How to Remove Eye Makeup: A No-Tears Guide

Whether it's because you've rarely needed to before or because you're just so exhausted to bother with it, there's just something inherently daunting about learning how to remove eye makeup and much more to do it! Sometimes, the chore itself can even discourage you to experiment with your makeup, even though you've amassed quite a collection!

Face makeup, in general, tends to be less cumbersome to remove than eye makeup because you can put a little bit more elbow grease into it without worrying about scrubbing your face raw. But since your eyelids are sensitive, it's hard to remove your mascara and eyeliner with that much enthusiasm and not expect your eyes to sting a little.

It may not be rocket science, but knowing how to remove eye makeup properly can certainly save you and your skin some unnecessary stress. In fact, a contributing factor to developing crow's feet is excessive rubbing at the sensitive areas on and around your eyes.

Hence, this simple guide will walk you through a quick and efficient way to remove your eye makeup, in the hopes that you can develop a healthier cleansing and skin care routine knowing that you don't have to dread that initial stage of taking off all that makeup!

"Wait, I only wear a tiny bit of mascara and nothing else! Why should I bother removing my eye makeup if all that stress can give me wrinkles and red-eye?"

• Prevents skin care product penetration

It may be an obvious thing to state, but leaving makeup on your face is by no means good for you. While it isn't outright harmful, leaving traces of makeup will prevent any skincare product you put afterward from penetrating your skin and providing you with any promised benefits.

• Keeps dirt and other impurities in

Not to mention that as you continue to put on more makeup without taking off that first layer, you're ensuring that all the dirt and impurities that have settled on your skin from the previous day are indeed plastered to your face!

• Causes your lashes to fall off and starts eye irritation

Your eyes are particularly sensitive. And although you may not see the effects of not properly removing your eye makeup as clearly as you would with face makeup in the form of pimples or blackheads, that does not mean that your eyes are free of any side effects!

Aside from your lashes having a higher chance of falling off if you continue to layer mascara, especially waterproof mascara, over old dried mascara, it could also fall into your eyes and cause irritation.

So, at the end of the day, when it's time to start your skincare regimen, and you're all set to get rid of the makeup that's been sitting on your face for hours, remember that your goal is to remove eye makeup with as little effort as possible. This goes without saying, but you probably don't want any stinging eyes or mascara-streaked tears either!

Thus, you'll need a good eye makeup remover to make sure you achieve this goal.

Depending on how much makeup you usually wear, you can either use a general makeup remover or a dedicated eye makeup remover.

If you do not use a lot of makeup on a daily basis, or you don't wear waterproof mascara or any eye products, then a simple micellar water cleanser or a general makeup remover will work just fine. However, if you do wear waterproof eye makeup, it would be best to get a product that is formulated specifically to remove eye makeup. These products usually come in a dual-phase formulation, which is a complicated mixture of water and oil, that needs to be shaken in the bottle to activate its "magic."

These products are great because as they are specifically designed to melt eye makeup, so you won't have to go scrubbing your eyelids to ensure every last bit of it is gone.

Additionally, when choosing any skin care products, be mindful of your skin type and any allergies you may have. For someone with sensitive skin, look for products specifically formulated for sensitive skin. These products are usually mild, fragrance-free, and often oil-free.

Now that we've gone over the importance of removing eye makeup and the things to consider in looking for one let's now move on to the chore itself.

Step 1: Check for special instructions.

Go over the makeup remover of your choice and check if there are any special application requirements. If it's a dual-phase formula, then you have to shake the bottle first. Others may come with additional accessories that you may want or need to attach first. For example, a pump to better dispense the product on to cotton rounds.

Step 2: Remove your makeup.

You can either remove your face makeup or your eye makeup first. The order doesn't particularly matter, so go with whatever you're comfortable with.

Step 3: Apply the eye makeup remover.

Pick up your cotton round and dispense the product on it; you want it to be evenly coated but not dripping. Lay it flat onto your eyes, and let it sit there for a little while for it to melt your makeup. Then, gently glide the cotton pad away.

For waterproof mascara, you may want to go in with a Q-tip soaked in the product to make sure everything is gone. If you're wearing minimal eye makeup, perhaps just some liner and mascara, and you feel like that an entire cotton round may not be necessary, then you can just opt to use a Q-tip instead.

Repeat the process until everything is off! If you've got yourself a good makeup remover, then this shouldn't take too long at all.

Finally, once every trace of makeup is gone, you can start your skin care routine, and get the good night's sleep you deserve!

We use eye makeup to bring out the beauty of our peepers. However, it wasn't meant to stay on our eyelids for long. No matter how safe and mild your chosen eye makeup claims to be, it is still best to make sure you don't sleep with any makeup products on. Use an eye makeup remover that best suits your skin type, and you're sure to wake up with eyes that may not need any makeup at all.