Mascara Remover

October 25, 2017 6:48 AM

I recently started using Benefit's They're Real mascara. I love it so much. Except. It will. Not. Come. Off. What is the best eye makeup remover you have ever found?

I'm currently using the Benefit eye makeup remover. But because of the staying power, I'm using makeup remover at night, in the morning before my shower, and again after my shower when my moisturizer reveals yet more mascara.

I really don't want to switch back to smeary mascara, so I want something that will really get this stuff off. What is the magic potion?

posted by freshwater to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (32 answers total)

You need something oil-based (or bi-phase). My go-to is Lancome Bi-Facil. Also great is DHC Deep Cleansing oil. Both aren't cheap, but apparently coconut oil works just as well. (I use micellar water on a cotton pad to remove any remaining oil before applying makeup.)
posted by mireille at 6:59 AM on October 25, 2017 [2 favorites]

Strait up coconut oil on the eyes. Or seconding double cleansing as mentioned - I personally wouldn't use coconut oil all over the face though as it breaks me out.
posted by elke_wood at 7:06 AM on October 25, 2017

We use They're Real in this house (myself and my 2 teen daughters) and plain coconut oil does it.
posted by puppet du sock at 7:09 AM on October 25, 2017

Jojoba oil (organic, preferably), from your local crunchy food store or Whole Foods. $4 for a bottle. Works like a charm. Apply and then wipe off with a cotton pad. You don't need a branded beauty item for this!
posted by Donald Trump Sex Nightmare at 7:10 AM on October 25, 2017 [2 favorites]

I also have started using the double-cleansing method and it works amazingly well for this type of stubborn mascara. I use Pixi's Nourishing Cleansing Balm. Rub and massage it into my face all around, then use a warm, wet muslin face cloth to remove the balm and then a non-foaming cleanser (this one) to wash my face.

I like it but it's certainly not to everyone's taste. It has fragrance and it feels like almond oil and shea butter mixed together, which is what it is basically. I have combo, sensitive, breakout-prone skin and haven't had any problems. The 2nd cleanse is necessary, though.

This routine has the added benefit of feeling very therapeutic.
posted by ancient star at 7:17 AM on October 25, 2017 [1 favorite]

I also use jojoba oil. If I'm wearing a ton of eye makeup, I'll use it to wipe a bunch of the makeup off before I shower and then the rest comes off with face wash. If I'm not, I'll use the face wash first, then moisturize with jojoba oil that also takes off the last traces of mascara if it's still sticking around.
posted by snaw at 7:39 AM on October 25, 2017

High end: Chanel Démaquillant yeux intense gentle bi-phase remover is my holy grail but too expensive for frequent purchase.

Drugstore: Garnier Essentials Simply Essentials Soothing 2-in-1 Make-Up Remover. Make sure it's the BLUE one, the purple one is not as good (and more expensive). This is a very close dupe to the Chanel one for me but the Chanel one leaves my skin feeling more moisturised.

Lancome Bi-phase is similar but I personally don't rate it as high as these other two. Same with the Clinique one (although I love their cleansing balm which I find to be pretty good at eye makeup removing too)
posted by like_neon at 7:50 AM on October 25, 2017

As far as I'm concerned the only eye makeup remover that works is good old Pond's cold cream.
posted by Brain Sturgeon at 8:00 AM on October 25, 2017 [1 favorite]

Seconding Clinique's Take The Day Off, specifically their cleansing balm formulation. They have other formulations but I haven't found them to be as powerful as the balm.
posted by schroedingersgirl at 8:02 AM on October 25, 2017 [1 favorite]

Micellar Water (you can find it with different brands, but I find Garnier works just as well as Avene at 1/4 the cost) was a GAME CHANGER for me. I love thick dark mascara (waterproof only) and lots of eyeliner, and micellar water is super gentle, UNBELIEVABLY effective (use cotton pads) and has cleared up my persistent eye eczema.
posted by Dressed to Kill at 8:03 AM on October 25, 2017 [3 favorites]

I also have this problem, this balm from Boscia is pretty good, although if I’m wearing a ton of gel eyeliner I sometimes need to do another swipe with Neutrogena oil free makeup remover. I also have heard good things about Banila Co Clean It Zero but haven’t tried it yet. With the Boscia I don’t have to do a double cleanse but it does help get the last remnants of makeup off.
posted by tatiana wishbone at 8:12 AM on October 25, 2017

Also, you should ask for samples if you go high end from Sephora, for me for example micellar water might as well just be water and does absolutely nothing, so before you invest in an expensive remover do try it out.
posted by tatiana wishbone at 8:14 AM on October 25, 2017

A little almond oil should do the job.
posted by tel3path at 8:26 AM on October 25, 2017 [1 favorite]

Albolene. For everything. It's the best.
posted by Medieval Maven at 8:31 AM on October 25, 2017 [2 favorites]

Pond's cold cream or plain baby oil is the best for stubborn mascara.

However, I am wondering about your mascara removal technique as well. Part of the key to getting the makeup to dissolve (and avoiding lots of tugging and rubbing) is to make sure the makeup remover has time to work.

My technique is to put an excessive amount of whatever eye makeup remover I'm using (currently Nivea waterproof eye makeup remover) on a cotton round. I swipe it onto my lashes with my eye closed, but then I hold the cotton round on the lid/lashes. Just hang out for like, I dunno, 30 seconds? To give it time to dissolve the makeup.

Then, I start gently pressing/wiggling the cotton pad against my lashes. This is done gently, I am not rubbing, and the cotton pad stays in one place. my eyelid might move back and forth a tiny bit from the pressure, but that's all. I'm trying to disturb the makeup so it breaks down better, without getting anything in my eye or hurting my eyes or causing wrinkles. So gentle, but persistant.

