Nivea Bright Acne Oil Control Makeup Clear Cleansing Water and Extra White Makeup Starter 3-in-1 Moisturizing Serum SPF 33 PA+++ Review & Swatches

I have my makeup removing routine down to a science and I rarely stray from it. I have my favorite cleansing balm, cleansing water, and eye makeup remover that I love and have been using for years. I love experimenting with different makeup but when it comes to cleansing my face, I like to stick with what I know works. Once in a while, though, something new and exciting will come along and tempt me to try. Let me introduce you to Nivea's latest product — the Makeup Clear Cleansing Water! I'll also talk about their 3-in-1 moisturizing serum which is one of their bestselling products. I didn't expect much from it but I was pleasantly surprised at how well it plays with my skin and makeup! Without further ado, let's get started!

Nivea Bright Acne Oil Control Makeup Clear Cleansing Water

Nivea Bright Acne Oil Control Makeup Clear Cleansing Water is basically micellar water packaged in a semi-transparent bottle that you can pour onto a clean cotton pad to use. There are 3 options to choose from: Extra Bright (pink), Acne Care (purple), and Bright Acne Oil Control (green). Shown in this review is the Bright Acne Oil Control. It is free of alcohol, fragrance, synthetic dye, silicone, and paraben. It does not have any scent that I can detect. The product claims to use a “micellar oxygen boost” technology to dissolve waterproof makeup while simultaneously moisturizing the skin and increasing oxygen uptake.

The product has clear, water-like texture. To use, simply soak a cotton pad with the product and let it sit on makeup for a good 5-10 seconds before wiping everything off. Rinsing is not required but I always double cleanse to make sure I get every trace of makeup off. The product does not leave any greasy or tacky residue on the skin. On the contrary, my skin always feels extremely refreshed, soft, hydrated, and clean after use.

I tested it with all kinds of makeup be it eyeshadow (powder and cream), eyeliner (pencil and liquid including waterproof formula), mascara, lipstick, lip stain, blush (powder and cream), face powder, foundation, and concealer (including long-wear formula). I find that:

• It removes long-wear face makeup such as foundation, concealer, and sunscreen well.
• It also takes off lipstick, eyeshadow, face powder, blush, and other cheek products without much effort.
• Pencil eyeliner isn't difficult to remove as long as you let it sit on the eyeliner for a few seconds first to dissolve the makeup.
• However, it struggles on waterproof mascara, liquid eyeliner, and lip stain. I find myself repeating the cleansing process a few times before I can get every bit off, which isn't uncommon for a water-based remover.

In my opinion, this product does not compete with the dual-phase eye makeup remover but if all you wear is a light eye makeup (no waterproof formula), it will suffice. Another thing worth mentioning is it tends to sting my skin especially when I use it near my eyes. Not sure what it is but I can actually feel my skin getting warmer and warmer the more I try to clean my makeup with it. I'd reserve this product for a light makeup day personally and would feel more comfortable using an oil-based remover to clean my eye makeup to limit irritation to the eye as much as possible.

Nivea Extra White Makeup Starter 3-in-1 Moisturizing Serum SPF 33 PA+++

Nivea Extra White Makeup Starter 3-in-1 Moisturizing Serum SPF 33 PA+++ comes housed in an opaque, squeeze tube with a fine nozzle. It is enriched with (1) 95% pure vitamin C derivative (for antioxidant and skin brightening purposes), (2) sunscreen agents with SPF 33 PA+++ (for skin protection against UVA1, UVA2, and UVB rays; please refer to the full ingredient list below for the sunscreen filters), and (3) Skin Protective Shield (for moisturization and protection against harmful effects of makeup), hence the name “3-in-1”. It has a pretty strong scent but luckily it's a pleasant, fresh floral kind of scent that does not linger.

I wouldn't say that it has a typical serum texture but more of a super lightweight, lotion-like texture that spreads easily and sinks in quickly. It also sets immediately so you can follow with your base right away if desired. Despite the high SPF, it doesn't feel heavy on the skin at all, nor does it leave a thick and greasy white cast post application. The only thing it leaves behind that is detectable is a lovely dewy and hydrating finish! For those who prefer their skin matte may need to follow up with a mattifying primer. I haven't used it long enough to confirm the “whitening effect” but I can vouch for its effectiveness in sun protection.

My makeup goes on noticeably smoother over this product so to me it acts as a good primer also. It doesn't seem to have any effect on oil production, though, as my face would get shiny in the T-zone like it always does by lunch time. After a couple weeks of use, I can happily report that it is safe to use on my acne-prone skin as I haven't witnessed any skin irritation thus far. I have a feeling that those whose skin is on the drier side will really love this! :)

Purchase

Disclosure: Products featured in this post were given to me free of charge by the brand's PR for review consideration. All opinions expressed herein are honest and my own.