Fresh and clean. 

Oh wow, it has been a while since I last posted a sample review- and a makeup remover at that! It's just that I don't wear makeup as much as before anymore so my need for makeup removers is zilch. However, I worked on some makeup products to review (coming soon!) so naturally I needed something to remove them afterwards- enter a makeup remover sample I found in my stash.

This is tarte's Rainforest of the Sea Deep Dive Cleansing Gel, described as a daily brightening face cleanser & waterproof makeup remover that removes excess oil, impurities, & all traces of waterproof makeup without overdrying skin. Its main ingredients include tarte's own Rainforest of the Sea complex which includes a blend of algae and marine flower extracts; allantoin, vitamin B5, Indian gooseberry extract, and lavender oil.

The makeup remover itself is more on the fluid side so it's very easy to lather up and work across the face. Scent-wise, it has this nice blend of lavender and something leafy in it. Very nature-y indeed.

Now the performance: I gotta say, this makeup remover reminds me of a micellar makeup remover. It's gentle on the skin and doesn't sting that much. I used this to remove a light layer of matte foundation, brow gel, highlighter, waterproof mascara, and a matte liquid lipstick. It was able to remove everything except for the mascara and lipstick but it's not really a big surprise as these products really require something more potent to remove them completely. However, I felt like I still needed to do a second cleanser so I did, using this product still and after, I felt cleaner and more makeup-free.

 I like the brightening aspect of it. Brightening not in a highlight kind of way but more of a clearer skin glow kind of bright. My skin looked healthy and less dull after washing. However, I did notice that my skin felt drier than normal. It's a weird feeling, not gonna lie, but it is what it is. I felt like my skin became sort of dehydrated, like moisture was just sucked from it. So to confirm, I went on and looked up reviews online- good to know that it wasn't just me who had that same reaction. Some users also found this cleanser drying on the skin so I really suggest on following up with a decent moisturizer after.

Overall, this isn't the best makeup remover/cleanser. However, it's a decent product to use just as a second cleanser or even a morning cleanser as it's gentle on the skin and does a good job of refreshing and cleansing the skin. Again, it could be drying afterwards so just make sure to load up on a hydrating skincare product. Unfortunately, I don't think I'd be buying the full-sized bottle as I know better makeup cleansers than this.