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Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Review: Garnier Clean+ Nourishing Cleansing Oil

As you may recall, I was very excited to hear that Garnier was coming out with a cleansing oil when I first posted about it back in November. Aside from the Lumene cleansing oil, I believe this is one of the only other cleansing oils now in US drugstores (Biore makes one for Asian countries but it's not available in US drugstores), and I definitely hope this is a new trend that all drugstore brands will jump on ASAP. If you don't know why I love cleansing oils, check out my review of the DHC Cleansing Oil here for much more info.

Part of the new Clean+ line for 2014, the Garnier Nourishing Cleansing Oil falls under the "dry skin" sub-category in this new line. If you haven't seen the Garnier Clean+ line in your area yet, here are some pics of the display, which I found at Rite Aid a while back (and thanks to everyone who gave me the heads-up that this collection was already in stores!):

 NEW Garnier Clean+ Skincare Collection

For Dry Skin:
Nourishing Cleansing Oil, Smoothing Cream Cleanser

For Combination Skin:
Purifying Foam Cleanser, Balancing Daily Exfoliator

For Oily Skin:
Blackhead Eliminating Scrub, Shine Control Cleansing Gel

Now that you're all caught up, here's my review of the Nourishing Cleansing Oil:

Garnier Clean+ Nourishing Cleansing Oil for Dry Skin
(retail: around $8.49, 4.2 oz)



As you can see, the main ingredient in this cleansing oil is mineral oil. I know that some of you try to avoid mineral oil in your skincare (I personally don't mind it--I've been using skincare products with mineral oil for decades), but if this is something you're trying to avoid, this will be a deal-breaker for you.

From the Garnier website:

Is it right for me?
Dry skin types have different cleansing needs in order to look and feel their best. Often, the wrong face scrubs are used for specific skin concerns. As a result, skin does not get the right care it needs to look and feel its best. 

How is it different?
Customized Cleansing + Skin Type Specific Care
Customized Cleansing: Cleansing oil instantly dissolves impurities and long-wear makeup with no greasy residue.

Skin Type Specific Care: Formula, infused with nourishing Jojoba and Macadamia Oil, helps replenish skin's moisture balance.

How do I use it?
Make sure that hands and face are dry. Apply 1-2 pumps to fingertips and massage onto skin. Close eyes to remove eye (area) makeup. Wet face to emulsify oil then rinse thoroughly.

How do I use Clean+ products together?
For optimal results, alternate use with Clean + Smoothing Cream Cleanser.


As mentioned above, cleansing oils are not like regular facial cleansers and your hands and face need to be 100% dry before you apply this product to the face. Otherwise, you'll have a very difficult time removing your makeup, so I can't stress enough that your hands and face must not be damp when applying this product to your skin.

I find that, just like the instructions above indicate, two pumps is enough for my entire face, even when I'm wearing a full face of makeup. It's important when using a cleansing oil that you take the time to massage the product into your skin (gently and slowly) before you rinse. You'll literally feel your makeup, mascara, etc. breaking down when you start to work this product into your skin, and it happens almost instantaneously.

This oil is not super thick--it's comparable in consistency to olive oil, but maybe just a touch lighter than olive oil. The scent is very light--it smells a bit fruity but it shouldn't bother those with sensitivity to fragrance.

As most of you know, I have very oily skin, and this product is formulated for dry skin. But since I love cleansing oils, I was hoping it might still work for me. I think it does a nice job at breaking down my makeup, although I do detect some faint traces of eyeliner and mascara underneath my eyes after rinsing. This is a disappointment for me because I like to use cleansing oils specifically for removing my eye makeup and I was hoping this would remove every last trace of eye makeup. As for the rest of my makeup, it did remove my face primer and long-wear foundation easily, with no residue left behind.

Rinsing is where this product sort of loses it for me though. Unlike my DHC Cleansing Oil, this product does not rinse easily off my skin. It sort of feels like I'm using regular olive oil on my face and if you've ever used olive oil and tried to rinse it off with water, you know that it's not an easy task. After a few minutes of rinsing, I can still feel a slight film that never quite rinses off completely. It's not super heavy or thick, but it's definitely something I can feel after rinsing.

After I've patted my skin dry with a towel, my skin does not feel greasy or oily, but it does feel like there's a light coating still remaining on my face. THIS is where it becomes clear that this product is in fact better suited for dry skin (as intended by Garnier), because I can see how those with dry skin might enjoy the light coating that this product leaves behind. Again, it's not greasy or oily, but it's more like a light, protective film that adds softness to the skin. I personally need for my skin to feel clean and free of any residue after rinsing, but again, I have very oily skin to begin with and I just can't handle anything extra left behind.

