At the end of a long day, for many of us, removing our makeup is a ritual that must be done. However, wiping over your face with a wet wipe or washing your face in the shower is not enough to effectively clean the makeup off your face – even if it looks as though it’s done the job.
We’ve put together a few tips on how to effectively remove your makeup and keep your skin in top condition at the same time.
- Invest in micellar water / a good makeup remover
Micellar water has been taking the makeup world by storm over the last couple of years. It’s essentially water containing microscopic particles (micelles) of oil that lifts makeup off your skin like a magnet, whilst not being as aggressive as many other makeup removers. If not, there are so many makeup removers on the market, with something for all skin types.
- Try using natural removers
If you don’t have any makeup remover to hand, or you’re looking to save a little money, you can create your own natural makeup removers with products in your cupboards. A quick look online will show many how-to guides; honey and baking soda is popular to both remove makeup and exfoliate your skin, and cucumber juice with olive oil will give your skin a lovely natural glow.
- Only use oil-based cleansers for waterproof makeup
Oil-based cleansers are far more aggressive, and much harsher on your skin, than water-based cleansers, even almond oil and coconut oil. Limit the use of oil-based cleansers to only the times when you’re wearing waterproof makeup, to ensure you’re taking good care of your skin.
- Take care when removing false eyelashes
So many people think you can simply tear off false eyelashes at the end of the night once they return home, but that can do damage to your real lashes underneath. Use an oil-based scrub to very gently break down the glue, whilst carefully lifting the false eyelashes up and away from your lash line. Once removed, use a moisturiser to balance the skin on your eyelids.
- Steam your face
Once you have removed the makeup that you can see from your face, use steam from a hot (not boiling) bowl of water to soften the small bits that are lingering in your pores, making it easy to wipe the remainder away. At the same time, the steam will open up your pores, leaving your skin feeling fresh and clean.
- Be sure to remove your makeup remover
Once you’ve finished cleaning your face, make another pass with a dry cotton pad to ensure that the fluids from your makeup remover have been removed. If the cotton pad comes back with any colour left on it, have another go at cleaning your face as this means there is potentially still makeup left, even if you can’t see it.