Neutrogena: The Blue Line

Whilst applying make-up can be a fun, therapeutic way to start off the day, taking it off can be it's exact polar opposite - a chore that's time consuming, and quite frankly a drainer when you're exhausted. The Neutrogena Blue Line* was created to make this process easier through this range of makeup removers and cleansers, leaving you with fresh and clean skin.  All the products within this line are formulated with the most sensitive skins in mind, and have all been dermatologist-tested and they promise not to disturb delicate/damaged skin.  Not sure about you, but that just ticks all the boxes for skincare in my books; keep reading to see what we thought!

Fresh Foaming Cleanser // RRP $11.49:

Judging from the title and the fact that it had a pump dispenser, I was anticipating a "foam" to come out but to my disappointment, this is actually just a foaming cream cleanser. Leaving that sadness behind, I actually don't mind this product. For normal morning and night cleansing, I push a third of a pump out (a whole pump is quite a lot), lather and massage the product into my pre-wetted face and then rinse off. I find that it doesn't leave the skin tight, irritated or dried out. This cleanser is definitely on the gentler side and I would definitely recommend this for sensitive skin - although it does have a mild citrus scent if you are weary of that. 

As a makeup remover, it does the job but it does require that extra time and effort to remove mascara and eyeliner. If you've used oil cleansers, you know that your makeup literally melts off but with the Neutrogena cleanser, you really do have to get in and rub a bit more to remove your eye makeup (particularly if it's waterproof). Apart from that, I do feel that it removes all my makeup and I'd feel perfectly fine to use this alone! Another thing I'd like to mention is that the more makeup you have, the more cleanser you should use - yup it's a positive correlation. Instead of the usual third of a pump, I use either 2/3 or one whole pump. To get the best out of this cleanser, the product to water ratio is really important! Many times I haven't used enough water and it hasn't lathered properly but when I've added extra water it has resolved all my problems :) 

Just in picture form, you can see the first amount I used removed the eyeliner, eyeshadow and concealer but had a bit of difficulty removing the mascara and lipstick. 

However, when I added that little more product with a little more elbow grease, pretty much everything was gone. (Btw please don't mind how red my arm is - it just gets red pretty easily and isn't any indication of how much I rubbed!)

Fresh Foaming Scrub // RRP $11.99:

I don't know if I've mentioned it before but I love exfoliating. Exfoliating toners, scrubs, beads and masks - I'm guilty of owning all these :P. Using my fair share of exfoliators, my favourite scrub types are the super beady, gritty, get-in-there ones. There's just something satisfying when rubbing it into your face! Compared to the ones that I'm used to, Neutrogena's Fresh Foaming Scrub is really gentle. The orange micro-beads softly exfoliate the excess dirt, oil and dead skin cells where your cleanser cannot normally remove. I find that the formula is easy to rinse off, leaving my skin feeling fresh and not overly dry or irritated. I really like the packaging for this as well. It has a thin nozzle which is absolutely perfect to dispense the runny formula (it really eeks me when runny products have a wide mouth cos when you squeeze just that little bit out, it all of the sudden gushes out like vomit). So with the thinner opening, I feel like I have more control and less product wastage! Overall, for the price and what it claims to do - I think the product is fairly decent. I just personally prefer a grittier type of scrub as my main skin concerns are skin texture & dead skin cells - I only have a slightly oily t-zone and the rest of my face is either normal/dry skin type. So if your looking for a gentle scrub - this is your go to! 

Alcohol Free Toner // RRP $10.89:

After being accustomed to the Dr. LeWinn's Essentials Refining Toner, I found this to be a little more drying in comparison.  Neutrogena claims this Alcohol-Free Toner to be refreshing, and removes pore-clogging dirt without stripping the skin's natural moisturisers.  True to claim, it is refreshing and it does remove any residual dirt that wasn't picked up fully by the previous skincare steps.  The scent is very fresh but not overpowering and I do feel as though it restores the balance of my skin from what may have been lost from the cleansing process.  I'd say that this would be most suitable for most skin types as it doesn't contain alcohol, however if you are on the dry/very dry side, then you might be better off finding a toner that is marketed as a moisturising one.  Personally, I look for a more moisturising toner for the winter seasons, however I can see myself using this when the warmer seasons roll around.

Final Thoughts
Overall, the Neutrogena Blue Line does a great combination of skincare necessities that are gentle and fuss-free. Everything from packaging, price, functionality and benefits are all bundled together neatly in this line, to ensure that makeup is removed swiftly without leaving any important skincare steps in between!

Stay tuned for Part 2 in which we will be reviewing the Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes & the Oil-Free Eye Make-Up Remover :)

Have you tried anything from the Blue Line? 

*These products were kindly provided for consideration, all opinions are honest.