UPDATE: Garnier suggests that, for optimal results, you use this product alternately with their new Clean+ Smoothing Cream Cleanser (see photo at the top of this post). I know that several of you already use cleansing oils as your FIRST step for cleansing (followed by a regular cleanser) so if that's already something you're used to doing, then this might be a good product for you even if you have oily skin. The second cleanser you use will definitely remove that light coating that I mentioned above.

I personally only like to use one cleanser and, if I'm wearing heavy eye makeup, I like to use a cleansing oil or makeup remover BEFORE my regular cleanser. Since this product doesn't quite remove all of my heavy eye makeup, it's just not a good fit for me personally. But of course your mileage may vary. One more thing: Garnier indicates on the label that this product is non-comedogenic and I have not experienced any unusual breakouts while using this product.

FINAL VERDICT: I think this is a nice effort from Garnier, but it's not suited for my oily skin due to the light residue that it leaves behind after cleansing (but again, this product formulated for dry skin, so I suspected it might not be a good fit going into it). I like that it breaks down my makeup easily and with little effort, but it does not remove every last trace of my eye makeup, and that's why I love cleansing oils to begin with. If you already like to use a cleansing oil as a first step in your cleansing routine (followed by a regular cleanser) then this might be a good fit for you, even if you do have oily skin. But if you are looking for a cleansing oil that can be your one and only primary cleanser (or for eye makeup removal), then I'm not sure this will be a good match. I would certainly give it a try though, especially if you've never tried a cleansing oil before. So many cleansing oils on the market today are double, or even triple the price of this one, so it's a nice way to see if cleansing oils might be for you before committing to a higher-priced product.

Have you tried any of the the product in the new Garnier Clean+ line yet? I'd love to hear from you!

The products featured in this post were purchased with personal funds. For more information, click here.

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42 comments

  1. I think I I'll just stick with olive oil for now :) instead of rinsing I gently wipe the oil away with a warm, damp washcloth. It feels lovely and leaves nothing but soft skin behind :) I just don't like uing a fresh washcloth every night so I don't use oil to cleanse very often XD

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    1. That's definitely a nice way to use olive oil but I agree...having to use a new towel every night can be a pain! :)

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    2. I do the same thing.. I just use a baby wipe. I would much rather use a pure oil instead of the petroleum, and it's cheaper too. EVOO is the best thing I ever did for my oily/combo skin.

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    3. I bought a set of 6 or so (it's been a long time ago) microfiber clothes so I can use a fresh one each night. I got them for like $5 at Walgreens in their value boxes they have occasionally. I don't like to use the same cloth more than once.

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  2. Darn, I was really hoping this would be a hit. I do have dry skin, but also very clog/acne prone and I'm not sure I want to leave a coating of mineral oil on my skin that doesn't emulsify away. =P I don't intend to start using two cleansers, either!

    Also, do you know Earth Science A-D-E Creamy Cleanser? It's what I've been using for a while, and it's like an oil cleanser in that you have to have a totally dry face and hands to apply, then with water it emulsifies and rinses off completely (no residue). But it comes out of the pump as a cream, not oil. Cheap ($7-8) and easy to get at health stores IME, it looks like I'll be sticking with it a while longer. (who am I kidding, I'll probably try the Garnier one just out of curiosity...)

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    1. I have not tried that cleanser, but after your description, I think I need to get it ASAP! Thanks for the tip, G.! :) I'll see if iHerb carries it!

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  3. Since it doesn't rinse clean, I guess I'll stick to mixing my own :) I love DHC's oil, but it's just too pricey for me, I was hoping this would be a viable alternative. Maybe this will be a new trend, and someone will release one I can use!

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    1. I love DHC's too, but I'm curious what you use in your mix. Care to share? :)

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  4. I use a combination of olive oil and a small amount of castor oil. I then run about six ounces of water through my keurig with a cheap, thin washcloth in the bowl. While I'm waiting for the water to cool enough to handle, I massage the combined oil onto my face. Then I wring out the cloth, close my eyes & let the oil & steam do it's thing. Every bit of makeup & gel eyeliner comes off & my face is so soft. It's better than any other remover I've tried & so cheap! No clogged pores either. I bought a bundle of the cheap washcloths at the Dollar Store & only use them for oil cleansing. All the oil & removed makeup\eyeliner/mascara washing out in the laundry with no staining.

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    1. Wow, that's a nice system you've created!! If only I was that dedicated to taking better care of my skin (some nights I'm lucky to even stand at the sink vs using a towelette on the couch! Lol!).