After all that, I swipe away the goop. It should mostly come off with a few swipes, but sometimes I do a swipe with a second, smaller quantity of makeup remover. I never go through the whole ritual a second time, just smear and swipe. It's ok to keep going in with fresh makeup remover until the cotton pad comes away clean. Be sure to swipe from the top down and from the bottom up, to get the coats of mascara on both the upper and under sides of your lashes. I like to use a round instead of a cotton ball because I feel that I have more control, and I can fold it to get under my lower lash line and stuff too.

This sounds like a ton more hassle than it actually is and it pulls tons of makeup off!
posted by windykites at 9:33 AM on October 25, 2017 [1 favorite]

Baby oil. Cheap and effective.
posted by summerstorm at 9:33 AM on October 25, 2017

Seconding double cleansing, and specifically that Face Shop cleanser in the very first link. It works instantly, painlessly, rinses clean, and importantly: it doesn't leave any oiliness around because it emulsifies with water. Coconut oil and other things are a huge pain in my experience because of this non-emulsification, and traditional makeup remover requires swiping with a cotton pad or something which I find irritating, pulling, and wasteful.
posted by thegreatfleecircus at 10:01 AM on October 25, 2017

3rd-ing Pond's Cream.
posted by kitcat at 10:22 AM on October 25, 2017 [1 favorite]

I love that mascara desperately and have found almond oil on a tissue, held on the lashes for a bit then wiped, does the trick.
posted by donnagirl at 10:56 AM on October 25, 2017 [1 favorite]

Third vote for organic jojoba oil. Just be prepared to have some inevitably get in your eyes and cause a bit of blurry vision for a while. Since I mostly forgo contacts and wear my glasses these days, I don't care. But if you need to drive or do other important eye-related things soon after, be aware. Baby oil works too, but I wouldn't recommend it unless it's your last resort due to the petrochemicals.

(Hey, DT Sex Nightmare, where in the world are you able to buy organic jojoba oil for $4.00 a bottle? It's $7.99 for 4 ounces at TJ in my neck of the woods.)
posted by LuckySeven~ at 11:15 AM on October 25, 2017 [1 favorite]

Seconding coconut oil or other more liquid oils. I sometimes do a triple-cleanse: oil to break down eye makeup, then face cleanser, then a quick swipe of traditional eye makeup remover to get rid of the last bits.

(Amazon and Target often have cheap jojoba oil, though i don't know if it's organic.)
posted by jessicapierce at 11:51 AM on October 25, 2017

DHC Eye and Lip Makeup remover. I swear by it. I also totally swear by their Deep Cleansing Oil, which is all I use at night to take off all my makeup.
posted by janey47 at 12:41 PM on October 25, 2017

This is cheap and works very well.
posted by Crystal Fox at 1:16 PM on October 25, 2017

The oil-based thing rings true for me. I would have said petroleum-based. I found that plain Vaseline, given a little time to sink into the mascara (but watch that you don't get that goop in your eyes, or you'll be blurry for a while!), then wipe off with whatever you prefer to use.
posted by itsflyable at 1:23 PM on October 25, 2017

I use that brand, also love! And I just use a carrier oil to wipe it away. Avocado oil is my favorite.
posted by katypickle at 3:09 PM on October 25, 2017

Nthing Lancôme Bi-Facil and Pond's Cold Cream, with tissues. Honorable mention to Trader Joe's Micellar Water face wipe thingies, but these would make more sense as a second step if anything.
posted by armeowda at 5:12 PM on October 25, 2017

I don't know that mascara but I do know that The Body Shop Camomile Gentle Eye Makeup Remover" works well for normal-like, say,-Maybelline mascara. But! If the mascara you mentioned is waterproof, I'd use baby oil to wipe it off, followed by Neutrogena's Makeup Removing Wipes, which I also take with me when I travel for removing mascara away from home.
posted by Lynsey at 5:34 PM on October 25, 2017

Seconding the Vaseline recommendation--it's cheap, it works, and it doesn't irritate my eyes. I pretend that it has a secondary benefit of keeping my eye area moisturized.
posted by MsMacbeth at 7:32 PM on October 25, 2017

Ok, hear me out....I always wear waterproof mascaras (generally several layers of several different kinds...) and about 3 months ago I purchased a makeup eraser cloth at sephora. I haven't actually used any type of makeup remover liquid/cream since then and for Christmas nearly every lady on my list is getting one of these. I don't know how it works, I'm pretty sure it's magic, but I use it with some warm water and everything just comes off with no mess or fuss, afterwards I cleanse with my normal face wash/toner/serums and go to bed and I wake up the next morning without even the slightest hint of raccoon eyes. As a bonus, the cloths are supposed to last up to 3 years (I now own several of them because I like to wash between uses...but you wouldn't necessarily have to). They aren't cheap, about $25 and I the knock-off ones don't work nearly as well for me.
posted by AnneShirley at 1:54 AM on October 26, 2017 [2 favorites]

Grain Ferment Cleansing Sherbet is a Korean oil cleansing balm that can be had for much less from Ebay sellers. It is my favorite.
posted by turniphead at 6:51 AM on October 26, 2017

I am obsessed with Almay's longwear and waterproof eye makeup remover pads. They're cheap and seem to last forever—and they work super well! (I use Benefit's They're Real mascara, too.)
posted by gypsyhymns at 8:04 AM on October 26, 2017

I've tried oil cleansing and double cleansing and all kinds of bottled makeup removers and believe me you nothing has ever worked better than Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Face Wash. Unfortunately it breaks me out a bit so I don't use it too often but when I really need something off my eyes, that's the first thing I reach for.
posted by mosst at 9:26 AM on October 26, 2017