An easy three-step solution
A few pros have advised on how they deal with eye makeup that’s difficult to remove. They say you’re on the right track with the double-cleansing — but you’ll also need an assist from micellar water.
Step 1: Double-cleanse with something oily
Eyeliner and mascara typically contain oil-like ingredients that can’t be dissolved or washed away cleanly with water or water-based cleansers alone; you will need a product formulated with oils to dissolve the ones in the makeup. Some people like to apply their preffered cleansing oil to a cotton pad, then gently press that over the eyes for 30 seconds to give the product time to break up the makeup. When you remove the pads, there will still be cleansing oil left on your skin — and that’s a good thing. Add a little water to the remaining oil, and then massage it around your eyes and face. The water emulsifies what’s left on the skin, and then acts as the double cleanse for the rest of the face and eyes. For really stubborn eye makeup, you might want to add a dual-phase eye-makeup remover into the mix. They’re the ones that you shake together to mix a water-and-oil layer. They’re usually the most powerful, so they’ll remove everything.
Step 2: Micellar water and flat cotton swabs
After makeup remover and/or the double-cleansing, you may notice some residual darkness around your eyes. That’s where micellar water comes in. Just saturate a cotton swab with the micellar water, and then use it to wipe away any remaining makeup. You can do this step with a regular Q-tip, or even a pointed cotton swab for precision, but a paddle-shape works best. Switching shapes was a game-changer: The wider, flat tip picks up more makeup and seems to escort it off my face more effectively. And if you think that swab will work the same if it’s moistened with plain-old water (or — you know you’ve seen moms do this — a little saliva), then you’re mistaken. Micellar water isn’t a marketing gimmick. It contains mild surfactants that work at a molecular level to form a dirt- and oil-seeking magnet (called a micelle). Once the micelle grabs on to any remaining eye makeup on your face, the surfactant molecules reorient to hold the makeup away from your skin so you can wipe or rinse it away. There is one slightly gimmicky thing about micellar water, in my opinion, and that’s the idea that you don’t have to wash your face again after you use it. Sure, the physical action of wiping away the makeup with the swab means the skin around your eyes and between your lashes will look clean. But some of those surfactants will remain behind, so if you have sensitive eyes or skin, they could cause irritation.
Step 3: Rinse or wash your face again after the micellar water
Once you do that, you should be good to go. Is it a lot of work to take off your eye makeup? Yes. But in case you haven’t noticed, the mascaras and eyeliners these days have serious longevity, and the better the makeup performs, the more difficult it is to remove. “One of my favorite cake eyeliners is also the hardest to take off. When it’s time to remove it, you need patience and a prayer. And, of course, the steps above.
Adapted from: The Cut
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