When it comes to makeup removers, many people wonder, “Which one should I use?” Should it be oily? Is a towelette better? Do I rub? Will this irritate my eyes? There are many questions that can be addressed when looking for one that is perfect for you. Let’s do a rundown of what you can use that is fast and effective. Because in this world, who has time for anything but?
SPLURGE
I personally use a makeup remover for my eyes and also one for my face. My HG of eye makeup removers is Bi-facil by Lancôme. Shake the bottle to activate and the lipid phase lifts off eye makeup, while the water phase contains special emollients to refresh and condition skin without a greasy residue. This one is pricey at $26 so I will also do a comparable steal.
STEAL
Sonia Kashuk is an artist who has a line of products at Target. Her makeup remover is seriously just as good as Lancôme’s and is much cheaper for only $9.99. You shake to activate and it takes off waterproof eye makeup and conditions the skin.
Both of these are safe for contact-lens wearers and sensitive skin.
SPLURGE
If you want a makeup remover that is virtually not greasy at all, try Clarins. Their Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover Lotion contains soothing Rose Water, toning Cornflower and lash-conditioning Soy proteins to thoroughly remove light to normal eye make-up. It’s a splurge at $26.
If you want to avoid the greasy residue a lot of removers leave behind, try to find removers that say oil-free. Also, the ones that you don’t have to shake tend to be less oily. You’ll be able to tell by seeing if there are two layers to the formula.
STEAL
Now, let’s resort back to old faithful for this one. If you know anything, you know women have trusted Pond’s for over 150 years for simple, effective skin care products that work. Their wet cleansing towelettes are no exception. They’re easy to use and sweep away makeup without leaving residue or irritating. At $5 they’re a steal. I’d call that a win-win.
Both of these are safe for contact-lens wearers and sensitive skin.
I mentioned earlier that I also use a makeup remover for my face. I was using Lancôme’s Huile Douceur until I ran out and am currently using another. I really liked the Huile Douceur. It was an all-in-one cleansing oil with antioxidant White Lotus and moisturizing Japan Cedar Bud. It instantly dissolved even waterproof face and eye makeup. My skin felt soft and dewy, without a greasy after-feel.
It emulsified when I added water and turned into a milky wash. I would then follow with my regular cleanser. It was around $35 but so worth it.
I am currently using Shu Uemura’s fresh pore clarifying gentle cleansing oil for combination to oily skin conditions. I was intrigued by the fact that it boasted “pore-less skin” but so far am underwhelmed. The consistency isn’t as thick as Lancôme’s so it’s a little harder to get from hands to face but it works none-the-less.
It contains sakura leaf known to reduce inflammatory mediators that cause skin redness and also improves skin texture. It also has salicylic acid to help exfoliate skin and cherry extract that is a natural AHA to remove dead skin cells. It’s $29 for a 5 ounce.
There are unfortunately no steals when it comes to cleansing oils but they honestly are a great investment and last a very long time. I had my Lancôme oil for about 6 months before it ran out.
So, there you have it. My favorite removers. No matter what you use, make sure it works for you and that you always wash your face at night. Not doing so is very bad for your skin and clogs your pores. Wash on - wash off friends!
