The Vine: December 18, 2007
Oh wise one in the ways of many things fashionable (bow, scrape), can you or the readers recommend a good eye-makeup remover? I’ve finally gotten the hang of putting on eye liner (bless the Mary Kay folks: easy to put on, doesn’t smear when I have a contact lens moment) but taking it off is a huge pain. I know scrubbing the area around your eyes is supposed to cause sagging and wrinkles after a while, but any of the products I’ve tried seem to require almost as much scrubbing as just using a washcloth in the shower. (Mary Kay folks: don’t make me take back the nice things I said about you, your makeup remover sucks.) Ponds cleansing cloths? No love. Regular soap? Ack, so drying, and still needs a lot of scrubbing. I’d be willing to pay extra for something, as long as it worked half as well as what they show in commercials. Would you have any suggestions?
Thanks very much,
Out, Damn’d Eye-Liner!
Dear Out,
I haven’t been able to find it since college, but my mom and I used to use this stuff called Albolene; I never had any problem with blemishes or anything. I’ve also used Vaseline, which is not the most elegant solution but is sometimes the only thing that will take off a stubborn mascara, but people use all sorts of things — unscented lotions, soap and water, special wipes.
…Oh, look: Albolene still exists. Readers, care to share your eye-makeup-removal secrets?
Tags: Ask The Readers health and beauty
I generally either use Clinique (in the purple bottle), or Philosophy “take the day off” – it’s facial wash, but if you put a bit on a cotton ball first and wipe your eyes gently, it takes of eye makeup pretty easily.
For a much more basic/homemade approach, use vegetable oil (yes, from your kitchen). A “natural” type is better. Back in high school I did a lot of theater, with the ridiculous pancake makeup and learned this trick. Essenially, makeup is made out of oil. So it’s better to use oil than water, because water just sloughs off oil-based cosmetics (since oil and water don’t mix).
Joboba oil on a cotton ball- hold it against the eye for a minute, then gently wipe. I do this before I wash my face and the soap gets any remaining gunk off.
Like everyone said, Clinique Take the Day Off – but I use the cleansing balm, rather than the bottled ones; it’s a little pricey, at $26, but it’s worth it, and is good for general makeup removing as well, not just eyes.
I have to second the Lancome and Origin responses.
However, usually I just wash my face with my normal face wash. Then, onto whatever is left around (or under) my eyes, I dab some body lotion. Then I use toilet paper to wipe it off. Kind of ghetto, but it’s cheap and easy! And you don’t have to buy anything extra.
A second for Purity by philosophy. I don’t generally wear heavy and/or wash-resistant eye makeup, but I wear a lot of mascara. A little gentle, circular eye massage while I’m washing my face gets it. It has never made my eyes sting, and I have a slight sensitivity to cleansers.
It’s by far my favorite facial cleanser, and it helpfully doubles as a make-up taker-offer.
I agree with those who have recommend Origins Well Off, or Philosophy’s Purity.
Before I’d plunk down for a “high end” cleanser though, I suggest going to a department store and going to the different makeup counters to TRY the removers – see what works well (even if it is only removing tester eyeliner from the back of your hand)
Cold cream.
Put it all over, leave for thirty or so seconds, take it off with a tissue. Then wash your face normally, since you’ve got cold cream/makeup all over it. When I used to have to take off a faceful of stage makeup after ye olde high school musical, this was my secret weapon. Cold cream will take off your baddest shit–I’m talking about liquid eyeliner mixed with waterproof pencil mixed with false eyelash glue and some mascara all over everything for good measure. Boom, gone.
And tissues, of course, were invented to be cold cream removers. You really would not believe how well they work for this purpose. I swear, a washcloth doesn’t take off cold cream even close to nearly as well.
Don’t go buying expensive shit in a bottle until you try this (and I say this as someone with four bottles of expensive makeup remover sitting on the shelf right now that just doesn’t get the job done). (Also it feels so soothing!)
