I discovered this makeup removing gel by Nuxe shortly after using up my beloved Banila Co. Clean It Zero. I needed a new product to remove my makeup and sunblock after a long day spent out and about. My requirements were not too complicated – a gentle, non-dehydrating, oil-based formula – but I still couldn’t find anything perfect in pharmacies/drugstores. The only thing that came close was Nuxe Face Cleansing and Makeup Removing Gel.

The Formula

Aqua/Water, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Mel/Honey, Sunflower Seed Oil, Peg-8 Esters, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Parfum/Fragrance, Phenoxyethanol, Gluconolactone, Lauryl Glucoside, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Sodium Hydroxide, Caramel, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate, Allantoin, Sodium Benzoate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Calcium Gluconate, Tropolone, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Tocopherol [N2005/A]. See them on the Nuxe US website.

This cleanser is not oil-based but I figured some sunflower oil should be enough to remove that pesky waterproof mascara. Spoiler alert: with water and glycerin on the first two spots, I should’ve known better and not expected miracles.

The Efficacy

Its viscous formula spreads easily and you can massage it into skin with ease. It’s enriched with honey and sunflower oil, which should soothe and soften the skin. It certainly doesn’t irritate it but, to be honest, I don’t think it does anything to calm my skin down. If it gets into your eyes, though, it stings like a beast.

As far as its makeup removing claims go, it does remove some makeup and sunblock but not all of it. This is why I use it as my second cleanser instead to remove any residue left by another makeup remover (I will write a review soonish).

Below you can see Nuxe Rêve de Miel Face Cleansing and Makeup Removing Gel in action:

I applied some Maybelline waterproof mascara, Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream, Kiko stick eyeshadow and Sleek Matte Me lip cream. Apart from the CC cream, these products are waterproof so they were harder to remove. After a couple of minutes of massage, the swatches finally gave in and I managed to remove them. This cleanser didn’t do a perfect job but it should work fine as a second cleanser to remove all the traces.

The Verdict

All in all, it’s a decent product if you don’t wear makeup (or at least nothing waterproof). However, if you’re in search of a heavy-duty cleanser, you should look elsewhere.