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    2. Thanks G :) Believe me I'm not that dedicated but got sick of having serious raccoon eyes in the morning after using regular cleanser and while using witch hazel right before applying moisturizer, I would end up with a cotton square full of yesterday's makeup. Yuck. I found out that it takes me about the same amount of time to do my oil cleansing routine as it does to either use cold cream and eye makeup remover. Though some nights I'm so darn tired (bad nursing days are AWFUL) that I hit the cold cream, brush my teeth and stumble into bed. LOL

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  5. I love Garnier and I have oily skin, so I will try the oily skin products. I forgot this was coming and I used Sephora beauty insider $15 off in December to buy a Boscia set that included a cooling under eye balm I wanted to try, and cooling cleansing oil and bb cream. The balm was as expected and I look forward to it on my sleepy mornings, and bb cream is fine. I really like the cleansing oil, tho I am not sensitive to the cooling effect and don't really notice it... I felt it rinsed clean and I did not need another cleanser after... (for what its worth, due to lingering cold this month I was not wearing much makeup, primer/bb cream/powder and curling my eyelashes, wasn't up to doing more and it would get messed up anyway with watery eyes etc)

    Happy holidays!!

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    1. Happy holidays to you, too! And thanks for the mini review of the Boscia products! It's been a long time since I've used anything from them, so that's good to know!

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  6. do you use to cleansing oil, massage then rinse completely? i find that the best way to use cleansing oils is to use it dry (of course), add a bit of water to loosen the oil, add more water as needed, then rinse off completely.

    i think i'll give this a try. i like removing my makeup in the shower with cleansing oils then after my skin has been in the steam for a bit, i use another cleanser with the clarisonic afterwards :). my biggest concern would be if it'll be able to remove waterproof mascara (or even better, layered waterproof mascara lolol) and if it will make my eyes sting.

    my all time favorite cleansing oil is Kracie in the Olive Oil version (do NOT get the orange one because that might sting your eyes if it gets in there). I get it from sasa.com, and the price is less than $10 :).

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    1. I actually don't add any water during the process because I've found that it breaks the oil down too much for my liking, but I'm happy to hear that works for you! :)

      And thanks for the tip about that Kracie cleansing oils. I REALLY appreciate that. I have stood in the skincare aisle of my local Japanese market soooo many times looking at the Kracie cleansing oils but I could never decide on which to try. Now I know which one I'm getting! Thanks again, Annie!

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  7. These are showing up at Walgreen's. However, they have them on the high up shelves and not down on the display shelves. I have yet to see them not sitting up high. So, if you want to get 'em at Walgreens, take a peek up high!

    I got the two for Dry Skin. I haven't tried these yet because I haven't photographed them first. LOL! Blogger OCD, hee hee! With that said, I had tried the DHC cleansing oil and I ended up going from dry, behaving skin to shiny, zit-prone skin. I hope this is better!

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    1. I'm so sorry to hear that the DHC didn't work for you! It actually has the opposite effect for me! My skin goes from a greaseball to nice, normal and hydrated when I use it. So I guess it really is suited for more oily skin, eh?

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    2. Are you going to try either of the other two products for oily skin? I'm curious as to how they work.

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  8. I am excited to try this out as a makeup remover. I used to use dermalogica precleanser but It can be pricey. It did wonders for my acne sensitive dry skin in the winter. Hopefully it goes on sale soon.

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  9. omG!! i need to try this out. I have dry skin and only use cleansing oil to remove makeup. Previously I have tried Gingerchi cleansing oil but it's kinda expensive!! Hope this one works .Thanks for the share <3

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  10. Another on bites the dust. I have combination skin and the DHC works beautifully for me. I just hate spending that kind of money and then waiting on the mail. Girls, if it has mineral oil just don't waste your money.

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  11. I love lumene cleansing oil, too bad I can't find them at CVS anymore. Now I just use EVOO + castor oil ; massage then tissue off then finish up with cleanser. I do use eye makeup remover first though as I find using oil itself is hard to remove eyeliner ( don't want to get oil in the eyes so close eyes when massaging)

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  12. Merry Christmas, happy new year & joy & health to you & your loved ones.
    Thank you for this wonderful blog (my daily read) & the nice community you foster & nurture here.

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  13. I find that shower cleansing oil works really well at removing long-wearing makeup and sunscreen without leaving a residue behind, and it's cheaper than facial cleansing oil. I use one from Sebamed; Aveeno and Eucerin make one as well. The Sebamed will sting a bit if it gets in your eyes which makes it tricky for eye makeup removal.

