How do you remove makeup?
Everyone wants healthy-looking skin, and naturally, maintaining clean skin is a fundamental part. However, with so much focus on cleansing, people sometimes overlook the importance of removing all makeup from your face before getting a good night’s sleep. Whether you’re a skincare novice or total skincare pro, here’s everything you need to know about how to remove makeup, including when and why you should remove it, whether or not you need a makeup remover and the best practices.
When and why should you remove your makeup?
Removing makeup every night is a crucial part of maintaining fresh-looking skin. While you can wear or remove makeup at any time of day, you should always remove makeup before bed and never sleep with it on your face. When makeup is left on your face overnight, it can cause your skin to become dry or dehydrated, appear dull, break out in acne and develop wrinkles. Eye makeup left overnight can even cause infections. It’s essential to be thorough with both cleansing and removing makeup as well.
How does makeup remover work?
Makeup removers’ formula helps cleanse the skin of any make-up products. Makeup removers work by dissolving makeup off the face using a water-based or oil-based mixture of solvents. There are also make-up removers specially formulated for the eyes. Traditionally, they have come in liquid form, oil form or wipes that have been pre-soaked in liquids.
Is makeup remover bad for your skin?
There’s been a lot of controversy in the skincare community lately about makeup remover. Specifically, makeup remover wipes, due to the belief that they cannot entirely remove makeup without leaving some makeup residue behind and contain bad-for-skin ingredients.
Many makeup removers are harmless, but you should always check and consider the ingredients of the product you’re using. It’s best practice to avoid makeup removers with heavy, synthetic fragrances and sulfates. These can be stripping on the skin and irritate. You should also avoid formaldehyde/formaldehyde-releasing preservatives and phthalates known to cause developmental or hormonal problems.
Makeup wipes can also make for a great last-minute measure if you’re feeling too exhausted or busy to do a proper wash at night. Consider keeping a pair of wipes in your purse for on-the-go care and in or on your nightstand.
Do you have to use makeup remover to remove makeup?
The short answer is no. Nowadays, there are several other methods for removing makeup that you can use in addition to make-up remover or entirely on their own.
Best methods for removing makeup
In addition to makeup remover, consider the following options for removing makeup.
Cleanser
Most facial cleansers adequately remove any foundation, concealer, bronzer or blush from your skin. Thoroughly massage the cleanser into the skin for approximately 15 seconds, and wipe with a washcloth to check for residue. For dry skin, consider cream cleansers like the Mad Hippie Cream Cleanser that’s rich in moisturizing jojoba oil, macadamia oil and shea butter, as well as the antioxidant-rich algae extract, sesame oil and green tea. For normal to oily skin, consider the CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser, complete with three essential ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
Double cleansing
Most skincare professionals recommend not only cleansing once but cleaning twice. The “double-cleanse” method, originating in the Asian skin-care culture and gradually spreading to Western skin-care culture as well, consists of two steps: cleansing with cleansing oil or balm and then cleansing with your usual water-based cleanser. This washing process ensures that any makeup, dirt and free radicals are removed from your face.
For cleansing oils and balms, you should take a small amount into your fingers and massage it into your eyelids and eyebrows and over your closed lash line and lips. Follow by rinsing with water and delicately patting the areas dry with a washcloth or cotton pad. The oil/balm will melt away any makeup residue. If you’re unsure which balm or oil to buy, consider the Farmacy Green Clean Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm or Shiseido Perfect Cleansing Oil.
For the second water-based cleanse, wash as you usually would with your everyday cleanser.
Micellar Water
Micellar water is effective for cleansing and hydrating skin. If makeup removers, balms or cleansers aren’t for you, consider using micellar water. Micellar water is composed of micelles, which are essentially microscopic atoms filled with cleansing oil suspended in water. The micellar water draws out dirt and oil. Simply add the water to a cotton pad and wipe your face thoroughly. Follow with a cleanser if desired.
Toner
While toner isn’t used to remove makeup, you can use toner as a means of checking to ensure you’ve removed all the makeup entirely. Add a few drops to a cotton pad and wipe it gently across your skin. If no makeup shows up on the pad, it’s safe to say there isn’t any makeup in those places.
Other tips for removing makeup
Be gentle
It’s best practice to use light pressure when removing makeup. Avoid aggressive tugging, rubbing or scrubbing. Instead, allow the ingredients to do the work for you by letting the product sit on your skin for 10-20 seconds at a time before rinsing off.
Be thorough
It’s hard to get makeup off of some tough to reach areas. Spend some extra time and attention on the eye area, the edges of eyelids, behind the ears, the jawline, the neckline and the hairline area.
Follow with moisture
For everyone, but especially for dry skin, you should always follow any makeup removal with moisture. A nutrient-rich moisturizer for the face, like this one from Youth to the People, and the Aquaphor Lip Repair Ointment will help keep the skin soft and supple and prevent any water loss and dehydration.
Sydney Poe is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
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