How To: Remove Your Makeup

Image from Allure magazine

Use the right stuff. With the endless amount of choices available, you are bound to find the best makeup remover for your skin type and needs. When I am calling it a night, and I’m in full makeup from a night out, I reach for some muscle. Makeup remover wipes are fantastic for getting the preliminary work done before the wash up at the sink. If you’re not sure what remover is right for you, refer here. I know a lot of women like baby wipes, and they’re OK and certainly work in a pinch, but they’re not entirely appropriate for long term use. Think about it, a baby’s bottom is not covered in makeup that needs certain ingredients and compounds to be effective in complete removal. Long wear, waterproof, and sunscreen makeup require a little more work, baby wipes aren’t really up to the task.

Go gentle into that good night. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, scrubbing is strictly for floors. The delicate skin of the face requires kid gloves, no pulling or tugging need apply. Therefore, let your products do the dirty work for you-literally. I love to use a cleansing oil to remove my makeup. It effortlessly melts away makeup, sunscreen, dirt and oil. My favorite can be found here. The application is easy and so science class. Apply the cleansing oil to your dry face with dry hands, massaging into the skin and concentrating on the areas of congestion and makeup. Then, you get your hands wet and massage the face again, the oil turns a milky white as it emulsifies, you will actually see the makeup coming off of your skin. Rinse to remove. I keep waiting to not be fascinated by this process, so far no luck.

Prevent Alice Cooper eyes. Eye makeup removal is tricky, you want to be gentle {the skin of the eyes is oh so delicate, like an eggshell} but effective. Take a cotton pad and soak it with waterproof eye makeup remover. Apply it to your eyes gently and carefully press down for a bit, allowing the remover to sink in, this will help your stubborn eye makeup come off more easily. Wipe down the eyes gently, repeating this step until all the eye makeup is removed. Then take a q-tip and saturate it with your eye makeup remover, or natural oil {my method} and get in there for some detail work, paying special attention to under the eyes and in the lower lash line.

Lather up. Once you have used your cleansing oil and eye makeup remover, it’s time to wash your face with your favorite cleanser. Dermalogica calls process this the “double cleanse” and I am a big fan. I like to use a mild foaming cleanser to remove oil, dirt, and any leftover traces of makeup. I use a clean, white washcloth to ensure all my makeup is removed; I don’t stop until that puppy is white again. The washcloth also acts as a mild exfoliator, helping to remove dead skin cells to give me a fresher, glowy appearance. I’ll take another q-tip dipped in oil and go around my eyes again for good measure, my lashes are like me: blonde, stubborn and they love being covered in mascara. After that, I collapse in exhaustion apply a serum, an acne fighting/anti-aging product, an eye cream and call it a night. I can rest easy knowing I’ve properly removed my makeup and cared for my skin {and that I get to repeat the process tomorrow night, and every night thereafter}.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

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