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  14. I've tried this cleansing oil and I really like it! In fact, I went and bought a second one too. This is how I use it: I squirt two pumps in my dry hands and massage it over my entire face, eyes and neck. Then I go about shaving my legs, shampooing my hair, etc. I like the oil to sit on my face for a few minutes because I feel it really breaks down your makeup. Then I take a clean, dry washcloth and run it under the hottest water from the tap. I swipe the washcloth all over my face and it really does remove every trace of makeup and the cleansing oil. My experience with this oil (and any oil) is the hot, hot water really takes it all off. I find no greasy, oily residue on my face. I don't use a second cleanser either. Oh, I do wear waterproof mascara and this oil (or any oil) does take it off. I've been using jojoba oil to clean my face for over a year now and I was out, so I decided to try this. Glad I did...this works great for me! Thanks for your review, G. It just goes to show how products work differently for everyone. :D

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  15. The only oil cleanser I've found that doesn't leave a residue is Burt's Bees Orange Essence. It takes awhile to get used to the texture because it seems like a thick balm, but it rinses away clean.

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  16. I'd much rather use extra virgin olive oil. It's not only cheaper but I can pronounce it unlike many of the ingredients in this cleansing oil. Different strokes for different folks *kanye shrug* lol

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  17. I use the Kose Seikisho Cleansing Oil, and I'm running out. I also like shu uemura one, but they are too expensive. Is this good for people who have an oily t-zone?

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  18. This is my first time with cleansing oil and I do like it for my dry skin. So far the first day I was disappointed at how much eye makeup was left behind but the next night I took my time with it and I was left with perfectly clean skin. I still definitely needed to moisturize after but I didn't have to do asap after wards because my face didn't feel really tight

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  19. I love it on my dry skin and with a little extra effort it does remove all my eye makeup!

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  20. I love it on my dry skin and with a little extra effort it does take all my eye makeup off and my towels thank me since I don't tend to use eye makeup remover

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  21. I'm dismayed to see that the primary ingredient is mineral oil, since it wreaks havoc on my skin. I am a BIG fan of the DHC and Shu Uemura cleansing oils, but they're both too pricey. I had hoped that this would be an adequate drugstore replacement, but the mineral oil is, unfortunately, a deal breaker.

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  22. Hi G!! The Benefit Let's Make Lovely makeup set from macys is on sale for $12!! Goin' Crazy!!

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  23. Hey G! Do you think you'll be reviewing the Shine Control Gel that was in the display anytime soon? Having oily skin, I was thinking of picking it up but wanted to wait for a review instead.

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  24. So glad you reviewed this I was really curious about it, I love cleansing oils. I tried Sephora's version and hated it. I been using one by Tatcha for almost a year which I love. It's expensive but so far nothing works as well.

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  25. OOO! I may need to try some of these!

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  26. I got this too and actually really love it- it's quite nice if your skin gets dry(er) during the winter. If it was more around the $5 mark I would probably keep repurchasing!

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  27. I found this at my Walmart for a little over $5 dollars, so I would suggest buying it there AND there is a $2 off coupon on coupon.com!

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  28. My experience was the same as yours - worked fine as a cleanser but didn't rinse cleanly, necessitating a second wash. Now I need to look for the Lumene one you mentioned!

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  29. I am late to the party here, but I really love this product. I have extremely dry skin and the cleansing oil paired with the Garnier gel moisturizer has done wonders for my skin. I am going to try the 2nd cleanser that is with the line as well :)

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  30. My mature skin is sensitive and dry. I used this and I have to say, I really liked it. I've been using a cleansing oil of my own making for some time now and was happy to see one available in the stores. I love DHC but can't afford it that often. I used Garnier oil like i would a cold cream or other oil cleanser. Apply to my face with dry hands and worked it in to remove the make up. I use powder foundation so I didn't have to work as hard as some of you ladies that use a regular foundation. I applied a little water to make the product emulsify and then removed it with a warm wet wash cloth. Doing it this way doesn't leave a residue. I really thought it wasn't as moisturizing as I had hoped. I did think it left my face clean and not too dry. I suggest using a washcloth to remove the product, you might find that you don't have the residue that some of the reviewers feel was left on their skin.

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  31. Just bought this product to try and can't get it to emulsify or rinse off. I have to use a cloth to wipe it off after rinsing, which is a hassle in my opinion. Ulta actually has an oil cleanser that I love, but it can dry your face out if you're not careful. Theirs is called Hydraquench, and it's on their own label. You use it on a damp face, and it instantly goes from oil to cleanser as soon as water hits it. Rinses super clean and gets all of the makeup. I think I'll stick to that one...

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