Summer makes everything lighter.
Heavy sweaters give way to skimpy sundresses. Soups and stews are replaced by juicy salads and ice cream. Thick body butters are put away in favour of gel-like lotions.
Even the makeup gets lighter. Ok, I might sport the occasional neon pink lipstick or bold green eyeshadow, but I often give foundation a miss. No point in putting it on, it’ll just melt away. 🙂
With less makeup to remove, I’m giving my trusted oils a break. I’ve switched to a micellar water, Neutrogena Hydro Boost Cleansing Gelee Milk – it’s the perfect cleansing trick for lazy makeup days.
Here’s what happened:
What’s In Neutrogena Hydro Boost Cleansing Gelee Milk?
MILD SURFACTANTS TO CLEANSE SKIN
Surfactants is a family of ingredients that cleanse skin by allowing water to mix with oils and dirt, so they can be rinsed away.
The catch? Some surfactants do the job so well, they strip skin bare of every trace of the oils that keep your skin naturally moisturised. Cue dryness and irritation.
That doesn’t happen here. These cleanser uses Sodium Hydrolyzed Potato Starch Dodecenylsuccinate and Poloxamer 188, two of the mildest surfactants. They won’t irritate skin.
But they don’t cleanse too well, either. They’re ok at removing a light face of makeup. But, if you’re wearing long-lasting foundation, this won’t cut it.
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SODIUM HYALURONATE TO HYDRATE SKIN
Sodium hyaluronate its a form of hyaluronic acid that attracts and binds to the skin up to 1000 times its weight in water. Plus, it works well both in high and low humidity conditions.
When skin has that much moisture, it plumps up. This alone is enough to make your fine lines look smaller – temporarily. Hydration also makes skin soft and gives the complexion a dewy glow (think Korean skin).
P.S. Glycerin is here too. It does the same thing, but on a smaller scale.
Related: Why You Need Hyaluronic Acid In Your Skincare Routine, No Matter Your Skin Type
Texture
Lightweight gel.
Fragrance
Clean and subtle.
How To Use It
With a cotton pad. No need to rinse off.
Performance & Personal Opinion
Technically, Neutrogena Hydro Boost Cleanser Gelee Milk is a hybrid cleanser that combines the lightness of a gel with the efficacy of a cleansing milk.
In practice, you apply it with a cotton pad and don’t rinse it away. Looks like a micellar water to me, ahem.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I love the convenience of a good micellar water on days when I’m wearing minimal or no makeup. It takes off all the dirt and grime and I can just apply serum + moisturizer afterwards.
But, when I’m wearing a lot of makeup? That’s when things get tricky. Neutrogena Hydro Boost Cleanser Gelee Milk does remove a full face of makeup (mascara included) but… You have to use three or four cotton pads to get it all off.
- That could be irritating
- It kinda defies the purpose of a micellar water
Micellar water is something you use when you want to get the job done quickly. If you have to waste 15 minutes and 4 cotton pads to remove everything, you might as well stick to oil-based cleansers. In a minute, everything’s off your face.
Remember: micellar water aren’t proper makeup removers. Don’t treat them as such.
Who Is This For?
Women who wear little to no makeup.
Who Is This NOT For?
It’s not a makeup remover.
Packaging
A blue bottle with a pump applicator. Sleek and practical.
Does Neutrogena Hydro Boost Cleanser Gelee Milk Live Up To Its Claims?
| CLAIM | TRUE? |
|---|---|
| NEUTROGENA® Hydro Boost® Gelée Milk Cleanser is an innovative cleanser combining the lightness of a gel with the efficacy of make-up remover milk. | True. |
| The combination of Neutrogena® cleansing technology, hydrating agents and hyaluronic acid which is naturally found in skin, helps the formula to protect the skin barrier, and lock in hydration. | True. |
| Dermatologically tested and suitable for sensitive skin. | Fragrance may irritate sensitive skin. |
Price & Availability
£7.99 at Feel Unique and Look Fantastic
Do You Need It?
Not really. There are better cleansers around.
Dupes & Alternatives
Ingredients
Aqua, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hydrolyzed Potato Starch Dodecenylsuccinate, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Poloxamer 188, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Polyacrylate, Zea Mays Starch, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, BHT, Parfum.
I’ll have to try the Hydraboost, I’ve heard good things about it and your post just reaffirmed it. However, the Gel has fragrance and I’m allergic. The Hydraboost Cream is fragrance free. Even though it says it’s for dry skin, I’ve heard it is still pretty light, similar to the Gel. I’ve also heard that topping it with another moisturizer seals in the moisture even better. Thanks for the reviews.
Sherry, yes it’s a humectant based moisturizer so it infuses skin with plenty of moisture, which is just what dry skin needs. But dry skin usually has its protective barrier compromised so you need a moisturizer on top to seal it all in. Oily skin doesn’t have this problem. It can enjoy its hydrating benefits without the need to add more oil later. 🙂
Hi Gio. Is micellar water enough to remove sunscreen? I don’t use makeups at all, but applied mineral SPF religiously during day time nowadays so I double-cleanse at night with oil makeup remover and a cleanser; is that too much? Or I can go down with using just a good micellar water or a cleanser for removing sunscreen? Love your constant blog updates this past few weeks BTW.
Kaido, no micellar water isn’t enough to remove sunscreen. I always double cleanse at night to make sure every last bit comes off.
Thanks, so glad to hear that. 🙂
Gio, thanks for the honest review! I love beauty blogs that don’t rate every product 5/5 so that people just buy things. Very refreshing… -Nicky
Nicky, thank you! 🙂