secure however I prefer a screw-cap lid which can be tightened, especially if you are taking it on the move and there's a chance it could leak or spill. However for sitting on my shelf, I have no problem with it.

This make-up remover retails for an average of £2.99 in Superdrug and Boots (although some online stores offer it slightly cheaper). This is for a 200ml bottle, and as far as I am aware this is the only size available. I would say overall this is quite a fair price, as other brands can total twice that. It's not the best make-up remover I have used, however works adequately well, and does not irritate my skin. I would recommend this to those who prefer liquid removers over the creamier, thicker ones, especially if you don't wear a lot of make-up. I think 3 stars is the appropriate rating for this product as it works well, but not fantastically, although contains vitamins and is a reasonable price.