How to Remove Eye Makeup

Written by: Paula's Choice Research Team

Removing eye makeup may seem like a no-brainer step in your skincare routine, but doing it the wrong way (or worse, not at all) can lead to puffy eyes, more noticeable wrinkles, sagging skin, and other issues—eek! Consider this your crash course on the best way to remove eye makeup.

Start with Your Cleanser

Using a mild, fragrance-free cleanser helps gently break down tenacious eye makeup, so you don’t have to tug and pull at your skin with your makeup remover. That’s important, because any pulling and stretching of skin will lead to sagging and more wrinkles down the road—the more you can avoid that, the better off you are.

That’s a great starting point, but chances are your cleanser alone won’t be enough to get all of your eye makeup off. Following up with a great eye-makeup remover helps dissolve the last traces of makeup, which, if left in place, can irritate skin and lead to red, puffy eyes.

How to Find the Best Eye-Makeup Remover

A good eye-makeup remover makes all the difference, but they’re not all created equal. Some makeup removers contain overly aggressive cleansing agents and/or fragrance and colourants, which aggravate skin.

The key is to find a balanced formula that soothes the eye area while quickly and easily dissolving makeup. Our Gentle Touch Makeup Remover does exactly that—it’s great for delicate eyelashes and the fragile skin around the eyes.

How to Use Eye Makeup Remover

Once you’ve found a good eye-makeup remover, it’s important to use it in a way that won’t pull at skin or your lashes, as pulling too much leads to skin sagging. Saturate the makeup remover solution on a cotton pad, and gently press it down against your eye area. This helps the makeup dissolve more easily and reduces the amount of rubbing. When massaging the product around your eyes, do so in a light, downward motion. We’ll say it one more time: The less tugging at skin, the better!

How to Remove Waterproof Mascara

If your waterproof mascara is difficult to remove, you may need to call in reinforcements beyond your normal makeup remover. In that case, saturate your lashes with coconut oil, baby oil, or a facial oil to further break down the tenacious formula.

Makeup Removal on the Fly

We've all been there before: it's late, you're tired, and taking off your makeup before going to bed seems a chore. This is where having a pack of cleansing cloths at the ready is crucial. Choose a soft cloth that is gentle and fragrance-free to swipe off your eye makeup before calling it a night. Just those few seconds can make a big difference in how your eyes look and feel the next morning!