I don’t know if you have Dove soap (P&G I think) in the US, but if you do, give it a go? It doesn’t dry my skin (all other soap does) and the creamy lather (can’t believe I just wrote that phrase!) gets rid of my “Pris from Bladerunner” mascara/liner/shadow excesses.
Plus, it’s dirt cheap, and doesn’t leave an oily film either.
I love Origins’ Well Off. It’s relatively inexpensive ($13 for a bottle) and it lasts a long time. It gets all of the shit off, too.
When I run out of it and don’t feel like going to get more, I use baby oil.
I use a little bit of face lotion dabbed on the end of a q-tip — works very well to get off mascara and eye liner and is precise enough to fix any application snafus.
Baby oil, on a Kleenex, and then I rub off the extraneous oil using another Kleenex-usually works to get off the mascara/eyeliner I wear.
The L’Oreal one with two layers that you have to shake together is fantastic.
If you want a ‘product’, the Body Shop chamomile ones are great. But olive oil and sweet almond oil are among the best things for your skin, even really sensitive skin like around your eyes, so not only will they remove your make-up but they’ll nourish the skin as well. They’re cheap as chips and are available all over the place, and sweet almond oil is also great for your cuticles and nails.
I use Nivea cold cream. I have really sensitive skin, prone to break-outs easily, and have never had any problems with Nivea. It can get in your eye without burning and takes the make-up off really easily.
Ditto in on the Sonia Kashuk Remove eyemakeup remover (available only at Target). Works as well as the Lancome, but 1\2 the price. Be careful and get the bottle that has the closest 50\50 ratio of liquid- their quality control isn’t the greatest.
Lush’s Ultrabland is amazing. You would need to get toner to take it off with, but it’s almost completely no rub. Just swipe it on and swipe it off.
http://usa.lush.com/cgi-bin/lushdb/3041?expand=Skincare
I’m with those who recommend ‘Lancome BI-FACIL – Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover’ – I use the ‘Gentle’ strength but the regular one is fine too. Gets rid of waterproof stuff with no fuss, and it is not oily.
Also second the person who said to get it when there is a gift-with-purchase offer, Lancome stuff is very nice :D
I’m another baby oil user, personally. It is a little greasy, but I never get blemishes that close to my eyes anyway, and by the time I get up in the morning my skin has absorbed the oil.
Cetaphil, baby. Cetaphil either on the tips of your tiny wet fingers, gently applied from the outside corners in and then rinsed with lukewarm water, or Cetaphil on a damp cotton pad, again gently applied from the outside corners in, etc. Not oily, hypoallergenic (to which I can swear, being allergic to everydamnthing), relatively inexpensive, and leaves nothing behind but your clean little face when carefully rinsed off.
Been using it for YEARS, all over my ancient almost-45-year-old face, and do not even have crow’s feet yet. Cetaphil, baby.
Olay’s Deep Cleansing Face Wash With Witch Hazel (… And A Shitload Of Words) gets makeup off and cleans your face — two birds, one stone. Clean & Clear’s Makeup Removing Cleanser also kicks ass and is a two-birds kind of deal. It’s a bit drying, though; I like the Olay much better.
I must say, I am concerned by all this talk of eye-makeup remover. What happened to washing your face, people? Is it supposed to be this complicated? Am I doing it wrong? Am I not supposed to go to sleep with (maybe) a few tiny smudges of mascara still on? Should I be concerned? Ack! Now I have a skincare-related inferiority complex. Thanks, fellow TN readers. :P
I’ve been using some Neutrogena oil free make-up remover, it’s one of those two layer dealies that you shake up and then I just soak a cotton pad and wipe it off. Works great.
Well, that’s what I do with waterproof mascara. Otherwise, I just use my regular face wash (some generic cream cleanser stuff) and often leave it on until I shower the next morning. I actually read something about that it’s less harsh on your eyes to wait until the morning to remove your eye makeup, but I don’t know if that’s true.
I know a lot of people are all about the Vaseline and baby or mineral oil, but I have to recommend against that. Your skin actually can’t absorb those oils like it can things like olive oil or all those nice good for your skin oils, so it just sits on top of your skin and clogs your pores.
I swear by Paula’s Choice Gentle Touch Makeup Remover:
http://shop.paulaschoice.com/product/216/6
It’s inexpensive and works really well. You have to shake it pretty well to mix the two phases, then just pour some on a cotton wool pad, gently press the pad against the eye area for about 30-60 seconds, & gently wipe away. Repeat the gentle wiping using the other side of the pad, then use a fresh pad for the other eye.
I use it for waterproof mascara and even long-wearing, non-transfer gel eyeliner (think Bobbi Brown) comes off no problem. It also removes long-wear lipsticks and foundation (ColorStay & similar products). It’s color- and fragrance-free, and slightly moisturising without upsetting my slightly oily skin (I find baby oil and baby lotion too greasy). best of all, absolutely NO scrubbing!
Hands down best one is Lancome bi facil for waterproof mascara (light blue bottle, not dark blue) it moisturizes as it takes off make up, I don’t even wash it off afterwards. I swear it has helped with the wrinkles!
I’ve never used it for eyeliner, but I’ve found Lush’s Sweet Japanese Girl to be excellent for getting off makeup. It’s got oils in it that are good for pulling off makeup, but it wipes off easily with a washcloth and doesn’t cause problems for my acne-prone skin.
http://usa.lush.com/cgi-bin/lushdb/234
Kinda pricey, but one bar lasts months.
Maybelline Expert Eyes 100% Oil Free Makeup Remover. Costs about $4, lasts for months and months, sits right in the Maybelline aisle that pretty much every store in the world has. Some of this on a Q-Tip and poof! Eye makeup gone.
This is the stuff in the bottle with the blue cap. The bottle with the pink cap is the non-Oil Free kind, and it feels like baby oil. They say the pink-cap stuff is for waterproof makeup, that the blue-cap stuff won’t remove waterproof makeup, but it does. There’s no need to fool around with the pink-cap kind. Blue cap all the way.
Almay oil-free eye makeup remover pads. For years, with no problem.
Actually, what also helps is if you just wash your face – like normal, no undue eye-scrubbing – before you go to bed. Don’t worry about getting off every last trace of eye makeup. Then, when you wash your face in the morning, the second washing should take care of most of it, and you can do touch-ups with the Almay pads.
Wow Sars, moms from NJ of a certain age must all have grown up using albolene. We still have that stuff in my moms bathroom, not a clue where she still finds it!
I agree with whoever mentioned Almay’s Oil Free Liquid Eye Makeup Remover–that stuff is awesome. I dip a q-tip in it to use around my eyes and it does a great job. I do wear contacts, and I have often removed my mascara and eyelines with my contacts in and then continued the wear my contacts without any greasiness or blurry residue from this product. A bottle lasts forever and I think it just costs about $7 at the drugstore. http://www.almay.com/Pg/Main/CatProdDet.aspx?catid=36&catnm=Makeup&subid=230&subnm=Eye%20Makeup%20Removers&prd=28628&osubnm=Eye%20Makeup%20Removers
Damn, am I the only person on earth that just uses a wet washcloth? I only use non-waterproof ’cause I have sensitive eyes, but it was never a problem for me. If it stuck there, I used a bit of Clean and Clear face wash and no more makeup! (I totally recommend Clean and Clear products, I have used them for years and have a fab. complexion. Plus, the Morning Burst kind smells yummy!)
I also use the Body Shop Chamomile eye make up remover. I like that it’s not greasy or oily so I don’t get that “soft focus” view afterwards. I use a little on a cotton ball before washing my face (with the Arsoa Queen Silver wonder soap). I think it’s about 12 or 13 bucks and a bottle lasts me about three months.
I’ve used Pond’s Cold Cream since high school. Just a little on your eyelid and wipe it off with a tissue.
Word to grandefille re: the cetaphil. I’ve been using it for years, and it doesn’t take any scrubbing or dry my face out at all. It doesn’t even bug me if I use it while my contacts are still in. I just wet my face, run a bit of cetaphil on my hands, spread it all over my face with extra attention to the area around my eyes, rinse, and give it all a bit of a rub with a soft towel. perfect!
Cetaphil works for me!
Body Shop Chamomile eye makeup remover is the only thing that doesn’t cause my eyelids to burn (sensitive skin). Comes in big bottles that last forever, so the price ends up being pretty low.
I’ve had really good luck with baby wipes and Ulta’s store brand eye make-up remover. Both are pretty gentle and work very well.
Just some info on Cetaphil, though. My husband is a med student and just finished up a rotation with a dermatologist. He was told by his preceptor that Cetaphil is the absolute best facial cleanser to use, hands down. I’ll be trying that as soon as I’m finished with my bottle of Ulta eye make-up remover.
I remove eye makeup with Paula’s Choice Gentle Touch Makeup Remover: http://shop.paulaschoice.com/product/216/6 – all her products are fab, by the way. I follow the makeup remover with Cetaphil which manages to shift everything else. Actually, Cetaphil alone generally does a pretty good job, it isn’t irritating to the skin and is generally cheap. It also comes in a range of bottle sizes, so I rely on a teeny bottle for makeup removal & cleansing when travelling.
clinique has a good remover. or you can get unscented baby oil (mineral oil) which is also good. I prefer vaseline, followed by neutrogena glycerine soap. You’re not taking the makeup off with your contacts in, correct?
Huggies Wipes for Sensitive Skin, Fragrance Free. A professional makeyp artist introduced me to the concept, and I’m hooked.
You can clean your eyes and your whole face with one wipe. And may I say, this is way better than going to bed without washing your face because your bathroom’s too darn cold.
I use Oil of Olay cream eye make up remover. It’s really good and works on waterproof mascara too. It took me years to find an answer to this – I literally tried every product on the market – pricey and cheap and this works best in my humble opinion. I live in the UK but I am sure you can it in the US.
I really like the loreal oil free eye makeup remover. It’s blue. It doesn’t make your eyes burn or leave a grease smear like some others.
Don’t know if you have Simple products in the USA, but it’s cheap and fantastic. The Simple range is good for people like me with super-allergic-
to-everything skin. Really the best I’ve ever used, and it’s got those cool tops you just press down on so you don’t flood your cotton square and spill half the expensive contents of your Clinque stuff after a night of drunken revelry. Not that that’s ever happened to me.
http://tinyurl.com/2btmdg
Cleansing oil is my choice because it doesn’t leave behind a greasy residue and rinses clean. But any kind of oil-based product will do the trick. Baby/canola/olive, etc.
Soap or soap-based products will require rubbing, so just look for that slippery oil. Hope that helps!
Another vote for the Almay oil-free eye makeup remover pads. Those things are awesome.
I have found a miracle product in DHC’s Deep Cleansing Oil. DHC (www.dhccare.com) is a Japanese company and this is their best selling product. They randomly sent me a set of samples of their Olive Essentials set and I gave it a shot – – not only did it leave my skin softer than any other product I had ever tried (while still being much cheaper than the luxury stuff), but the Deep Cleansing Oil instantaneously dissolves my rather heavy eye makeup while leaving not a stitch of makeup behind. All of my friends who have tried it have becomes addicted and I cannot recommend this brand and this product (indeed the whole olive essentials set) highly enough.
Make-up Remover? Why? I just wash my face with whatever cleanser I’m currently using, and then use a wet sponge on my eyes. Unless you’ve actually glued on fake eyelashes, it isn’t like it will hurt you to leave some eye stuff on. In fact, my favourite trick for smoky eyes is to apply the eyeliner-excessively-before I shower, and then rinse my eyes in the shower.
I use Cetaphil or – and this stuff is just lovely – Klorane Soothing Eye Makeup Remover With Cornflower Extract – it makesthe skin around your eyes feel refreshed and smooth – it’s made in France, but you can get it at several different online vendors, including drugstore.com – Good luck! http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=163688&catid=98652